THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
US, 1943, 92 minutes, Colour.
Claude Rains, Nelson Eddy, Susanna Foster, Leo Carrillo, J. Edward Bromberg, Jane Farrar, Hume Cronyn.
Directed by Arthur Rubin.
The Phantom of the Opera is a classic story by Gaston Leroux. Filmed as a Lon Chaney vehicle in the '20s, it became one of his most famous films, reprised in the biography with James Cagney, The Man of a Thousand Faces. Hammer Films produced a version with Herbert Lom in the '60s, emphasising the horror. This 1943 version, in attractive colour for which it won an Oscar, emphasised both horror and the operatic music. It also gave a more plausible explanation to the Phantom's behaviour rather than emphasising unmotivated horror. Claude Rains is excellent as the phantom, a mixture of victim and insanity. Susanna Foster, taking Deanna Durbin's place at Universal, is an attractive if rather unmoved heroine. Nelson Eddy, towards the end of his film career, is a rather wooden hero. The musical score of opera selections as well as ballads is most attractive and the film blends its atmosphere of menace with the operatic. An interesting attempt to give classic status to traditional horror.
1. The popularity of the original story? The variety of versions? Its classic status? Adaptation from horror to opera? The blend of music and horror?
2. Universal Studios and the tradition of the horror film? Giving high class production to the horror story? Oscars for colour, photography and decor? The colour creating the atmosphere of the 19th. century? Paris Opera House? The opera excerpts and their staging? The introduction of the horror - but with low-key style? The romance? A satisfying blend of elements?
3. The emphasis on the opera? The score: operas, the musical background, the French theme and lullaby?
4. Claude Rains as the phantom? His work in many horror films in the '30s and '40s? His character as violinist in the orchestra, his being carpeted and sacked, the beauty of his playing the lullaby, the inability to pay the rent, his inability to pay the tuition fees? His wanting to sell his concerto? Liszt and his playing it? The insults and his fearing that the work had been stolen? His murdering the publisher and the woman throwing the acid in his face? A kind man enraged and becoming victim?
5. His madness, his escape from the police, his going to the opera house, stealing the mask, haunting the opera house? His killing the heroine's opponents? His threats? The eeriness of his voice heard throughout the theatre? His surviving in the dungeons? His poisoning the prima donna? Killing her and her maid? His warnings and the sawing of the chandelier? His taking the heroine captive? Her unmasking him? His death? Audience sympathy for him as a human being while repelled by his behaviour?
6. The heroine and her singing, her being courted by Gaston and Raoul? Her dedication to her career? The lessons? Her kindness to Eric? Her being haunted? Her singing and coming on as prima donna? Her triumph? Victim of jealousy? Her being captured by the phantom, unmasking him? The rescue? Her rejection of both suitors? A conventional heroine?
7. Raoul and Gaston as heroes: opera star and policeman? Nelson Eddy's presence in this film? His pushing for the heroine's success, singing with her, his antagonism towards Raoul? Raoul and his police work, the clues, the statue? The two men being left at the end and dining together? Conventional heroes?
8. The background of the management of the Paris Opera. meetings, contracts, sackings? The prima donna and her mid ? arrogance, death? Tantrums and opera stars?
9. The police work, investigations?
10. The murders? The build-up to the climax with the chandelier? The pursuit in the sewers? The discovery of the phantom's hideaway? Its crumbling and killing him?
11. The realistic ending? Emerging from the world of fantasy and madness? The plaintive thews of the music? A different and satisfying version of the horror story?
