Frankenstein is The Creature from hell.

In this episode of Frankenstein the baron has become so obsessed with his own hatred and anger that the character loses much of the dimension from the previous films. He murders without hesitation, blackmails a young couple into assisting his work and brutaly rapes the woman. The violence of this movie distracts somewhat from plot and character development. The treatment of the creature is much more sympathetic- he is a human victim of the Baron and not a monster. The film has some entertainment merit but is not for the weak of heart.

Gripping story, but poor treatment of Frankenstein character

This could have been a five-star entry into Hammer's Frankenstein series--one which I consider superior to the one produced by Universal. But, unfortunately, the portrayal of the central character, Baron Frankenstein, is off when compared to other entries in the series, particularly high-points like "Curse of Frankenstein" and "Frankenstein Created Woman."

In those films, there was something twistly heroic about Frankenstein... one almost finds oneself hoping he'll succeed. But here, he is just a vicious killer, a brutal rapist, a creature with no redeeming qualities safe for the inherent charm of Peter Cushing, the actor who portrays him.

The tale has Frankenstein blackmail a crooked doctor at a local asylum into giving him access to a mad scientist so
Frankenstein can cure the madness through brain surgery. The corruption of Frankenstein and the crooked doctor spread to engulf the doctor's otherwise innocent fiance. On the very night of Frankenstein's seeming triumph, everyone ends up paying for their crimes, including Frankenstein himself.

The "morality play" aspect of this film works extremely well. What doesn't work is Frankenstein's completely monstrous nature. And it's made worse by the brutal rape he visits upon Victoria Carlson (who gives what is probably her best performance in this film). It's a shame really that the central character should be so off in the way he was written.

Frankenstein gone wrong

Sorry but I don't feel this is the best of the Hammer Frankenstein series. That honor belongs to REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN. I even found CURSE more satisfying. The film starts with the mad Baron, wearing an ugly mask, decapitating a critic of his work. Considering he had been sort of heroic in the previous film, where did this Baron suddenly come from? The writing in this series was very inconsistent. The Hammer DRACULA series is much better overall.
Anyway, the movie seems more interested in a look at society's evils and less on the Frankenstein legend. All the Baron does is transplant a brain from one man to another. The man who created life and transplanted souls is little more than a mad doctor in this film. And having Frankenstein rape the woman was totally out of character for the Baron, thrown in by the producer. None of the actors wanted it used.
True it has all the famous Hammer expertise. It looks very atmospheric and gothic, is well acted and directed. But it left me wanting to see a real FRANKENSTEIN movie.