The Ghost of Frankenstein is a 1942 American horror film directed by Erle C. Kenton[2] and starring Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi.

They go to another small town to encourage the younger son of Henry Frankenstein (Cedric Hardwicke) to continue his father's experiments, so that Ygor can have revenge against his enemies and his brain transplanted into the Monster's skull.

Ygor decides to find Ludwig, the second son of Henry Frankenstein, to help the monster regain his strength.

Ludwig Frankenstein is a doctor who, along with his assistants Dr. Kettering and Dr. Theodore Bohmer, has a successful practice in Visaria.

At the police station, the monster is restrained with chains as a hearing is conducted to investigate the recent murders.

When Ludwig denies recognizing the monster, it breaks free in a fit of rage, and is led away by Ygor.

Ludwig calls in Bohmer and Ygor and announces that he plans to put the deceased Dr. Kettering's brain into the monster's skull.

In the village, Herr Hussman rouses his neighbors by surmising his daughter has been captured by the monster and that Ludwig is harboring it.

Feeling betrayed, the Ygor-Monster throws Bohmer onto the apparatus, electrocuting him, and inadvertently sets fire to the chateau.

The Ghost of Frankenstein was announced from Universal Pictures on November 13, 1941, searching for a new lead to play the title role of the monster.

[1] Originally Boris Karloff had been planned to reprise his role as Frankenstein's Monster but had scheduling conflicts with Arsenic and Old Lace.

[1] Early versions of the script were written by Eric Taylor, and included elements not used in the film, such as the return of Basil Rathbone's character from Son of Frankenstein.

[1] The censors there warned against excessive violence and reminded the studio that scenes set in Frankenstein's operating room and insanity ward would be deleted in England.

[5] Wanda Hale of The New York Daily News described the film as "horrid, not horrendous and horribly boring even though a lot of good players [...] do the best they can with the dreadful material".

[5][7] From retrospective reviews, the authors of Universal Horrors noted that like The Mummy's Hand, the film showed Universal was "less interested in producing horror films than it was in churning out mere "monster movies" finding that horror films "at their best, offer a wide palette of interesting possibilities (nuance of character, hints of subtext, echoes of the folklore or literature that inspired it)" while "monster movies" removed "subtlety to serve hard-sell horror in the form of grotesque makeup, swooning heroines and/or rip-roaring action" and that The Ghost of Frankenstein offers "monster movie making at its classy best", noting that Son of Frankenstein was "a better film by any standard" and that while Ghost of Frankenstein was not as embraced by fans, "any criticism directed against [Ghost of Frankenstein] is deflected by the fact that it's so much fun to watch".

[8] Butler specifically noted Chaney as the monster was "not exactly bad (and certainly better than others who have played the part), but he lacks the special magic that Karloff brought to the role; too often, he seems to be doing a Karloff imitation" and that "the rest of the cast is quite good, especially Bela Lugosi, turning in a delightful performance as Ygor, and an enjoyable Lionel Atwill.