Lubin used his musical experience to create some unforgettable opera sequences in Phantom Of The Opera. Abbott and Costello movies are always remembered for being great comedies, but they have included some truly remarkable musical numbers as well. Perhaps it is because the original novel and early movies versions are filled with “horror” elements that lead us to expect this film to head in a similar direction, but with this film director, Arthur Lubin makes more of a dramatic musical than a horror film.Īrthur Lubin directed several movies in his career, including five of the Abbott and Costello movies in 19. Of all the Universal “horror” films from the 1930’s and 1940’s, Phantom Of The Opera is the least horrific. Claudin (or the Phantom) continues to try to help Christine’s career, and is willing to do anything that is necessary to achieve her stardom. Raoul, along with Christine’s other suitor, Anatole (Nelson Eddy), dedicate themselves to protecting Christine now that Claudin’s violent nature and obsession with her have become public. In a moment of rage, Claudin strangles one of the publishers, and in an attempt to stop him, an assistant throws a tray of etching acid on his face, disfiguring him.Ĭlaudin, now on the run from Inspector Raoul D’Aubert (Edgar Barrier), hides in the sewers and makes a home underneath the opera house. Claudin tries to publish a concerto in order to raise enough money to continue paying for Christine’s lessons, but mistakenly thinks that the publisher is trying to steal his work. Unfortunately he has spent his life savings anonymously paying for singing lessons for an up and coming soprano named Christine (Susanna Foster).
In a somewhat ironical sense, the silent 1925 Phantom Of The Opera starring Lon Chaney is regarded as the best of all film versions, but in 1943, Universal made a rather interesting remake staring Claude Rains as the mysterious phantom that proved to be extremely popular with audiences, even if the story was altered significantly.Įrique Claudin (Claude Rains) has been a violinist in the opera house for twenty years, but now due to an ailment in his fingers that is affecting his performance, he has been fired. Based on the novel ( Le Fantome de l’Opera) by Gaston Leroux, each of these films has changed the story to included different amounts of horror, music and drama in an attempt to create the ultimate film adaptation. Although each film is drastically different, Phantom Of The Opera has been adapted to film several times.