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6.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Phantom of Paris remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Okay, so, The Phantom of Paris. If you're into those old, really dramatic films, the kind where everyone's got big feelings plastered all over their face, you might actually get a kick out of this one. Especially if you're a fan of Gaston Leroux beyond that other phantom. But if you’re looking for something with quick cuts or, like, subtle acting, you’re gonna be bored stiff. Seriously, it's a slow burn, but sometimes that's exactly what you need.
The whole setup is classic: Cheri-Bibi, an escape artist played by John Gilbert, gets locked up for a murder he didn't do. The real killer? Cecile’s fiancé, a real snake of a guy. It’s all very dramatic, with Bibi trying to clear his name and also win over Cecile, who, bless her heart, seems a bit confused about who the bad guy actually is for a good chunk of the movie. You kinda just want to shake her and point.
Gilbert as Cheri-Bibi is... a lot. He’s got this intense stare, right? Every emotion is amplified. When he's heartbroken, he looks like the world is ending. When he's angry, you can practically see steam coming off his head. It’s not exactly naturalistic, but hey, it was a different time for acting. And when he's escaping, there’s this great shot of him scaling a wall that feels genuinely tense for a minute.
There's this one scene, pretty early on, where Bibi is in prison. He’s just pacing, and the camera really stays on him. You can feel the frustration, but it also goes on for what feels like ages. My brain started wandering a bit. Like, how many times can a man pace one cell? 🚶
Leila Hyams, as Cecile, she’s got a tough job. Her character swings from believing Bibi is guilty to suddenly trusting him again. It's less about her own conviction and more about whatever plot twist just happened. There's a moment she looks out a window, and it's supposed to be full of longing, but it just looks a bit... blank. Like she's waiting for her cue. Still, she’s pretty striking visually, very much the quintessential ingenue.
The bad guy, Cecile's fiancé, he’s played by Lewis Stone. He just oozes smarm. Not in a nuanced way, more like a cartoon villain. Every time he smiles, you just know he’s up to no good. There's a scene where he's talking to Cecile, trying to convince her of something awful, and his hand gestures are so exaggerated. It’s almost funny how obvious he is.
What really sticks with you are the escape sequences. Bibi is an escape artist, right? So you expect some cleverness. And you get it! There's one bit involving a rope and a window that felt genuinely nail-biting, even with the old-school effects. It’s not flashy, but the simple tension of "will he make it?" really works.
The pacing, though. Man, it takes its sweet time. Some scenes feel like they could have been trimmed by half. You get a lot of lingering shots on faces, on doors, on people walking. It’s not always for emotional impact; sometimes it just feels like they had to fill time. It makes you appreciate modern editing, that’s for sure.
There’s a small role for Jean Hersholt, too, as this sort of shady character who helps Bibi. He’s got this grin that makes you wonder what his deal really is. He doesn’t say much, but his presence is quite something. He brings a nice bit of grit to the sometimes overly-polished drama.
The sets are actually pretty grand for the era. The mansion scenes, especially. You can tell they put effort into making it look luxurious, even if the lighting sometimes makes everything feel a bit flat. But when Bibi is skulking around the rooftops, there's a good sense of scale. You almost feel the chill of the Paris night, even in black and white.
It's not a perfect movie, not by a long shot. Some of the plot conveniences make you roll your eyes. Like how Bibi just happens to be in the right place, or how the police are always one step behind. But it has a certain charm. It's a window into how films told stories back then, with big gestures and even bigger emotions.
So, if you're curious about early cinema, or just want a good old melodrama without any irony, give The Phantom of Paris a look. Just don’t expect a modern thriller. Expect a lot of dramatic gazes and maybe a few moments where you wonder why everyone is so slow to figure things out. But hey, it’s fun in its own way. ✨
IMDb 7
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