Werewolf Of London (1935)

A botanist (Henry Hull) travels to Tibet in search of a rare flower that only blooms in moonlight. But while in Tibet, he is attacked by a lycanthrope. Back in London, during the full moon, he suddenly starts growing hair all over his body. Directed by Stuart Walker, this was actually the first Hollywood werewolf movie. It preceded the better known THE WOLF MAN by some six years. While quite entertaining, it doesn't have the mythological qualities that made THE WOLF MAN intriguing. Despite its brief running time (1 hour, 15 minutes), it wears out its welcome pretty quickly. In a rare leading role, the character actor Henry Hull displays none of the qualities needed in a leading man which is why he never became one. As his wife, poor Valerie Hobson doesn't have much to do but fret and let out some blood curdling screams. The most enjoyable portion of the film for me was the interplay between two cockney lushes (Ethel Griffies, Zeffie Tilbury) which provides some much need comic relief. With Warner Oland (once again playing Asian), Spring Byington and Lester Matthews.