Black Friday (1940): Cast & Plot
Black Friday is a 1940 horror thriller directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Virginia Brissac as Mrs. Margaret Kingsley, Stanley Ridges and Anne Gwynne. It runs 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 10m (70 min)
- Director
- Arthur Lubin
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Black Friday About?
The premise of Black Friday without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
University professor George Kingsley is struck by gang members while crossing the street, leaving him with serious brain damage and one thug, Cannon, paralyzed. Dr. Sovac, Kingsley’s colleague, treats both men. When Cannon offers a reward for his aid, Dr. Sovac grafts part of Cannon’s brain onto the dying Kingsley, creating a dual‑personality monster that runs loose.
Black Friday Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- notebook
- new york city
- split personality
- brain surgeon
- notes
- death row
- university professor
- college professor
- english literature professor
- loot
- nightclub singer
- criminal gang
+38 more Show fewer
- head injury
- illegal operation
- thousand dollar bill
- newspaper headline
- identity crisis
- karloff and lugosi
- gangster
- gang leader
- uncharacteristic behavior
- dying man
- car crash
- absent mindedness
- told in flashback
- condemned to death
- execution
- run down by a car
- stolen money
- locked in a closet
- popular teacher
- hit by a car
- electric chair
- brain transplant
- personality change
- hotel
- mad doctor
- day in title
- color in title
- looking at oneself in a mirror
- psychotronic film
- cocktail
- worrying
- handwriting
- male police officer
- death row inmate
- hiding place
- nightclub
- bellboy
- hidden bar
Black Friday Cast & Characters
Virginia Brissac leads the cast as Mrs. Margaret Kingsley, with Stanley Ridges as Prof. George Kingsley / Red Cannon and Anne Gwynne as Jean Sovac. Directed by Arthur Lubin; 35 actors are credited in all.
- Director Arthur Lubin
- Virginia Brissac as Mrs. Margaret Kingsley
- Stanley Ridges as Prof. George Kingsley / Red Cannon
- Anne Gwynne as Jean Sovac
-
Boris Karloff as Dr. Ernest Sovac
Also Starring in Black Friday
· 31 more- Anne Nagel Sunny Rogers
- Paul Fix William Kane
- Raymond Bailey Louis Devore
- Emmett Vogan Det. Carpenter
- Eddie Dunn Det. Farnow
- Bela Lugosi Eric Marnay
- Harry Tenbrook Cabbie
- Harry Hayden Prison Doctor
- Jack Mulhall Bartender
- Edward Earle Detective
- Murray Alper Bellhop
- John Kelly Taxi Driver
- Edwin Stanley Dr. Warner
- Joe King Chief of Police
- Kernan Cripps Detective
- Dave Willock Student
Show all 35 cast members Show fewer cast members
- James Craig Reporter Ernst Gives Notes To
- Frank Jaquet Fat Man in Bar
- Jessie Arnold Nurse
- Russell Wade Student
- Frank Sheridan Prison Chaplain
- William Ruhl G-Man
- Robert Morgan Hotel Associate
- Edmund MacDonald Frank Miller
- Franco Corsaro Club Maitre d' (uncredited)
- Victor Zimmerman G-Man
- Ellen Lowe Midtown Hotel Maid
- Tommy Conlon Student
- Wallace Reid Jr. Student
- Jerry Marlowe Midtown Hotel Clerk
- Elfriede Borodin 2nd Nurse
More from Arthur Lubin
More films directed by Arthur Lubin: Hold On!, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Escapade in Japan and The First Traveling Saleslady.
Black Friday Plot Summary
What happens in Black Friday from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
George Kingsley, Stanley Ridges, is a bookish college professor who is accidentally run down by Red Cannon, a gangster fleeing from four former gang members bent on killing him. Red Cannon is crippled by the accident while Kingsley suffers life-threatening brain trauma. Boris Karloff as Dr. Ernest Sovac implants part of Cannon’s brain into Kingsley to save his life. Cannon dies as a result, while Kingsley recovers but at times behaves like Cannon. Sovac is intrigued, not only because this suggests his procedure can preserve life indefinitely, but because Cannon has hidden $500,000 somewhere in New York City.
Full summary
The whole story of Black Friday, scene by scene
Black Friday Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer, 2 clips and 1 featurette.
- Clip Universal Horror Collection: Vol. 1 - Black Friday (1940) - Clip: You've Been Ill (HD)
- Clip BLACK FRIDAY "From now on, you do exactly as I say" Clip
- Featurette Joe Dante on BLACK FRIDAY
How Well Do You Know Black Friday?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the profession of George Kingsley before the accident?
Cars in Black Friday
8 cars on screen, including the 1930 Buick Series 40 and the 1937 Chevrolet Master De Luxe.
-
1930 Buick Series 40 Important role -
1937 Chevrolet Master De Luxe Important role -
1936 De Soto Airstream Important role -
1933 Hudson Major Eight Important role
Black Friday Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “Vendredi 13” and “Чёрная пятница”.
- Also known as
-
- Vendredi 13
- Чёрная пятница
- Schwarzer Freitag
- Черен петък
- Fekete péntek
- Sexta-Feira 13
- Τα Εγκλήματα Ενός Άλλου
- 黑色星期五
- Чорна п’ятниця
Seen Black Friday?
Movies Like Black Friday
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Black Friday, Black Friday and Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde.
Black Friday FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Black Friday, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Black Friday?
Black Friday runs 1 hour 10 minutes (70 minutes).
When was Black Friday released?
Black Friday was released on February 29, 1940.
Who directed Black Friday?
Black Friday was directed by Arthur Lubin.
More films by Arthur Lubin Who is in the cast of Black Friday?
Black Friday stars Virginia Brissac as Mrs. Margaret Kingsley, Stanley Ridges as Prof. George Kingsley / Red Cannon and Anne Gwynne as Jean Sovac, among 35 credited actors.
Does Black Friday have a post-credit scene?
No. Black Friday has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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