Well, if Frankenstein could meet the Wolf Man, why not add more monsters to the mix?
In a shadowy cell, Dr. Gustav Niemann (Boris Karloff) is explaining to his cellmate Daniel (J. Caroll Naish) his theory of switching a man's brain. It was that theory which got him in his current location. When lighting strikes the jail and frees them, they take it as sign to relocate.
Helping a stuck sideshow caravan, the two get picked up by the owner, Professor Lampini (George Zucco). Lampini brags of his collection of oddities, including the recently acquired skeleton of Dracula, Lord of Vampires.
Niemann, somewhat impressed, asks them to take them to Visaria. Lampini refuses, as he was run out of there some time ago. This doesn't sit too well with Niemann, who has Daniel strangle the professor and his driver.
Now as Lampini, Niemann takes the wagon to Visaria so he can pay his respects to Burgomaster Hussman (Sid Ruman), one of the men who had him sentenced to prison that years ago. To aide him, he pulls the stake out of Dracula's (John Carradine) chest and tasks the vampire to help him.
Dracula seduces the burgomaster's granddaughter-in-law Rita (Anne Gwynne), but after killing Hussman, he finds himself being chased by the police. Niemann figures this is a little too much attention and dumps the count's coffin, forcing the vampire to save it, but the sun is rising...
Riding into the village of Frankenstein, Niemann, explores the ruined and flooded remain of Castle Frankenstein. Deep under the castle he finds the frozen body of Frankenstein's Monster (Glenn Strange) and the still living form of Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.). They also pick up gypsy dancer Ilonka (Elena Verdugo). Daniel develops a crush on her, but she finds herself attracted to the forlorn Talbot, unaware of his wolfy secret.
Heading back to his old lab, Niemann plans to take the last two witnesses against him and put their brains in the Monster and Talbot's bodies. Daniel is rather annoyed, as his service was under the condition that Niemann would fix his hunchback. Of course there's a torch wielding mob forming in town (thanks to the Wolf Man) and a full moon too...
The story is pretty much all over the place, with enough plot for at least two or three films. Plus the dating of this story would put it at least into the 1950's, considering Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man was supposed to take place four years after 1941's Wolf Man.
So much waste. Carradine is a great Dracula, but he barely does anything. The Monster is mostly strapped to a table, and frankly the killer hunchback was getting a bit played out even by the 30's.
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