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{{Infobox film |
{{Infobox film |
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| name = Black Friday |
| name = Black Friday |
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| image = Black-friday-1940-poster.jpg |
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'''''Black Friday''''' is a 1940 American [[ |
'''''Black Friday''''' is a 1940 American [[science fiction]] [[horror film]] starring [[Boris Karloff]] and [[Bela Lugosi]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Black Friday (1940) |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/black-friday-v85192 |website=allmovie |access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref> |
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Screenwriter Curt Siodmak would revisit this theme again in ''[[Donovan's Brain (film)|Donovan's Brain]]'' (1953) and ''[[Hauser's Memory]]'' (1970).<ref name="karloff">Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster'', Tomahawk Press 2011 p 256-257</ref> |
Screenwriter [[Curt Siodmak]] would revisit this theme again in ''[[Donovan's Brain (film)|Donovan's Brain]]'' (1953) and ''[[Hauser's Memory]]'' (1970).<ref name="karloff">Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster'', Tomahawk Press 2011 p 256-257</ref> |
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==Plot == |
==Plot == |
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Dr. Ernest Sovac is taken from his cell for his execution, but is able to give notes to a reporter, which recount his story, as he is led to a chamber. |
Dr. Ernest Sovac is taken from his cell for his execution, but is able to give notes to a reporter, which recount his story, as he is led to a chamber. |
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Sometime earlier, Sovac's best friend, bookish college professor George Kingsley, is run down while crossing a street. In order to save his friend's life, Sovac implants part of another man's brain into the professor's. Unfortunately, the other man was a gangster who was involved in the accident and was apparently heading for the electric chair, according to the police. The professor recovers but at times behaves like the gangster. Sovac is horrified but also intrigued, because the gangster has hidden $500,000 somewhere in New York City. The doctor continues to treat his unwitting friend and persuades him to take a vacation in New York; Sovac hopes this will revive the gangster's memory so that Kingsley will lead him to the fortune which he hopes to spend on a laboratory. Unfortunately |
Sometime earlier, Sovac's best friend, bookish college professor George Kingsley, is run down while crossing a street. In order to save his friend's life, Sovac implants part of another man's brain into the professor's. Unfortunately, the other man was a gangster who was involved in the accident and was apparently heading for the electric chair, according to the police. The professor recovers but at times behaves like the gangster. Sovac is horrified but also intrigued, because the gangster has hidden $500,000 somewhere in New York City. The doctor continues to treat his unwitting friend and persuades him to take a vacation in New York; Sovac hopes this will revive the gangster's memory so that Kingsley will lead him to the fortune which he hopes to spend on a laboratory. Unfortunately for the doctor's plans, the professor's personality change becomes more extreme, including plotting revenge against other members of his former gang. When Kingsley (behaving as a gangster) attempts to murder the doctor's daughter, Sovac shoots him dead. |
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Returning to present, Sovac is executed. |
Returning to present, Sovac is executed. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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*[[Boris Karloff]] as Dr. Ernest Sovac |
*[[Boris Karloff]] as Dr. Ernest Sovac |
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| ⚫ | |||
*[[Stanley Ridges]] as Professor George Kingsley/Red Cannon |
*[[Stanley Ridges]] as Professor George Kingsley/Red Cannon |
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| ⚫ | |||
*[[Anne Nagel]] as Sunny Rogers |
*[[Anne Nagel]] as Sunny Rogers |
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*[[Anne Gwynne]] as Jean Sovac |
*[[Anne Gwynne]] as Jean Sovac |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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''Black Friday'' had its world premiere in Chicago on February 29, 1940.<ref name="afi">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/8194?sid=af2a3b79-f9c9-4c00-b206-566d2afd4e47&sr=3.7428849&cp=1&pos=0|title=Black Friday| |
''Black Friday'' had its world premiere in Chicago on February 29, 1940.<ref name="afi">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/8194?sid=af2a3b79-f9c9-4c00-b206-566d2afd4e47&sr=3.7428849&cp=1&pos=0|title=Black Friday|access-date=December 7, 2017|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]}}</ref> It was released theatrically April 12, 1940 where it was distributed by Universal Pictures.{{sfn|Weaver|Brunas|Brunas|2007|p=214}}<ref name="afi" /> |
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===Criticism=== |
===Criticism=== |
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===Home media=== |
===Home media=== |
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''Black Friday'' was released on a DVD as part of ''The Bela Lugosi Collection'' on September 6, 2005.{{sfn|Mank|2011|p=618}} [[Dave Kehr]] of ''The New York Times'' noted that the compilation compiled ''[[The Black Cat (1934 film)|The Black Cat]]'', ''[[The Raven (1935 film)|The Raven]]'', ''[[The Invisible Ray (1936 film)|The Invisible Ray]]'' and ''Black Friday'' on a single disc, stating that the video quality was acceptable but contained "a lot of video compression".<ref name="nytimes-dvdlugosi">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/02/movies/classic-dvd-sets-star-lugosi-and-garbo.html|work=The New York Times|title=Classic DVD Sets Star Lugosi and Garbo|date=September 2, 2005|last=Kehr|first=David| |
''Black Friday'' was released on a DVD as part of ''The Bela Lugosi Collection'' on September 6, 2005.{{sfn|Mank|2011|p=618}} [[Dave Kehr]] of ''The New York Times'' noted that the compilation compiled ''[[The Black Cat (1934 film)|The Black Cat]]'', ''[[The Raven (1935 film)|The Raven]]'', ''[[The Invisible Ray (1936 film)|The Invisible Ray]]'' and ''Black Friday'' on a single disc, stating that the video quality was acceptable but contained "a lot of video compression".<ref name="nytimes-dvdlugosi">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/02/movies/classic-dvd-sets-star-lugosi-and-garbo.html|work=The New York Times|title=Classic DVD Sets Star Lugosi and Garbo|date=September 2, 2005|last=Kehr|first=David|author-link=David Kehr|access-date=December 7, 2017}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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===Sources=== |
===Sources=== |
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{{Refbegin}} |
{{Refbegin}} |
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* {{cite book|title=Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff|first=Gregory William|last=Mank|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786454723 |
* {{cite book|title=Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff|first=Gregory William|last=Mank|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786454723|date=2011}} |
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* {{cite book |last1=Weaver |first1=Tom |last2=Brunas |first2=Michael |last3=Brunas |first3=John |title=Universal Horrors|edition=2 |publisher=McFarland |date=2007 |isbn=978-0786491506 |
* {{cite book |last1=Weaver |first1=Tom |last2=Brunas |first2=Michael |last3=Brunas |first3=John |title=Universal Horrors|edition=2 |publisher=McFarland |date=2007 |isbn=978-0786491506 }} |
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{{Refend}} |
{{Refend}} |
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[[Category:1940 horror films]] |
[[Category:1940 horror films]] |
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[[Category:American science fiction horror films]] |
[[Category:American science fiction horror films]] |
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[[Category:American black-and-white films]] |
[[Category:American black-and-white films]] |
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[[Category:English-language films]] |
[[Category:1940s English-language films]] |
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[[Category:Films directed by Arthur Lubin]] |
[[Category:Films directed by Arthur Lubin]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Films about brain transplantation]] |
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[[Category:Mad scientist films]] |
[[Category:Mad scientist films]] |
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[[Category:Films with screenplays by Curt Siodmak]] |
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Curt Siodmak]] |
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[[Category:1940s science fiction horror films]] |
[[Category:1940s science fiction horror films]] |
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[[Category:Universal Pictures films]] |
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:American gangster films]] |
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[[Category:American psychological thriller films]] |
[[Category:American psychological thriller films]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
| Black Friday | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Arthur Lubin |
| Screenplay by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Elwood Bredell |
| Edited by | Philip Cahn |
Production | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 70 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $125,750[3][4] |
Black Friday is a 1940 American science fiction horror film starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.[5]
Screenwriter Curt Siodmak would revisit this theme again in Donovan's Brain (1953) and Hauser's Memory (1970).[6]
Dr. Ernest Sovac is taken from his cell for his execution, but is able to give notes to a reporter, which recount his story, as he is led to a chamber.
Sometime earlier, Sovac's best friend, bookish college professor George Kingsley, is run down while crossing a street. In order to save his friend's life, Sovac implants part of another man's brain into the professor's. Unfortunately, the other man was a gangster who was involved in the accident and was apparently heading for the electric chair, according to the police. The professor recovers but at times behaves like the gangster. Sovac is horrified but also intrigued, because the gangster has hidden $500,000 somewhere in New York City. The doctor continues to treat his unwitting friend and persuades him to take a vacation in New York; Sovac hopes this will revive the gangster's memory so that Kingsley will lead him to the fortune which he hopes to spend on a laboratory. Unfortunately for the doctor's plans, the professor's personality change becomes more extreme, including plotting revenge against other members of his former gang. When Kingsley (behaving as a gangster) attempts to murder the doctor's daughter, Sovac shoots him dead.
Returning to present, Sovac is executed.
The original story treatment was titled Friday the Thirteenth before being changed to Black Friday.[7] In January 1939, Universal announced that Willis Cooper was working on the script, with Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff probably to star.[8] In August, Curt Siodmak and Eric Taylor were assigned to write the script.[9]
Universal cast Lugosi as the doctor and Karloff as the professor. For unknown reasons, Karloff insisted on playing the doctor. Rather than a straight switch though, Lugosi was given the minor role of another gangster, while character actor Stanley Ridges was brought in to play the professor.[10] In later years, writer Curt Siodmak claimed Karloff felt he was not a good enough actor to play the dual role of the kindly professor-turned-murderous gangster, but it is more likely that his appearance and voice could not be changed completely enough to make the switch convincing. (Karloff played a dual role in the 1935 film The Black Room but the two characters were identical twins.)
The film provided a rare opportunity for Ridges.[10][11]
By December, the title had changed to Black Friday. Arthur Lubin reportedly got the job of directing on the strength of his work on The Big Guy. Filming started 27 December 1939.[12]
During filming, Manley Hall reportedly hypnotised Lugosi on set.[13]
Black Friday had its world premiere in Chicago on February 29, 1940.[2] It was released theatrically April 12, 1940 where it was distributed by Universal Pictures.[3][2]
The New York Times at the time of release stated: "Lugosi's terrifying talents are wasted... but Karloff is in exquisite artistic form... good holiday fun."[14]
Diabolique magazine in 2019 described it as "Lubin's first film to have any kind of lasting legacy... because it features both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, though neither share a scene together. It's a sort of gangster-horror film that involves a brain transplant (Curt Siodmak, who worked on the script, loved brain transplants). Stanley Ridges plays a part clearly meant for Karloff with Karloff playing a role that should have been played by Lugosi and Lugosi being wasted in a part that could have been played by anyone. The film is no classic but it is crisp and no-nonsense, taking advantage of Universal's studio resources, with excellent tempo; Joe Dante later commented it was more like a Warner Bros film in that respect than a Universal one, a judgement that could be made of many Lubin movies from this period."[15]
Black Friday was released on a DVD as part of The Bela Lugosi Collection on September 6, 2005.[16] Dave KehrofThe New York Times noted that the compilation compiled The Black Cat, The Raven, The Invisible Ray and Black Friday on a single disc, stating that the video quality was acceptable but contained "a lot of video compression".[17]
