The Phantom of the Opera (not “Oprah”) Tonight!

Consider this a Labor Day salute to the stagehands and musicians union, as well as the sewer workers-as the sewers of Paris unleash their most famous resident on our Me-TV show tonight-“The Phantom of the Opera”! This is the 1943 version, in beautiful Technicolor, and it stars the man who previously portrayed the definitive “Invisible Man”- Claude Rains! In this film, based on the well-known story by Gaston Leroux, Rains portrays musician/composer Erique Claudin, whose compositions have yet to be published, and whose work with the Paris Grand Opera is starting to slip, costing him his job there. This not only puts his own day to day existence in jeopardy, but also will hurt the career of the lovely young opera star Christine, whom he is obsessed with, and for whom he has secretly been acting as her benefactor, paying for expensive vocal lessons to help her become the great star she has the potential to become! Christine is being pursued by two suitors- the opera’s male star, baritone Anatole, and the local police inspector, Raoul- and all three are unaware of Claudin’s passion for Christine. Faced with financial woes that could end his support of the young singer, Claudin heads to a music publisher to retrieve the manuscript for his proudest composition, based on an old folk song from his youth. While he has an unpleasant confrontation with the brusque publisher, in an adjoining room, unbeknownst to him, a famous composer has his manuscript, which he intends to champion- and, as he plays it on the piano, Claudin hears it- believes that the publisher has stolen it- and, in a rage, attacks the rude man! The publisher’s female –uh- “assistant”, not sure how to stop the assault, grabs a pan of acid used to etch the printing plates for musical scores, and throws it in Claudin’s face- and he escapes in great pain, evading police by dropping down into the sewer system below the street. Before long, the opera house is having its own problems- food and costumes are missing, including a mask, and a vital set of keys that open every door in the building! One opera manager insists that it is the work of a legendary ghost who roams the opera house- meanwhile; Christine begins hearing a mysterious voice promising her that “he” will help her become the opera’s greatest star. When the opera’s female star is slipped a “mickey”, Christine is summoned to fill in for her. The diva feels this was a scheme to have Christine replace her- but soon, the mysterious figure of the “Phantom” appears, threatening death to anyone who stands in the way of Christine’s career. The police inspector, Christine’s baritone suitor, and every gendarme available try to capture the Phantom- whose crazed love for Christine creates new victims- possibly including the young star herself! This dazzling production of the story is somewhat different from the silent Lon Chaney version, although it uses the exact same elaborate Paris opera set built for the first film- the Phantom is a more sympathetic figure, a story element that has carried onto the famed modern musical. Speaking of music, the baritone in this film is played by noted film and radio vocalist and actor Nelson Eddy, famous for singing to Jeanette McDonald in movie musicals. We’ll tell you about him and other stars you might recognize in the cast- plus- some casting that DIDN’T happen that would have changed the film greatly-and, yes, there’s a Sven musical number that you can’t miss! Help us kick off September with the Phantom tonight at 10 pm eastern, 9pm central, or, check your local listings for the time in your area on our Me-TV network. For our Chicago fans, you can see “Ghost Breakers” at 11 am on WCIU, the U- and “Boys from Brooklyn” with Bela Lugosi and clones of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (appropriate for a Labor Day weekend?!) at 3 pm on U Too!