Boobirt Stylish but barely mediocre overall

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 5 August 1931 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Distributing Corp. New York opening at the Capitol: 13 November 1931. 8 reels. 72 minutes.SYNOPSIS: An escape artist is framed for murder by a jealous rival (who actually wants the money rather than the girl).NOTES: When M-G-M's top male box-office attraction of the late 1920s, made his disastrous, all-talking, star debut in His Glorious Night (1929), M-G-M chief Louis B. Mayer didn't blame the stodgy direction of Lionel Barrymore, or the ridiculously insipid script penned by Willard Mack from the 1928 stage play Olympia by Ferenc Molnar. No, Mayer laid the blame squarely on Gilbert and tried to buy back his contract. Gilbert refused. It is alleged that Gilbert and Mayer came to blows and that the athletic star knocked the studio chief to the ground. This last statement seems more the stuff of legend than fact as Mayer was much the stronger man of the two and could easily have beaten Gilbert to a pulp. Nonetheless, it is true that Mayer's animosity didn't help Gilbert's career at a time when he needed the studio's support most. It is alleged that Mayer deliberately tried to sabotage Gilbert's efforts to retrieve his popularity, but this furphy is disproved by the facts. That Gilbert was given better scripts, better directors and kinder treatment from M-G-M's sound department is easily proven by the last three films he made under his M-G-M contract: Mervyn LeRoy was borrowed from Warner Bros for Gentleman's Fate (1931); John S. Robertson - who had notched up a number of critical and commercial successes including Tess of the Storm Country (1922) and The Enchanted Cottage (1924) - was assigned to The Phantom of Paris, adapted from a popular novel by Gaston Leroux; whilst Gilbert himself was allowed to write Downstairs (1932). It was the not the studio's fault that these films failed to retrieve Gilbert's former premier reputation.COMMENT: Although The New York Times felt that the microphone was unkind to John Gilbert's voice in The Phantom of Paris (thus helping to perpetuate the legend that there was something intrinsically wrong with Gilbert's voice), I found little to complain about. True, the recording seemed a little harsh, and Gilbert's acting was a little over-done, particularly in his impersonation scenes. True too that these scenes hardly impress as believable - but that is the fault of the script, not Mr. Gilbert. In these cases, it is usually preferable that the same actor play both roles. It's impossible to credit that both the man's wife and his mistress could be taken in by what seems a very obvious deception. Nonetheless, Gilbert gives both parts a good stab. And if you can accept this situation, you will find much that is novel and entertaining in this adaptation from Gaston Leroux (whose most famous novel, The Phantom of the Opera, is so well-known today). The plot has enough twists to keep any audience intrigued, Robertson's direction has a bit of style, whilst production values are all we expect of M-G-M.

Robert J. Maxwell Many of these early talies seem to have been ground out with little attention paid to character, or to story for that matter. A parade of murder mysteries and bathetic romances.This one is different in that it has a narrative that is not only coherent but interesting in itself. If, that is, "The Count of Monte Christo" is interesting, so is "The Phantom of Paris," though far less rich in detail.Gilbert is supposed to have fallen from grace in Hollywood because of his squeaky voice. I didn't notice it here. He looks and sounds like any other matinee idol of the period.It's a watchable flick.

LeonLouisRicci Forgettable Early Talkie with John Gilbert Giving Hs All, this Pre-Code Film has a Good Premise but is Strained and Stilted. It's one of those that Screams Stage Play, is Well Acted but Not Stylish and a bit Clunky.Everyone goes Through the Motions and in the End, Despite a Twisty, Labored Climax the Movie Borders on Boring. There are much Better Examples of Horror from the Time Period like "Mystery of the Wax Museum" (1933), "Dracula" (1931), and "Dr. X" (1933).Overall, Fans of John Gilbert can witness His Transition to Talkies and Despite a Good Speaking Voice, His Career was Mishandled by MGM and given the Short End by the Studio. While always a Pleasure to Watch (and hear), His Talking Pictures were mostly Mediocre.

wes-connors 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