Claude Rains stars as _The Phantom of the Opera_, in Universal’s new vision of Gaston Leroux’s classic novel. The story follows young opera ingénue Christine Dubois whose secret benefactor, a violinist named Erique Claudin, is deformed during a fight with a publisher and seeks refuge in the sewers under the opera house; where he is driven mad and launches a series of attacks to further Dubois career. Unfortunately, there’s also a comedic subplot with two suiters vying for Christine’s affections that doesn’t really fit the tone of the rest of the film. However, Rains gives a solid performance and Susanna Foster is pretty good as Christine Dubois. Additionally, the sets and costume designs are extraordinary, and won the film a well-deserved Oscar. Yet while it’s a beautiful looking film, _The Phantom of the Opera_ lacks the power of the original and is a rather poor adaptation.