THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – 1943 Version with Claude Rains Saturday Morning at The Hi-Pointe

“They’ve poisoned your mind against me. That’s why you’re afraid!”

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) plays on the big screen at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater this weekend as part of their Classic Film Series. It’s Saturday, October 8th at 10:30am at the Hi-Pointe located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63117. Admission is only and the film  will be introduced by KMOX Movie Reviewer Harry Hamm

1943’s PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is often criticized for straying too much from the original story, and for having too much focus on the opera. Monster kids have always felt that it’s too much Opera and not enough Phantom, but the heart of the story remains true to the classic story. A phantom (Claude Rains) stalks the Paris Opera House, and is attempting to get an opera starlet (Susanna Foster) into the spotlight. He murders and creates destruction to get his way. The phantom loves the starlet, and eventually kidnaps her; taking her to his underground lair beneath the opera house. In this filming there is a love triangle between the starlet (Foster), the opera’s leading male singer (Nelson Eddy), and a detective (Edgar Barrier) This love triangle leads to several attempts at humor, but the humor often falls flat. This is a film about a phantom creating chaos in an opera house, and the amount of screentime the opera has in this filming seems appropriate. This film goes more into the “opera life” than the original film version, and viewers not familiar with opera (such as myself) may find themselves enjoying what goes on behind the scenes. The opera scenes are well staged, well sung and well-acted. The rest of the film is also well acted, and Claude Rains turns in an excellent performance as the man who becomes the phantom. Susanna Foster shines when she is on the opera’s stage, and sparkles when she is offstage. Nelson Eddy and Edgar Barrier both play their roles very well. The sets and props are extravagant, and the era in which the film is set is shown accurately. This is certainly a grand production, of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and shot masterfully in Technicolor. You’ll have the chance to see it on the big screen this Saturday when it screens at The Hi-Pointe as part of their Classic Film Series. The film starts at 10:30 and admission is only $5.

The Hi-Pointe’s site can be found HERE

http://hi-pointetheatre.com/