Erik, meanwhile, is trying to convince Christine of his capacity to reform ('No longer like a toad in these foul cellars will I secrete the venom of hatred - for you shall bring me love!'). He is hotly pursued by Raoul and a Secret Police inspector, who are followed by Raoul's brother, who is followed by angry mob led by the murdered stagehand's brother. At that point Erik drops his nice-guy facade, hangs a stagehand who discovers his trap door, kidnaps Christine and flees into the cellars.

Christine, not one to run before her chance at the big time, suggests that they flee after the following evening's performance. Raoul, neither particularly brave or smart, suggests that the two of them hightail it out of town. Upon reflection, however, Christine decides that looks and sanity are more important to her in a lover than she originally thought, and makes plans to meet Raoul at the annual masked ball. The Phantom returns her to the opera, telling her that she must never see Raoul again. But upon snatching off the Phantom's mask, she realizes that he isn't Prince Charming after all, but hideously deformed, with a skull-like face. Awakening, she discovers herself in a lavish bedroom he has prepared for her, with her name engraved on a hand mirror. She is, however, sensitive enough to collapse in a faint at the discovery that her benefactor is the legendary Phantom, and at his profession of love for her. Daae, apparently fine with her benefactor's use of extortion and mass murder to help her career, dumps her boyfriend Raoul (Norman Kerry) and follows the masked Phantom into the bowels of the opera house. With the help of this mysterious stranger, Daae becomes the lead diva. Rumors abound of a ghost or phantom who stalks the halls, and even rents his own box for the performances. Christine Daae (Mary Philbin) is the understudy at the Paris Opera house, an ancient structure built over a network of torture chambers and interconnecting cellars. While Quasimodo searches for kindness and acts to protect his home and loved ones, Erik shuns humanity and in his hatred and isolation becomes truly evil. Chaney is best known today for two roles: Quasimodo in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame,' and Erik in 'The Phantom of the Opera.' The pair contrast the human response to physical deformity.

The phantom of the opera 1925