The Phantom of the Opera

1925
PG
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

21K

YOUR RATING

Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Play trailer2:46

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99+ Photos

Tragedy Horror Music

A mad, disfigured composer seeks love with a lovely young opera singer.A mad, disfigured composer seeks love with a lovely young opera singer.A mad, disfigured composer seeks love with a lovely young opera singer.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

21K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 4 wins & 1 nomination total

Top cast45

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Lon Chaney

The Phantom

Mary Philbin

Christine Daae

Norman Kerry

Vicomte Raoul de Chagny

Arthur Edmund Carewe

Ledoux

Gibson Gowland

Simon Buquet

John St. Polis

Comte Philip de Chagny
(as John Sainpolis)

Snitz Edwards

Florine Papillon

Mary Fabian

Carlotta

Virginia Pearson

Carlotta
(1929 re-edited version)
…

Alma Wayne

Undetermined Secondary Role

Olive Ann Alcorn

La Sorelli
(uncredited)

Betty Allen

Ballerina
(uncredited)

Betty Arthur

Ballet Dancer
(uncredited)

Joseph Belmont

Stage Manager
(uncredited)

Alexander Bevani

Mephistopheles
(uncredited)

Earl Gordon Bostwick

Minor Role
(uncredited)

Ethel Broadhurst

Frightened Ballerina
(uncredited)

Edward Cecil

Faust
(uncredited)

User reviews220

Featured review

8/10

A magnificent performance from the legendary Lon Chaney, Sr.

This 1925 silent classic is still impressive, even after seventy-nine years!

Lon Chaney's performance is easily the highlight of the movie. His ghostly movements about his underground lair are haunting even by today's standards.

Use all of the computer generated images you want, but there is no substitute for authentic, old-world macabre. The scene where Erik's face is revealed is still shocking. He seems as horrorified by Christine seeing his face as she is by seeing his face. He seems to feel genuinely violated by her taking his mask off, revealing his horrible visage to the last person on earth he would want to see it. The Technicolor scene of the "Bal Masque" is also quite famous. The backdrops are very effective in creating the moody, medieval atmosphere of the underground passages. All in all, an excellent version of a timeless story.

Videos1

Trailer 2:46

Trailer

Photos130

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Lon Chaney's horrific, self-applied makeup was kept secret right up until the film's premiere. Not a single photograph of Chaney as The Phantom was published in a newspaper or magazine or seen anywhere before the film opened in theaters. Universal Pictures wanted The Phantom's face to be a complete surprise when his mask was ripped off.

Goofs
(1929 cut) When the Phantom's alarm goes off, the sound of the chimes does not always match the striking of the device's "arms". That is because what is heard is the film's soundtrack, not "sound effects", which do not exist in a silent film. As such, this being "off sync" is allowable.

Quotes
The Phantom: [Christine sees a casket in the room] That is where I sleep. It keeps me reminded of that other dreamless sleep that cures all ills - forever!
Christine Daae: You - You are the Phantom!
The Phantom: If I am the Phantom, it is because man's hatred has made me so. If I shall be saved, it will be because your love redeems me.

Crazy credits
In 1925 (and for many years afterwards), credits used to appear at the beginning of movies. In this film, the credits do appear at the beginning but also are repeated at the end, preceded by the following caption: "This is repeated at the request of picture patrons who desire to check the names of performers whose work has pleased them."

Alternate versions
In 2012 it was determined that an "accidental 3-D" version of the film existed. From an examination of various prints of the film, it was discovered that most - if not all - of the original film was shot using two cameras placed side-by-side. This was most likely done to create simultaneous master and safety/domestic and foreign negatives of the film. However, when synched together and anaglyph color-tinted, the spatial distance between the two simultaneous film strips translates into an effective 3-D film. Under the working title of LA FANTOME 3D, a fund-raising effort is under way to locate and restore (create) a full "accidental 3-D" version of the film.