The Phantom of Paris

It was interesting to see silent film star John Gilbert, who became known to me as co-starring in four films with Greta Garbo with beautiful chemistry with each other on and off screen, in a talkie after being in many silent films. His talkies though don't have the best of reputations, which along with the hatred between him and Louis B Mayer hurt his reputation as an actor too. Along with Gilbert, the premise was an interesting one and it's hard to go wrong with Lewis Stone and C Aubrey Smith.

'The Phantom of Paris' has its fair share of flaws and is not a great film (plus its curious title makes one expect something else entirely somewhat), but to me it does prove that not all of Gilbert's talkies were bad. While not near up to the same level as the best of his silent films, 'The Phantom of Paris' is one of Gilbert's better faring talkies with him as a lead and features one of his best talkie performances. Proving that he was more than up to the task at carrying a film as its main star and that there was more to him than a co-romantic lead.

A lot of good things can be seen here. The best aspect is the cast, with Gilbert being very good indeed in the lead role. Showing some great dramatic chops in the latter stages of the film. Leila Hyams is alluring and charming and Stone is typically sincere and reserved. Ian Keith is suitably sinister and Natalie Moorhead is just as effectively sleazy. Smith is great, not unexpectedly, despite appearing early on in the film and not for long. In fact, the cast do so well with what they have and suit their characters ideally that they are worth at least a third of my overall rating for 'The Phantom of Paris'.

Direction is competent, if more in the first half than the second. 'The Phantom of Paris' was clearly made with care and effort, evident in some beautifully sophisticated costuming and not too static photography. The dialogue doesn't come over as awkward and the first half is very intriguing and compelling.

Unfortunately, 'The Phantom of Paris' does lose its way once Bibi escapes and suffers from a lack of energy and tension and from getting increasingly silly. More character development would have been more welcome, only Bibi rises above complete sketchiness so it is a miracle that the cast are as good as they are, and the chemistry needed more spark.

Where the film really falls down is agreed with everything to do with the impersonation, which is so implausible and not believable for a second. How he was not recognised and mistaken for the man he impersonates so easily when there are a fair share of blatantly obvious differences between the two characters (different facial features and a not particularly minor height difference) beggars belief, even when trying to not take things so seriously.

Overall, not great but not half bad at all and one of Gilbert's better talkies. 6/10

This is perhaps John Gilbert's first solid starring role in a talkie. Of course the irony is that by 1931 and after a half dozen bombs (not including Hollywood REVUE OF 1929), it was too late. Gilbert had lost his audience. So although this film and DOWNSTAIRS and QUEEN Christina presented the great silent idol in solid sound films, it was just too late to revive his career.

THE PHANTOM OF Paris was based on a famous novel by Gaston Leroux and offered Gilbert a role that was part leading man and part character study. He is very good as a famed magician who is framed for murder and suffers for years in prison and captivity before getting his delicious revenge and assuming the murderer's role via plastic surgery.

This is not a great film. Despite a good cast it still has the B film look and feel (thanks to LB Mayer no doubt). but Gilbert is very good and has a few scenes in which is is just stunning. He was a great actor and should have had a great career in talkies.

Leila Hyams is fine as the love interest. Lewis Stone is solid as the investigator. Jean Hersholt is good as Gilbert's friend. Ian Keith is the cad Gilbert replaces. Natalie Moorhead is very good as the scheming woman. C. Aubrey Smith is the father.

But this is John Gilbert's film from the opening scene. He remains a favorite of mine and I will continue to seek out his films. John Gilbert is a lost treasure who deserves to be re-discovered.

John Gilbert's very good performance uplifts an otherwise just-OK drama. The rest of the cast is pretty good as well, but the film lacks spark and life. Maybe I went into it with the wrong expectations, because I was expecting a mystery or an adventure - there is very little of either. ** out of 4.

Handsome "disappearing artist" John Gilbert (as Chéri-Bibi) entertains wealthy Parisians with his sensational Houdini-like escapes. Off-stage, Mr. Gilbert courts pretty Leila Hyams (as Cecile). When her father is murdered, Gilbert is accused and jailed. You will likely suspect the killer is sneaky Ian Keith (as the Marquis du Touchais), Gilbert's rival for Ms. Hyams' hand in marriage. As expected, Gilbert escapes from prison, vowing to solve the crime and clear his name. Eventually, he assumes a startling new identity, stepping into the "Marquis" character played by Mr. Keith...

How Gilbert passes for Keith strains credulity, but this is an otherwise fine mystery. "The Phantom of Paris" was the fourth, but first really good film in Gilbert's famously unsuccessful career in talking pictures. It was originally slated to star the recently deceased "man of a thousand faces" Lon Chaney. Gilbert, who surprised "talkie" audiences with a more high pitched voice than expected, had been excellent in "The Show" (1927), another Chaney-like role...

You can hear how Gilbert records poorly on the larger soundstages. But, it's also evident he and MGM had been working on the voice. Note how Gilbert seems to enjoy showing off his "deep" voice against the squeaky "cigarette case" actor (Tyrell Davis), apparently employed to show off his more high-pitched tone. Gilbert tries some weird acting tricks - like, what the heck is he doing with the knob of that chair while hiding in Jean Hersholt's basement? - but, in a challenging (almost dual) role, Gilbert clearly reveals a potential for greatness as a credible actor in the changing medium.

******* The Phantom of Paris (9/12/31) John S. Robertson ~ John Gilbert, Leila Hyams, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt

Cheri-Bibi is the most celebrated magician & escape artist in France. Young & debonair, he enjoys the attentions of society & the love of one young woman in particular. But when her wealthy father is found murdered & all evidence points to Bibi, he must put all his considerable talents into evading the law long enough to clear his name - while being forced into living a life in the twilight & shadows as THE PHANTOM OF Paris.

According to cinematic legend, all the talkie MGM films starring John Gilbert were dreadful - the result of a bitter hatred between Gilbert (the highest paid star in Hollywood, with a $1.5 million contract) & studio boss Louis B. Mayer. A determination on Gilbert's part to fulfill the contract, and a campaign instituted by Mayer to destroy Gilbert's career - including spreading the rumor that Gilbert's voice was 'high & feminine', culminated in several unwatchable movies.

Not entirely true. The Studio had a huge financial investment in Jack Gilbert and was not going to completely cut its own throat by showcasing him in nothing but dreck. Of the 8 talkies in which he appeared as solo star (1929 - HIS GLORIOUS NIGHT; 1930 - REDEMPTION; WAY FOR A SAILOR; 1931 - GENTLEMAN'S FATE; THE PHANTOM OF Paris; WEST OF Broadway; 1932 - DOWNSTAIRS; 1933 - FAST WORKERS) most were certainly rather ghastly. THE PHANTOM OF Paris, however, was quite decent, and, indeed, fully representative of the material the studio was producing in 1931.

Gilbert does a fine job through much of the film and has one standout scene - hiding in a cellar - which is excellent and shows what he was really capable of. MGM gives him 3 top drawer co-stars (Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt & marvelous old Sir C. Aubrey Smith) with which to work. The other featured players (Leila Hyams, Ian Keith & Natalie Moorhead) do creditable work. Movie mavens will spot Fletcher Norton in an unbilled role as a society twit.

Ian Keith was undoubtedly cast as the villain due to his slight resemblance to Gilbert, which is important to the plot, although he is noticeably taller. However, having Gilbert impersonate Keith and fool Hyams, Moorhead or Stone for even a moment is ludicrous and the weakest point in the story.

Finally, about The Voice. There was nothing at all strange or unnaturally high about Gilbert's voice. As a matter of fact, it was of medium range & rather cultured & refined. Which was the crux of the problem, of course. While it is possible that no voice could have ever matched the perfect one viewers heard in their minds while watching his strong, virile silent roles, the reality was very different from what they wanted to hear (imagine Robert Montgomery's voice coming out of Clark Gable's mouth.) Gilbert was doomed from his first scene in his debut talkie; his war with Mayer only intensified the agony. He would die in 1936, forgotten by most of his former fans, at the age of only 36.