Lon
Chaney set the standard for Phantom of
the Opera performances way back in 1925, and it’s no surprise that later
adaptations of Gaston Leroux’s original tale have failed to measure up to the
iconic silent classic. The 1943 version, directed by Arthur Lubin and starring
Claude Rains in the title role, plays fast and loose with its source material
but cannot improve upon it, despite a lavish Technicolor treatment. As pretty
as it is, Phantom of the Opera
ultimately lacks both terror and interest, largely because it focuses more on
its less compelling normal characters than on its tragic central figure, who
ought to be its protagonist from beginning to end.
Rains
plays middle-aged violinist Erique Claudin, who transforms into the murderous
Phantom after a series of heartbreaking events ends with his disfigurement by
acid. Still harboring an unrequited passion for the beautiful young soprano,
Christine (Susanna Foster), Erique commits increasingly terrible crimes to
advance her operatic career. Meanwhile, Christine’s two suitors, Anatole
(Nelson Eddy) and Inspector D’Aubert (Edgar Barrier), vie for her attention
while attempting to capture the deadly Phantom.
In
terms of its plot, Phantom lies
halfway between the 1925 film and the 1953 horror feature, House of Wax (or even the original 1933 Mystery of the Wax Museum). Unlike those films, however, it prefers
melodrama and long musical segments to actual horror. As a result, the majority
of the picture focuses on the romantic triangle represented by Susanna Foster,
Nelson Eddy, and Edgar Barrier, all of whom are maddeningly dull. The opera
scenes might be entertaining to fans of the art form, but they do little to
build suspense in the narrative. The romance also stumbles because Christine’s
two suitors are so alike that it hardly matters which of them she might prefer,
an issue that is, perhaps, winked at in the story’s final scene.
The
film’s greatest failing, however, is its wasted opportunity with Rains, a
tremendously gifted actor who had proved his talent for horror in The Invisible Man (1933) and The Wolf Man (1941). Unfortunately,
Rains has very few scenes in Phantom
in which to develop his take on the character. We see enough of Erique to pity
him before his psychotic break and fatal encounter with a pan of acid, but we
don’t see nearly enough of his existence and menace as the Phantom. His
inevitable abduction of Christine is rushed through in the last segment of the
film, giving almost no time to the subterranean world that the Phantom haunts.
The casting of Rains in the role has the potential to be a stroke of genius,
but we never see it realized, which makes the movie all the more frustrating to
watch. Unleashed, the actor might have brought the Phantom all of the
passionate madness, mystery, and tragedy that such an iconic character
deserves.
Despite
these problems, Phantom of the Opera
won Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Color Cinematography, with
nominations for its musical score and sound. For better opportunities to
appreciate the inimitable Claude Rains, see The
Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Casablanca
(1941), and Notorious (1946). Of the
other leads, Edgar Barrier had the best career; you’ll find him in Journey into Fear (1943), Nob Hill (1945), and as the ill-fated
Banquo in Orson Welles’ adaptation of Macbeth
(1948). Don’t miss Fritz Leiber (the father of the science fiction author of
the same name) as Franz Liszt and Hume Cronyn as Gerard. For comparisons beyond
the Lon Chaney version and other Phantom
adaptations, have a look at Laird Cregar’s terrific performance as the musician
made madman in Hangover Square (1945).
This review was originally published at Examiner.com. The author retains all rights to her content.
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