MovieChat Forums > Phantom of the Opera (1943) Discussion > PHANTOM Radio Broadcast 1943

PHANTOM Radio Broadcast 1943

posted 13 years ago by Harold_Robbins
3 replies | jump to latest

I just gave a re-listen to the Lux radio broadcast of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA from September, 1943, which featured Susanna Foster, Nelson Eddy and Edgar Barrier repeating their screen roles, with Basil Rathbone substituting for Claude Rains (in a very over-the-top performance).

It's my understand that Ms. Foster felt her vocal performance in the radio broadcast was superior to that of the film (I think she'd had a slight cold or something to that effect at the time the soundtrack was recorded), but I must say that aside from her singing, her spoken performance here is absolutely delightful and infectiously saucy as well. (I also must say that Eddy's spoken performance is as dull as dishwater, even less lively than his on-screen performance!).

Incidentally, in adapting the film script for radio performance, it actually seems a bit closer to the original Gaston Leroux novel than the film itself did!

"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."

[–] jtyroler 11 years ago

If you do not have a problem listening to Nelson Eddy singing, this is a pretty good version, considering that it had to be condensed to about 50 minutes. I can only take him in small doses, so after the initial listening, I had to fast forward through his singing. I tend to do the same in recordings of the Chase & Sanborn Hour when Nelson Eddy is on those - the Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy are often really good - segments with McCarthy & W.C. Fields are classics of old time radio. Rathbone does a pretty good job though.

[–] bok602 10 years ago

I particularly like Rathbone's delivery of the Phantom's lines to Christine when he takes her into his underground lair -including some additional lines not heard in the Rains version.

"I came down here when my face was on fire..." -a deliciously pronounced line which on radio paints a florid image of the horror you cannot see.

"If you don't know the answer -change the question."

[–] smileyking1975 10 years ago

I got this version from OTR cat; it's an MP3. I first heard it on YouTube and thought, I have got to get this! I liked the Phantom's dialogue was different than the film, too. They wanted Claude Rains to do it, but he didn't want to, but he did do The Fred Allen Show, and do a sketch called, The Phantom of Carnegie Hall.