Phantom of the Opera (1943)

72% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(34,112 ratings)

This Technicolor retelling of the Gaston Leroux "grand guignol" classic The Phantom of the Opera has a little more opera than phantom, but that's because the stars are soprano Susannah Foster and tenor Nelson Eddy. Claude Rains carries the acting honors on his shoulders, playing a pathetic orchestra… More This Technicolor retelling of the Gaston Leroux "grand guignol" classic The Phantom of the Opera has a little more opera than phantom, but that's because the stars are soprano Susannah Foster and tenor Nelson Eddy. Claude Rains carries the acting honors on his shoulders, playing a pathetic orchestra violinist who worships aspiring opera-singer Foster from afar. The girl is unaware that Rains has secretly been financing her music lessons with instructor Leo Carrillo. When he runs out of money, Rains attempts to sell the concerto that he's been working on all his life. Mistakenly believing that his precious concerto has been stolen from him, Rains attacks and kills the music publisher he holds responsible. Terrified, the publisher's mistress throws a pan full of acid into Rains' face. Rains runs screaming into the night, and is not heard from for the next reel or so. Soon afterward, the Paris Opera house is plagued by a series of mysterious accidents. The managers are informed via letter that the "accidents" will continue if Foster is not immediately promoted to leading roles. Only after reigning diva Jane Farrar is drugged into incapacitation is Foster given her big break. Farrar accuses Foster's boyfriend, police inspector Nelson Eddy, of doping her in order to advance Foster's career. Farrar is later strangled, and Eddy is accused of the crime. The culprit is, of course, Rains, who now poses as the masked-and-caped "phantom". Maniacally determined that no one will impede Foster's success, Rains causes a huge chandelier to crash down on the opera audience when Foster fails to appear onstage (she'd been kept from performing by police-chief Edgar Barrier, who hoped in this manner to flush The Phantom out of hiding). A chase through the catacombs below the opera house ensues, with Rains holding Foster prisoner. When Rains briefly lets down his guard, the tremulous Foster removes his mask. It's "yecccch," all right, but nowhere near as frightening as the unmasking scene in the silent Lon Chaney version of Phantom of the Opera. The same can be said for the rest of this 1943 remake, though in fairness it appears as though the film wasn't really designed to scare anyone, but instead to serve as a suspense yarn with musical interludes. Hume Cronyn makes his second film appearance in Phantom in a microscopic role. The huge sets designed for this picture were hastily reused for the 1944 Universal melodrama The Climax, starring Boris Karloff and (again) Susannah Foster. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Arthur Lubin
Written By: Samuel Hoffenstein, John Jacoby
Genres: Classics, Drama, Horror, Musical & Performing Arts, Mystery & Suspense, Special Interest

In Theaters: Aug 27, 1943 Limited
On DVD: Apr 12, 2005
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Fine version of classic horror/love story/tragedy...minus music, of course.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
If you liked the stage version, you'll LOVE this version.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

danny d

although i love claude rains as an actor, his casting is the only thing in this film i slightly question, and even still, he did a great job with the role within his limitations with this character. aside from that, the film was really quite good. the music spaced out well and the… More
although i love claude rains as an actor, his casting is the only thing in this film i slightly question, and even still, he did a great job with the role within his limitations with this character. aside from that, the film was really quite good. the music spaced out well and the script solid, the end really left me gripped. a great film.
AJ V

I liked Claude Rains, but I didn't care too much for the movie. I'm sure there's a better film of the Phantom of the Opera.
Luke B

Universal's color production of Phantom of the Opera is a wonderful spectacle to behold. Rains makes for a brilliant pre-Phantom, but only his shadow is present for the remainder. His slip into madness is also quite sudden. It would have been nice for the main plot to take place… More
Universal's color production of Phantom of the Opera is a wonderful spectacle to behold. Rains makes for a brilliant pre-Phantom, but only his shadow is present for the remainder. His slip into madness is also quite sudden. It would have been nice for the main plot to take place 10 years after the scarring. It's typical Hollywood cinema of the 40's, catering to the widest market. It helps that each of Christine's suiters is given enough time to develop, and none of them are unlikable. We even get a hilariously misjudged comedic scene where two men keep saying the exact same thing AND get stuck in a doorway. The musical productions are also very detailed, with the sets being impressive in both scale and design.
Conner R

For its time it is quite impressive, but it suffers from a weak plot that doesn't exactly translate from its play form. The suspense is dull until about the last 30 minutes, which is by far the best part of the film. Claude Rains played a really great kooky Phantom, he made the… More
For its time it is quite impressive, but it suffers from a weak plot that doesn't exactly translate from its play form. The suspense is dull until about the last 30 minutes, which is by far the best part of the film. Claude Rains played a really great kooky Phantom, he made the movie worthwhile. The visuals are good, but it's not spectacular.
Dr Blood

This lavish colour production builds to terrifying climax as the phantom is chased through the catacombs of Paris.
Jason S

It's pretty good and the end had me laughing.

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Nelson Eddy as Anatole Garron

            Susanna Foster as Christine DuBois

            Claude Rains as Enrique Claudin

            Jane Farrar as Biancarolli

            Edgar Barrier as Raoul D'Aubert

            Hume Cronyn as Gerard

            Leo Carrillo as Signor Feretti

            Barbara Everest as Aunt

            J. Edward Bromberg as Amiot

            Fritz Leiber as Franz Liszt

            Steven Geray as Vercheres

            Frank Puglia as Villeneuve

            Hans Herbert as Marcel

            Fritz Feld as Lecours

            Gladys Blake as Jennie

            Nicolle Andre as Lorenzi

            Renee Carson as Georgette Pleyel's Girl Friend

            Wheaton Chambers as Reporter

            Lane Chandler as Officer

            Edward Clark as Usher

            Elvira Curci as Biancarolli's maid

            Cyril Delevanti as Bookkeeper

            William Desmond
            
            Kate Lawson as Landlady

            Miles Mander as Pleyel

            Hank Mann as Stagehand

            Paul Marion as Desjardines

            Anthony Marlowe as Martha Singer

            Alphonse Martell as Policeman

            Belle Mitchell as Feretti's Maid

            Beatrice Roberts as Nurse

            Walter O. Stahl as Dr. Lefours

            Tudor Williams
            
            Marek Windheim as Renfrit

            Richard Bartell
            
            Muni Seroff as Reporter

            Ernest Golm as Office Manager

            James Mitchell as Reporter

            Johnny Walsh as Office Boy

            Rosina Galli as Christine's maid
See full cast