“The Bride!” opens up with Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, played by Jessie Buckley, describing the story she wanted to tell. Shelley is best known for writing “Frankenstein” in the early 19th century, an accomplishment she did due to being dared, yet she is credited with some of the earliest science fiction and created a horror story that has transcended cultures and generations.
The film claims that the story Shelley wanted to tell was that of the bride, Frankenstein’s monster. In the original story, the monster posits that his anger and wrath are born of loneliness, that he has no equal, like Adam without Eve. The monster begs his creator to create a wife for him, so that he may live a normal life.
“The Bride!” takes this and fleshes out this female monster that was never created in the original story. Director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s sophomore feature film is set in 1930s United States, primarily in Chicago and New York City. The monster, played by Christian Bale, seeks out a new scientist who has figured out how to “reinvigorate people,” similar to how Victor Frankenstein brought him back to life. After some deliberation, the doctor agrees to the monster’s request, reinvigorating the recently deceased Ida, also played by Jessie Buckley, who works as an escort for the mob.
“The Bride!” as she decides to be called, has lost all memory of her life, and is similarly a blank slate like Frankenstein’s monster. The monster takes advantage of this, claiming that they have known each other for much longer than they actually have. She questions this, but decides to follow along. The film turns into somewhat of a Bonnie and Clyde adventure, with the duo leaving a trail of crimes behind them as they travel. In between are elements of crime thriller, hard-boiled detective noir, musical song and dance, feminist revolution and more — all connected by an overarching love story. This amalgamation of tropes and themes, somewhat like Frankenstein’s monster, detracts from the film as a whole, but also creates an incredibly unique and bold film.
“The Bride!” is worth watching for Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale alone. You can feel the passion that went into this film, even if it does not always land as cohesive. It is unapologetically peculiar, and I think has an aspect for everyone to appreciate. “The Bride!” opened in theaters nationwide on March 6.
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