The Claude Rains Movie
I was pretty excited to see this movie, but I ended up spending most of it either doubled over with laughter, or shaking my head in a combination of confusion and despair. If you’re looking for the Leroux story here, you’re going to be sorely disappointed, as I was. Erik (make that Erique) is now a violinist, an exceedingly timid man who has a fascination with a young Christine Dubois. Christine, however, is also being courted by Raoul, who is now an inspector with the Surete, as well as the leading baritone of the Opera, Anatole.
When Erique tries to get a piece of his music published, and wrongly believes that the publisher has tried to steal it, he goes into a fit of murderous rage and kills the publisher. The publisher’s assistant stands by and watches it all happen, and then *after* the guy’s dead, she throws acid in Erique’s face. I personally don’t like this angle of the story at all, because the whole reason that Erik’s crimes are forgiveable and his redemption is so moving is that his affliction is something he was born with and had no control over and has suffered with for his entire life. But then, this movie also takes away his final redemption, by killing him off in the end before he has a chance to let Christine go.
I did enjoy a lot of the visual aspect of the movie, including some wonderful shots of inside the opera, the Phantom’s shadows along the wall, the lair beneath the opera, and, of course, the familiar scene of Claude Rains bringing down the chandelier by sawing through the chain. So, if you’re interested, it is worth a watch, but just don’t expect too much!
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