Black Friday (1940)

As Dr. Ernest Sovac (Boris Karloff) makes his way to the electric chair, he recalls the events that landed him on death row.

I watched the 1940 Universal Pictures, gangster – film noir -horror, movie “Black Friday” on Svengoolie. It is a science fiction horror film directed by Arthur Lubin and produced by Burt Kelly for Universal Pictures. The film stars Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, two of the most renowned figures in horror cinema, although they do not share any scenes together in this movie. The screenplay was written by Curt Siodmak, who later became famous for his work in the horror genre, including the classic “The Wolf Man” (1941).

The story of “Black Friday” centers around Dr. Ernest Sovac, played by Boris Karloff, a scientist who performs a radical and dangerous operation. He transplants part of a gangster’s brain into his friend, Professor George Kingsley, who was critically injured in a car accident.

The gangster, Red Cannon, was fatally wounded in a shootout and had hidden a large sum of money that Dr. Sovac hopes to find. As the brain operation takes effect, Kingsley begins to exhibit the gangster’s personality, with Cannon’s vengeful and violent side gradually taking over.

The film unfolds with Kingsley, under the influence of Cannon’s brain, seeking revenge against those who betrayed him while Sovac manipulates events to discover the location of the hidden money.

Cast

  • Karloff, Boris – Dr. Ernest Sovac, a scientist who performs a radical brain transplant to save his friend, hoping to gain access to a hidden fortune – (November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969) Frankenstein, Behind the Mask, The Mummy, The Ghoul, The Black Cat, Bride of Frankenstein, The Raven, The Black Room, The Raven, The Invisible Ray, Son of Frankenstein, The Man They Could Not Hang, Tower of London, Black Friday, The Ape, The House of Frankenstein, Isle of the Dead, Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff, The Black Castle, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Voodoo Island, The Haunted Strangler, Frankenstein 1970, Corridors of Blood, The terror, Black Sabbath, Bikini Beach, Die Monster Die!, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, Mad Monster Party, The Sorcerers, Cauldron of Blood, Curse of the Crimson Altar, Isle of the Snake People, The Incredible Invasion, Fear Chamber, House of Evil
  • Ridges, Stanley – Professor George Kingsley / Red Cannon, a mild-mannered professor who, after receiving a brain transplant, begins to exhibit the violent tendencies of gangster Red Cannon – (July 17, 1890 – April 22, 1951) Success, For Two Cents, Crime Without Passion, The Scoundrel, Yellow jacket, There’s That Woman Again, Espionage Agent, Nick Carter Master Detective, Black Friday, The Sea Wolf, Sergeant York, They Died with Their Boots On, Eagle Squadron, Tarzan Triumphs, Air Force, The Phantom Speaks, An Act of Murder, Streets of Laredo, Task Force, The Du Pont Story, The Groom Wore Spurs
  • Lugosi, Bela – Eric Marnay, a gangster and former associate of Red Cannon who becomes involved in the chaos following the brain transplant – (October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956) Dracula, Murders at the Rue Morgue, White Zombie, Island of Lost Souls, The Death Kiss, Night of Terror, The Black Cat, Mark of the Vampire, The Raven, The Invisible Ray, Son of Frankenstein, The Phantom Creeps, The Dark Eyes of London, Black Friday, Invisible Ghost, The Black Cat, The Wolf Man, The Ghost of Frankenstein, The Corpse Vanishes, Night Monster, The Ape Man, Ghosts on the Loose, The Return of the Vampire, Voodoo Man, Return of the Ape Man, Zombies on Broadway, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Mother Riley Meets the Vampire, Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, Bride of the Monster, The Black Sheep, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
  • Nagel, Anne – Sunny Rogers, a dancer and Red Cannon’s girlfriend who gets caught in the dangerous events after the brain operation – (September 29, 1915 – July 6, 1966) Hypnotized, Hot Money, Guns of the Pecos, The Case of the Stuttering Bishop, Hoosier Schoolboy, A Bride for Henry, Mystery House,
    The Green Hornet (13 Ep Movie Serial), Black Friday, The Green Hornet Strikes Again!, The Invisible Woman, Man Made Monster, The Mad Doctor of Market Street, The Mad Monster, Women in Bondage, An Innocent Affair, Prejudice, TV episodes of The Range Rider, Circus Boy (Micky Dolenz)
  • Gwynne, Anne – Jean Sovac, Dr. Sovac’s daughter, who becomes increasingly suspicious of her father’s unethical actions – (December 10, 1918 – March 31, 2003) Unexpected Father, Oklahoma Frontier, Man from Montreal, The Green Hornet (13 Ep Movie Serial), Black Friday, Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Movie Serial), The Black Cat, Men of Texas , Ride ‘Em Cowboy, Road Agent, The Strange Case of Doctor Rx, Weird Woman, House of Frankenstein, Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome, Teenage Monster, Adam at 6 A.M.
  • MacDonald, Edmund – Frank Miller, an associate of Red Cannon involved in the criminal activities, who becomes wary of Cannon’s reappearance – (May 7, 1908 – September 2, 1951) Black Friday, Detour, The Great Flamarion, Johnny Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Tomorrow Is Forever, The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry, They Made Me a Killer, The Outlaw, Street of Chance, Adventures of Captain Marvel, TV episodes of The Lone Ranger, Racket Squad, I Love Lucy, The Adventures of Superman, The Cisco Kid, Dragnet, The Life of Riley, Hopalong Cassidy, Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, The Adventures of Kit Carson
  • Bailey, Raymond – Louis Devore, another gangster who is part of the criminal circle and becomes embroiled in the violent aftermath of the brain transplant – (May 6, 1904 – April 15, 1980) Vertigo, No Time for Sergeants, Black Friday, Picnic, The Invisible Boy, I Was a Communist for the FBI, The Amazing Transparent Man, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, Saboteur, Thunder Bay, The Manchurian Candidate, TV episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West, Wagon Train, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Green Acres.
  • Alper, Murray – the Bellhop – (January 11, 1904 – November 16, 1984) The Royal Family of Broadway, The Girl Habit, Seven Keys to Baldpate, Sea Devils, King of the Underworld, It’s a Wonderful World, Black Friday, Sergeant York, The Maltese Falcon, Yankee Doodle Dandy, God Is My Co-Pilot, Blondie’s Secret, Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, The Jazz Singer, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Nutty Professor, The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze, The Disorderly Orderly, The Outlaws Is Coming, Hook, Line & Sinker, TV episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Munsters

Arthur Lubin, (Abbott & Costello films, Phantom of the Opera, Francis the Talking Mule, he created a talking horse in TV’s Mr. Ed, gave Clint Eastwood his first contract in film, Lady Godiva of Coventry, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Hold On! (starring Herman’s Hermits), TV episodes of The Addams Family, Bronco, Maverick, Bonanza), directed “Black Friday”, marking one of his rare ventures into the horror genre.

The film was produced by Burt Kelly, a frequent collaborator with Universal Studios, which was renowned for its horror film productions during the 1930s and 1940s. He co-produced many Blondie films, The Black Cat, The Invisible Woman, Undercover Men, Fargo Express, The Death Kiss, Come on Tarzan, to name a few. Screenwriter Curt Siodmak would revisit this theme again in Donovan’s Brain (1953) and Hauser’s Memory (1970). He had originally called the screenplay “Friday the Thirteenth” according to Wikipedia and Svengoolie.

Some of his other writings include The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Ape (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), Invisible Agent (1942), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Son of Dracula (1943), I Walked with a Zombie (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), The Beast with Five Fingers (1946), Bride of the Gorilla (1951), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956), and The Magnetic Monster (1953).

Universal Pictures was famous for its dark and atmospheric settings, often reusing sets to create a gothic and eerie environment, and “Black Friday” is no exception. The film was shot primarily on the studio’s backlot in Hollywood, California,

with the production utilizing Universal’s famous standing sets, which were often redressed to serve various narrative needs across multiple films. Interestingly, the film was originally intended to have Karloff and Lugosi in reversed roles.

Lugosi was set to play the dual role of Kingsley/Cannon, with Karloff portraying Dr. Sovac. However, the casting was switched before production began. It is believed that the switch was due to Karloff’s reluctance to take on the physically demanding role of the dual character.

Instead, Karloff played the scientist, a role that allowed him to showcase a more controlled and cerebral performance. Lugosi ended up playing a smaller role as Eric Marnay, a gangster who is one of Cannon’s former associates. Despite being billed as a co-star, Lugosi’s role in the film is relatively minor,

which was disappointing to some fans who expected more interaction between him and Karloff. “Black Friday” did not receive as much acclaim as other Universal horror films of the era, partly because of its confusing narrative and the lack of scenes featuring both Karloff and Lugosi together, which was a major draw for audiences at the time. However, Stanley Ridges’ performance as the dual characters of Kingsley and Cannon was highly praised, with Ridges effectively conveying the transformation between the meek professor and the ruthless gangster.

Production on Black Friday began on December 28th, 1939. Principal photography concluded on January 18th, 1940. The film running time is 70 minutes.

The film’s blend of horror and science fiction elements, along with its focus on brain transplantation, makes it an interesting example of the era’s experimentation with genre conventions. Though not a major hit, “Black Friday” is remembered today for its unique premise

and the presence of Karloff and Lugosi, two legends of horror cinema. The film represents Universal Pictures’ continued efforts to innovate within the horror genre by blending it with science fiction themes, a combination that would become increasingly popular in the years following its release. I liked the movie and will give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Further Reading
Sources

Author: Doyle

I was born in Atlanta, moved to Alpharetta at 4, lived there for 53 years and moved to Decatur in 2016. I've worked at such places as Richway, North Fulton Medical Center, Management Science America (Computer Tech/Project Manager) and Stacy's Compounding Pharmacy (Pharmacy Tech).

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