From a story so often focused on man’s creation and monster, “The Bride!” stands as a perfect portrayal of feminine rage. Releasing Friday, March 6, this 1930s Chicago Swing era film satiates all who look for an unswerving contemporary adaptation of a 19th-century novel (which isn’t “Wuthering Heights”).
Directed and written by Maggie Gyllenhaal, the film opens with fourth wall-breaking narration from Mary Shelley, the author of the original 1818 “Frankenstein” novel, played by Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”). Frankenstein, played by Christian Bale (“American Psycho”), seeks a companion after over a century of loneliness, turning to Dr. Euphronius, played by Annette Bening (“American Beauty”), to create a partner. The pair revive a murdered young woman, Ida, also played by Buckley, who consequently becomes the titular character, The Bride.
Buckley’s performance as three different characters cannot be overstated. Her characterization of The Bride remains relentless across the film, refusing to let audiences waver their attention from her ferocity and hunger for an identity independent of her past and current lovers. Buckley’s contrast between the manic Mary Shelley, who possesses the fiery Bride, proves volcanic, bubbling beneath the surface before exploding into a violent frenzy fueled by rebellion against male tyranny.
Bale’s performance as a tender Frankenstein, more affectionately known in the film as Frank, pays homage to the original character born benevolent until abandoned by his creator. His performance, along with the rest of the film, exists as a love letter to science fiction and gothic horror.
The film’s blend of Chicago jazz, 1930s swing and a jagged punk-rock energy in its soundscape and visuals captures both a reverence for past interpretations of the novel and a modern revival. The costuming and character design choices within the film are campy, with The Bride’s jet-black tattoo splattered across her face and bleached hair perfectly aligning with her brazen persona.
Whilst Ida was silenced by death, her second life as The Bride refuses to be silenced, screaming into existence the atrocities she witnessed as an escort. The film’s boldness in themes surrounding violence, revolution and female rage feels authentic, coming from a place of true intent by Gyllenhaal. This power inspires audiences and can be manifested in one line of dialogue repeated throughout the film, “I would prefer not to.” Uttered by The Bride and taken on as a key slogan for the revolution, the sentence provokes discourse on autonomy and rejects obedience to authority.
By the final act, the key female characters, such as The Bride, Dr. Euphronious and Detective Myrna, are united not by a conscious effort, but by the innate sense of womanhood The Bride inspires. Gyllenhaal crafts an audacious film that not only reinvigorates the centuries-old monster story, but the criteria of contemporary film adaptations itself.
5 no’s out of 5
