Don't Make a Scene: Young Frankenstein

The Story: The script text is taken from Gene Wilder's original script (which he was working on while filming Blazing Saddles). This is before he asked Mel Brooks to direct and Brooks said "Okay, but if I'm going to direct it, we're going to work on the script..."

And they drilled down on it. Wilder said it was exhausting, but got a master's class on writing and performing comedy. You read his script, and there's a lot of favorite Young Frankenstein moments that are absent. In fact, quite a few. Essential things that you remember. Not there. Those came in during the Brooks/Wilder re-tooling.

For example, this section. I haven't changed a thing, except for a Cloris Leachman addition and a couple of Monster responses (all of which Wilder put in as "Mmm"). But, get to the back and forth between Frederick von Frankenstein and Fraü Blucher (obligatory horse-whinny) and you see that there is no punctuation other than a simple period. Wilder's script was low on description and direction, sometimes (as in this case) just putting in the dialog. But, between script and page, there's six years of acting class in difference. Not to mention pacing.

Wilder mentions the music, but not where it comes in. He doesn't describe the Monster's reaction to it. And he certainly doesn't have Blucher building the intensity of the scene with dramatic violin-strokes and a performance that wasn't topped until Meg Ryan sat down at a deli.

Words, sure. Absolutely. But, what you do in the white spaces between words and paragraphs is just as important. Sometimes more.

 

The Set-up: Frederick von Frankenstein ("That's Fronk-en-steen")(Gene Wilder), following the journals of his infamous grandfather's attempts to reanimate dead tissue, has succeeded in bringing a dead corpse (Peter Boyle) to life, but keeps him restrained as the brain installed in the body is discovered to be "abnormal." But, Castle Frankenstain's house-keeper Frau Blucher* (Cloris Leachman) has other plans.

 

Throw the switch!

 

Fraü Blucher: Victor, Victor, we have done it. 

Fraü Blucher: I'm going to set you free. 

Fraü Blucher: Would you like that, meine zerge kopf?** 

Monster: Mmm.

Fraü Blucher: They just wanted to hurt you. 

Fraü Blucher: But I'm going to help you. 

Freddy (off camera): Thank heaven that's over with. 

Freddy: Fraü Blucher!  

(horses whinny outside)

Fraü Blucher: Stop. 

Fraü Blucher: Don't come closer.
Freddy: What are you doing? 

Fraü Blucher: I'm going to set him free. 

Inga: No, no, you mustn't. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: Are you insane? 

Freddy: He'll kill you. 

Fraü Blucher: No he won't, not this one. 

Fraü Blucher: He is as gentle as a lamb. 

Monster: Mmm. Rahhhh!!!

Freddy: Stand back, stand back, 

Freddy: ...for the love of God. He has a rotten brain. 

Fraü Blucher: It's not rotten, it's a good brain. 

Freddy: It's rotten I tell you, rotten. 

Monster: Mmm.Rahhhr!!

Igor: Ix-nay on the otten-ray. 

Fraü Blucher: I'm not afraid. 

Fraü Blucher: I know what he likes. 

Monster: Rr!!

Freddy: That music. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes, it's in your blood. It's in the blood of all Frankensteins. 

Fraü Blucher: It reaches the soul when words are useless. 

Fraü Blucher: Your grandfather used to play it to... 

Fraü Blucher: ...the creature he was making. 

Freddy: Then it was you all the time. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: You played that music in the middle of the night. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: To get us into the laboratory. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: That was your cigar smoldering in the ashtray. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: And it was you who left my grandfather's book out for me to find. 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: So that I could- 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. 

Freddy: Then you and Victor were- 

Fraü Blucher: Yes. Yes. Say it. 

Fraü Blucher: He was my boyfriend.

 

Young Frankenstein

 

Words by Gene Wilder (and Mel Brooks)

 

Pictures by Gerald Hirschfeld and Mel Brooks

 

Young Frankenstein is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from Fox Home Video. 

* horse whinny

** I have no idea what this translates to. The subtitles say "eine schatze kopf" which means "a darling's head" but it doesn't sound like that.