Phantom of the Opera (1943)

A disfigured violinist haunts the Paris Opera House.

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Eric Taylor (screenplay), Samuel Hoffenstein (screenplay)

Stars:

Nelson Eddy, Susanna Foster, Claude Rains

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nelson Eddy	...	Anatole Garron
Susanna Foster	...	Christine DuBois
Claude Rains	...	Erique Claudin
Edgar Barrier	...	Raoul Daubert
Leo Carrillo	...	Signor Ferretti
Jane Farrar	...	Biancarolli
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Amiot
Fritz Feld	...	Lecours
Frank Puglia	...	Villeneuve
Steven Geray	...	Vercheres
Barbara Everest	...	Aunt
Hume Cronyn	...	Gerard
Fritz Leiber	...	Franz Liszt
Nicki Andre	...	Lorenzi
Gladys Blake	...	Jeanne

Storyline

Pit violinist Claudin hopelessly loves rising operatic soprano Christine Dubois (as do baritone Anatole and police inspector Raoul) and secretly aids her career. But Claudin loses both his touch and his job, murders a rascally music publisher in a fit of madness, and has his face etched with acid. Soon, mysterious crimes plague the Paris Opera House, blamed on a legendary "phantom" whom none can find in the mazes and catacombs. But both of Christine's lovers have plans to ferret him out.

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Plot Keywords:

fired | acid burn | cape the garment | hacksaw | mirror | 

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Taglines:

IT WILL LIVE IN YOUR MEMORY forever! (original print ad - mostly caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Music | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Phantom of the Opera

Filming Locations:

Stage 28, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, there was word that Charles Laughton was going to be cast in the title role in a black and white production. This was soon scrapped.

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Goofs

When Anatole is pursuing the Phantom over the catwalk, the ladder wobbles in long shots but is very stable when the actors are in close-up.

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Quotes

Villeneuve: You must choose between an operatic career and what is usually called "a normal life." You can't do justice to both.
Villeneuve: The artist has a special temperament, and he must live his life exclusively with those who understand it.

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Connections

Referenced in The Murder Pact (2015)

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Soundtracks

MARTHA (Act III, opera excerpt)
(uncredited)
Written by Friedrich von Flotow
Lyrics translated by William von Wymetal
Sung by Nelson Eddy, Jane Farrar (dubbed by Sally Sweetland), Susanna Foster & company

User Reviews

The Greatest 40s film I have ever seen!

It is rare that horror films can be considered objectively great movies but this can.

The story has a great deal of potential. In 19th century Paris, lives Erique Claudan, a violinist who works at the Paris Opera. Though a veteran of 20 years, he is fired because his hands have developed a condition which interferes with the quality of his playing. However, he is interested in helping the career of Christine Duboise, a young, rising star in the Opera. But he himself needs the money to pay for her lessons, and attempts to have an entire book of music he has written published. When his publisher refuses to give it back to him, Claudan accuses him of stealing his life's work and murders him, in the process horrifying a young woman who throws a pan of acid at his face, disfiguring it. Claudan hides in the sewers, steals a mask to cover his face, and starts terrorizing the Opera into allowing Christine to sing, going as far as to murder the Opera's biggest star, and cutting the chandelier down to crash into the stage. All the while, the Paris chief of police and one of the Opera's biggest male stars, bot of whom are trying to win the affections of Christine, try various plans to catch Claudan after one of them confronted him high up in the place from which the Opera's effects are operated. Claudan However has plans to capture Christine and take her to his hideout under the Opera house, will Claudan be caught?

This movie is absolutely outstanding. The Technicolor is beautiful, and the cinematography is well done. Phantom of the Opera should have won the following Academy Awards.

Best Picture Best Actor Best supporting actress Best art direction Best cinematography Best costume design Best adapted screenplay Best original song Best original score Best makeup.

The sets and costumes are fabulous in taking you back to the era. The Opera sequences are very impressive and well done with powerful music. Claude Rains performance as Claudan is perfect, he is tragic, sad, and menacing all st once. This is certainly one the the best movies of all time and it's a shame that it's so obscure.

So if you want to see a truly great film from another era of film-making, choose this one!