The Phantom of the Opera [1925]

The Phantom of the Opera [1925]:
Erik, the Phantom… Lon Chaney, Sr.
Christine Daaé… Mary Philbin
Raoul, Le Vicomte de Chagny… Norman Kerry.
The Persian (credited as Ledoux)… Arthur Edmund Carewe.

There is so much that can be said about this version of the movie. Unfortunately an entire book could be written. This is not only the first Phantom movie, but one of the movies that Lon Chaney is best known for, along with Hunchback of Notre Dame, London After Midnight. Not only was there drama going on onscreen, but off screen as well. There stories of the making of this movie are almost as fascinating as the movie itself. This also the only one in which Gaston Leroux himself helped make as well. Another thing to keep in mind is that Lon Chaney did his own make-up for all his movies, and this is one of the few movies in which his deformity is very close to the original novel.
The movie starts with the Gala night and in attendance is Raoul, and his brother Philippe. Christine is now Carlotta’s understudy, and is under tutelage of a mysterious teacher.
Elsewhere the retiring managers of the Opera are handing over the keys to the opera to the new managers. They tell them about the Opera Ghost, and how he is to have Box 5. The new managers laugh it off as a joke, and the old managers leave very uncomfortable. So the new managers decide to check out box 5, they talk to the box keeper who has no idea who sits in it. When they enter the box they see someone sitting there. They quickly leave to compose themselves, and then re-enter the box. When they do the mysterious figure has disappeared.
After the performance the ballet girls see a mysterious shadow, so the go to Joseph Buquet who tells them about the Opera Ghost, he describes him as a skeletal figure.
The next day the Prima Donna, Carlotta bursts into the managers office upset at a letter she got from the Phantom saying that Christine should be the one to perform in the Opera as Marguerite.
Christine triumphs at her performance. Raoul goes to visit her in her dressing room, and she claims not to recognize him. When Raoul leaves he listens behind her door and hears a voice speaking to her in there. When Christine leaves, alone, he goes into her dressing room and finds that no one is there.
The next day the managers and Carlotta get a letter stating that if Christine does not sing, they will perform Faust in a house with a curse on it.
Despite the warning they have the performance with Carlotta as the lead. The Phantom’s warning prove to be true. The chandelier comes down part way into the performance.
Christine hurries to her dressing room. Where she is entranced by the mysterious voice. Who then takes her through the mirror and through the corridors of the Opera in a dreamlike sequence. He takes her across the underground lake to his home. Where he tells her who he really is and that he loves her. Christine faints, and he carries her into a beautiful bedroom, where he lays her down comfortably.
When she wakes, she finds a note from Erik, the Phantom. He tells her that she is safe, and never to touch the mask. She then goes out into the other room where Erik is playing his Don Juan Triumphant. Curiosity gets the better of her and she removes his mask. He is enraged at her, and tells her that she will never goes above again. She pleads to him for her freedom. He then agrees that she may go back, as long as she never sees Raoul again.
At the masked ball, Christine defies Erik and meets Raoul, Erik shows up to the masked ball as Red Death. Raoul and Christine go up to the roof where Christine tells Raoul all about Erik. When they leave we see that sitting up on the Apollo’s Lyre listening in was, Erik.
On there way back down from the roof they are told by a mysterious man, the Persian or Ledoux if you read the cue cards, to go a different way.
The next night Christine performs as Marguerite, during the performance she disappears off stage. Raoul, goes looking for her and meets the mysterious man. Who helps him down to Erik’s home. Philippe also goes down there looking for Raoul. Unfortunately he is drowned by Erik.
Then Erik tells Christine she must make a choice and tell him her decision by turning either the Grasshopper or the Scorpion. Christine picks the Scorpion and it begins to drown Raoul, and Ledoux who were in Erik’s heated chamber. Christine begs for their life, and Erik releases them.
Erik then hears a mob coming and grabs Christine and begins running with her. The mob follows them with the help of Raoul. There is a carriage chase sequence, and Christine manages to get away and back into the arms of Raoul. Erik is chased down by the mob who beat him and throw his body into the Seine River. That is where the movie ends.
The ending of the movie differs very much from the story in the original novel. But, that is because of the time it was filmed. They had the original ending where Erik lets Raoul, and Christine go, and Erik cries out in pain and dies of a broken heart. But, the public wanted him to have to pay for what he did. So they had to change the ending. Unfortunately, the original footage was lost. Along with the footage of the graveyard violin scene, but photos do exist of them.
This one is by far one of my favorite Phantom movies. It is also a classic. Both in the Phantom movie genre and horror movie genre’s. If you are not someone who is unsure about silent films this is a great one to start out with. There are very little changes in this movie compared to the original novel. I understand the changes of the ending, because of the time it was filmed in. I don’t understand why they changed Erik back story from the original book, of having him in Persia. They changed it to him being someone who escaped from an insane asylum. They also changed the character of the Persian to a inspector who is chasing Erik to bring him back to the asylum. But, that is only changed in cue cards, if you ignore them, the story remains the same. Which is pretty cool actually.
This movie is also one of the movie to feature the rat catcher as well. Depending on which version you watch the Masquerade scene is in color as well. There are actually many version of this movie and the 1929 re-mastered version is the one I highly recommend. Some of the footage has been cleaned up as well.
I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about this version. How can you criticize such a classic. If there are going to be re-making some of the classics (like Wolfman, which stared Lon Chaney, Jr. by the way). Then they really should try to remain as close to this story as possible. Most of the interesting things about this movie happened behind the scenes. Lon Chaney and the director hated each other so much that they would only talk through notes passed through a third person. Norman Kerry who also hated the director charged him on a horse while filming this movie. Many other interesting facts like this can be heard about on the special editions of this on DVD. I highly recommend checking them out.
One of my favorite lines from the movie is when Erik says “If I am the Phantom it is because man’s hatred has made me so.”
I also noticed that César, the horse is black in this movie, instead of grey like in the book. I am guessing it’s an imagery thing.
Another thing that I like about this movie, is that when Erik is first interacting with Christine he always is either standing a few steps below her. Or has her sitting on the chaise lounge with him kneeling before her. Giving her the higher ground. I always like that little tidbit about this movie.
I also like the line “Barrels, barrels, any barrels to sell” showing up in this…. Some people will get it.
Next time I will be posting a review of The Phantom of the Opera [1986] the Andrew Lloyd Webber stage version.