| abstract | - The film opens in the Paris Opera House. A new opera written by Armand Moncharmin is about to open, with diva Carlotta in the lead role. The opera tells the story of the legendary Phantom of the Opera. Monhcharmin is upset to learn that the theater hasn't been completely sold out; people refuse to sit in Box Five as it is believed to be haunted. Carlotta's performance is reviled by the audience however, and they start to boo her. Part of the scenery rips apart and the hanged body of a stage hand is revealed. In the chaos, a sanbag falls onto the stage and kills Carlotta. The show is postponed, and untold amounts of hopeful young singers audition for the lead. However, it is hopeless, and the show is in danger of being called off. Then, Mercier, the producer, overhears choir member Christine Daaé singing to herself while alone in the theater, and tells her he wants her to be the star of the show. She is reluctant, but eventually agrees to do it. Christine meets her co-star, the male lead and famed baritone Anatole Garron, who acts lecherously toward her. Despite this, she is determined to make it as a star. She next meets Inspector Raoul de Chagny, who is investigating the murder, and the two hit it off. Later, a shadowy figure stalks Christine through the theater. One day, Raoul visits Christine at her boarding house and finds a rough draft of the opera, but it is credited to one Erik Dressler. He questions Christine's landlady and she tells him that Erik died in a printing press fire. Meanwhile, Christine is visited in her dressing room by Moncharmin, who tells her that he will have her fired unless she sleeps with him. She refuses and he leaves, but she is in such a rage afterward then ends up knocking herself out. The darkly dressed man who was watching previously then enters and carries her away. Christine wakes up to the sound of the man playing a large organ; the Phantom of the Opera. He reveals that she is in the catacombs located beneath the theater. The Phantom has become obsessed with Christine, claiming to be in love with her. Christine recoils when he tries to touch her. Elsewhere, a rat catcher descends into the catacombs, so the Phantom hits him on the head with a rock and kills him, in spite of Christine's pleas for him not to. The Phantom tells Christine that he has been listening to her singing, but feels something is missing. He forces her to sing for him, offering her advice, and eventually starts to coach her. She begins to rapidly improve, and grows close to the Phantom over her time in his captivity. Eventually, he asks her if she will kiss him. She agrees, but only as long as he removes his mask for it. He is reluctant, but she forces him to. The Phantom removes the mask, revealing a horribly scarred face. Christine screams in horror and retreats to her makeshift quarters. The Phantom confronts her and forces her to feel his face. At first she resists, but soon comes to accept what he is, and they have sex in her bed. Meanwhile, the rat ctacher's body is pulled from the Seine, and Raoul, who is searching for the missing Christine, decides to follow the drain from which the body came, and he happens upon the Phantom's lair. He finds Christine, but is then attacked by the Phantom. This time, Christine forces him to stop before he can kill Raoul. The Phantom then reveals his origin to them; he was once Erik Dressler, a poor and starving composer who lived in the boarding house. He was forced to sell his music to Moncharmin, hoping that the production would bring him recognition, but Moncharmin had it published under his own name. Erik went to destroy it when it was being printed, but accidentally started a fire which left his face badly burned. Moncharmin added the story of the Phantom to the play and stole Dressler's music. With Christine's training complete, he allows her to return to the surface with Raoul. A short time later, Erik ascends into the Opera House to watch Christine perform. Backstage, Anatole becomes drunk and announces to his lackey, who laughs along, his plan to rape Christine. This enrages Erik, who attacks them. He sends Anatole's friend down a flight of steps, killing him, and then strangles Anatole to death. Moncharmin arrives, wondering what's going on, and encounters Erik. Erik removes his mask and reveals himself to the terrified Moncharmin, who suffers a fatal heart attack. Upon realizing that the performance will be ruined without a duet Christine is supposed to perform with Anatole, who was playing the Phantom, Erik decides to take his place. He arrives on stage and sings with Christine, blowing the audience away. They receive a standing ovation and take a bow, with Erik shedding a tear as his music has finally been performed. A freak accident causes a sandbag to fall onto the stage in the same way it did in the beginning; Erik pushes Christine out of the way, but his mask is knocked off in the process, revealing his true identity to the audience, who react with horror. Shocked, Erik carries Christine away, with Raoul racing after them. Raoul pursues them into the catacombs, where Christine and Erik share one final kiss. Erik then puts Christine in a boat and orders Raoul to row her away and treat her well. He then thanks him for everything, and they make their escape. Once they are safely away, the two share a kiss. Meanwhile, an angry mob forms and they storm into the catacombs. Erik valiantly fights them off, but is ultimately no match. He is badly beaten and then tossed into the Seine, where he drowns. The final shot of the film is of his mask floating away.
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