User Reviews

Even though the legendary Boris Karloff gave image to hundreds of cinematic monsters, psychopaths and mad scientists, he never played the titular character in Gaston Leroux' acclaimed masterwork "The Phantom of the Opera". Other contemporary horror stars did, like Lon Chaney and Claude Rains. Perhaps this production was Universal's attempt to involve Karloff in a horrific opera film-production anyway, re-using the expensive sets of the Phantom-film that was released one year earlier. The story is set in a prominent Vienna opera building where Boris stars as the resident physician, Dr. Hohner, and successfully hides a dark secret from his friends and co workers. After a short intro and a truly well choreographed flashback, we learn who Dr. Hohner murdered his fiancée and upcoming star-singer Marcellina because he feared her magically developing voice would come between their relationship. Now, ten years later, the new promising singer Angela – with a voice almost identical to Marcellina's – arrives at the theater and once again awakens Hohner's maniacal lusts. He hypnotizes her into never singing again, but Angela's young and devoted lover Franz carries on battling to make Angela share her wondrous voice with the world. "The Climax" is a beautiful movie to look at, with the terrific use of color and a nearly endless amount of great decors, but it surely could have used a slightly better screenplay. It's a rather predictable film with very few action scenes and only a bit of old-fashioned, legitimate tension during the last 15 minutes. There are many marvelous yet overlong opera sequences, even a lot more than in the actual "Phantom of the Opera", but they naturally slow down the film's pace and eventually even affect (negatively) the acting performances of Boris Karloff and Gale Sondergaard. It's an enjoyable mystery/thriller to a certain extent, but if you want to see Karloff at his most malicious, check out Val Lewton's "The Body Snatcher" or "Bedlam".

The sets are gorgeous, the cast is good, Karloff is always fun to watch. Unfortunately someone forgot this is supposed to be a thriller and decided what audiences really loved was opera. So much of this movie is devoted to operatic musical numbers. I was having to mute the tv often. That stuff just gives me a headache. It's still worth a look for Karloff, the lovely Technicolor, and the impressive sets. Just be aware that it's not a horror film even by the standards of 1944, and it's got way too much focus on opera.

From the opening music to the final scene, this has got to be one of the most beautiful horror films ever made. Unfortunately, as I said before, technicolor can't do everything for a film. While it is visually stunning in every way, it lacks a credible storyline, and that is what drags the film down. I guess one shouldn't call it a horror film, rather it might a psychological type film, as there is only one murder( and a rather mild one at that). I thought that the opera singing was a bit too much, but what did I expect when the film is about an opera singer!! But I found it to be just like "The Shadow", they are beautiful to look at, but there isn't anything else for the film to succeed.

This film was the first one to star Boris Karloff that was in color. As such, it illustrates that to be the first of anything is meaningless if the film lacks coherence, intelligence, and a decent script. The plot begins by taking the viewers into an old theater, where Karloff is shown coming night after night. He has the sympathies of the staff of the theater. It seems that ten years earlier he was engaged to the prima donna singer at the theater, and they were to get married. But on the night before the marriage she vanished, and he - broken hearted (apparently) - has returned every night ever since as though waiting for her.

Now this could have been the start of an intriguing film. Unfortunately the scriptwriters did not see fit to leave the audience tantalized by Karloff's apparent tragedy. Instead, he falls asleep in his chair and we see his subconscious revealing what happened. The prima donna broke off the wedding in a bitter argument, and Karloff killed her (but as they were alone, he was able to hide the body and cover his tracks). So instead of playing with audience support for Karloff, the script writers show he is up to his typical evil roles.

The only one who suspects that Karloff is not what he seems is Gale Sondergaard - she remembers what her former mistress was like that night, and there were signs that she was uncertain about the wedding. But she never had anything concrete to work with.

The theater impresario is Thomas Gomez. One of his musicians/composers (Turhan Bey) is interested in furthering the career of a new singer, Susannah Foster, whom he is dating. Gomez is willing to put her on. But Karloff, who is the theater's doctor, sees Foster (who reminds him of the dead prima donna). Fixed on her, he decides to pursue her (although she is increasingly frightened of him).

This is the set-up for the plot, and how it eventually leads to the revelation of the fate of the dead woman. It is a tired plot, mostly because there is little chemistry between Foster and Karloff (although that is not a fatal flaw - he is fixed on her, she need not show any type of fascination towards him). Sondergaard is wasted (occasionally, as the film progresses, she reveals her suspicions). Gomez, normally a considerably good villain himself, plays his jovial side as the impresario. As for Turhan Bey, he shows great interest in Foster - and she is shown singing in one of his new operettas (the music of which is a steal from Schubert's Marche Militaire).

The end result is that the viewer is not deeply interested (after awhile) in the fates of these characters. Even when Karloff (at one point) knocks out Ludwig Stossel, our lack of interest in the "little old wine maker" actor prevents us getting too concerned (Ludwig recovers by the way). Given that the film was supplied with a grade A film gloss (by using color stock) it is ironic that the whole effect is basically thrown away. It does not help matters, to the fans of Boris Karloff, that one year after this color-film flop, he gave one of his greatest performances in Val Lewton's THE BODY SNATCHER as Grey the Coachman - in a black and white film with a meaty script. Instead of Technicolor, the production people should have concentrated on good writing and plotting. I will give it a "3" only because it is visually good, but otherwise it was a waste of time and money.

This film I sought out as it was listed in a Horror Show Guide encyclopedia that I'm working through. I was intrigued as this a one lesser-known Universal horror films. It is part of the middle of that run. Also seeing that it starred Boris Karloff, I was down to check it out. I'm giving this a rewatch as part of my Foray through the Fours.

Synopsis: a demented physician becomes obsessed with a younger singer whose voice sounds like his late mistress.

We kick this off with Dr. Friedrich Hohner (Karloff) as he leaves his home and walks to the nearby opera house. He is the doctor that attends there to make sure that the singers don't hurt themselves with overexertion and ensuring they are ready for their performance. He is sullen about something and we learn what it is. He was in love with the former star of the show, Marcellina (June Vincent). She's been missing for ten years. Dr. Hohner goes into a dressing room where we are given a flashback of the events that led to this singer's disappearance.

In it we see that she slated to perform in front of the king. She is the focal point of this performance and Dr. Hohner, her lover, didn't want her to perform for anyone but him. He then strangles her.

The present day, the prima donna of the opera house, Jarmila Vadek (Jane Farrar), is frustrated with management. Count Seebruck (Thomas Gomez) listens to her grievances with her co-star Amato Roselli (George Dolenz), who she feels is getting a little too handsy. When they ignore her, she threatens to not perform. Her understudy is brought in and she faints. It is then that they hear singing in another room. It turns out to be Angela Klatt (Susanna Foster). She is practicing with her fiancé, Franz Munzer (Turhan Bey). They decide they are going to give her a prominent role with how amazing her voice is. Her singing also attracts Dr. Hohner, as it reminds them all of Marcellina. It also upsets him.

After she has a great show, Count Seebruck decides to bring back the opera that Marcellina headlined before her disappearance. Dr. Hohner has Angela come back to his house to check her throat after the performance. It is there that he hypnotizes her and tells her that she doesn't want to perform for anyone but him. We also see he is hiding a secret within his home. In his service is also the best friend of Marcellina, Luise (Gale Sondergaard) who isn't very trusting of Dr. Hohner. When Angela can't perform, Franz doesn't everything he can to help her get over what is stopping her, drawing the attention of the mad Dr. Hohner.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is that I found it intriguing about this film was that it was originally conceived to be a sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. The only cast member coming back was Foster. Instead, they decided to make this a stand-alone film, which I think was a better choice in the long run.

Now that I've got that out of the way, I do think this has an interesting premise that is still relevant today and that is toxic masculinity. Now before anyone starts to freak out about this, hear out what I have to say. We have Dr. Hohner, who is in love with Marcellina, the star of the show. She worked her whole life to get where she is and she has a great honor to perform for the king. Dr. Hohner wants her all to himself and doesn't want her performing for anyone else. She tells him that she no longer loves him. He then strangles her to keep her to himself. This has vibes of domestic violence and not respecting her as person. I felt slightly bad for him until we learned the truth. This also has the aspect of 'if I can't have her, no one will'. What is also interesting is that they are just lovers. I'll say here that Karloff does a great job as this villain who is also a mad doctor.

On the other side, we have Franz. He pushes Angela when she is telling him she can't do it, but he does have her best interests at heart. He knows that she loves to perform and this is what she's wanted to do her whole life. Franz will do whatever it takes to ensure that she does this, which is nice to see. He is an encouraging force and its positive. I thought that Foster and Bey were good here in their performances. They feel like a happy couple until Dr. Hohner steps in.

That will take us to what Dr. Hohner does in using hypnosis. I thought this was a good aspect to the story. The machine he used was interesting. The problem I had was the flashback. The effect used was cheesy, but with the time this came out, it makes sense and was a logical way of doing it effects-wise. I do think it would be better served to not just give us this back story this early on, but I get why we do.

I want to then take this to the acting. I've said already that I thought Karloff was good as our villain. He is brooding and sullen which fits. That makes you feel bad for him until more gets revealed. Foster and Bey were good as this young couple in love. Foster was attractive and her meek nature fit. I also thought her voice was amazing. The change that comes over her character is good after she's been hypnotized. Other than that, Sondergaard is good as this housekeeper who works for Dr. Hohner. She is given more to work with and I liked how it fit in. Gomez was good as Count Seebruck. I also like Vincent and Farrar as the divas. Dolenz as Jarmila's co-star worked. Another underrated performance is Ludwig Stössel as Carl Baumann who tries to help Angela and Franz. The acting here is good across the board.

Let's then go to the last aspect which falls under filmmaking. I thought the cinematography was good. It captures the opera scenes well and makes them look grand. I do have a negative here though. I do think they focus on these a bit too much and it bogged the story down for me. It caused me to lose interest. I'll also say here that we have limited effects. It doesn't need them though either, it isn't that type of film. The machine used to hypnotize was solid. Other than that, would be the soundtrack. It's not my type of music, but it fits this movie.

In conclusion, this is a still a solid, lesser talked about Universal film in their classic run. There are story elements and themes that are relevant today. Karloff makes a good villain and the rest of the cast around him was solid. This is well-made. I think the cinematography is worthy in capturing the opera scenes, but that is something that I felt they focused on a bit too much. I don't find them as interesting even though Foster has an amazing voice. Not one that I would rush to. If you like movies from this era, give this a watch. I'd also recommend to fans of Karloff, Bey, Foster or running through all the Universal films.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

"The Climax" produced and directed by George Waggner inevitably suffers in comparison to his "The Phantom of the Opera" re-make released the previous year. Filmed on the same opera set as the Phantom (both 1925 and 1943 versions) and in glorious color and with the same female lead (Suzzanna Foster) as the previous year, it is nevertheless disappointing. It was also the first color film for star Boris Karloff.

The film opens with Dr. Hohner (Karloff) lamenting the loss of his beloved Marcellina (June Vincent) who was an opera star, ten years earlier. We then flash back to learn that Hohner had been in love with the diva but was jealous of her voice, which he saw as coming between them. When she rejects his love, he murders her and she "disappears".

While leaving the theater, Dr. Hohner hears a voice that he believes to be that of Marcellina. It belongs however, to aspiring student Angela (Foster) who with her fiancé Franz (Turhan Bey) is hoping to become an opera singer. Impresario Count Seebruck (Thomas Gomez) hears her and plans to present her in the theater much to the dismay of resident soprano Jarmila Vadek (Jane Farrar).

Angela achieves immediate success, but when Seebruck plans to star her in "The Magic Voice", Dr. Hohner decides to take action. Luring her to his home on the pretense of examining her throat on behalf of the opera company, he hypnotizes her into believing that she no longer wants to sing.

We also learn that the good doctor has preserved Marcellina's body and keeps it in a sealed room in his home while being observed by his housekeeper Luise (Gale Sondergaard) who had served Marcellina.

Franz decides to take action. He secures an audience with the boy King (Scotty Beckett) who orders a command performance of "The Magic Voice" and................

Karloff has had better roles. In spite of a promising opening, the film drags through the middle and gives him little to do. Foster basically plays the same role as she had in the Phantom, a year earlier. Gale Sondergarrd who usually played evil and sinister villains, is wasted here. Bey, who was a rising star at the time also has little to do but drool over Foster.

Although the technicolor photography is stunning, it is spoiled by a weak story and weak characters. The film doesn't seem to know whether it will be a horror story or a musical. Trying to mix the two fails miserably.

Edward Ward wrote the score (as in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA), George Waggner directed (he was producer of PHANTOM), JANE FARRAR again plays a rival singer jealous of the new diva, and SUSANNA FOSTER is the lovely singer terrified of co-star BORIS KARLOFF, instead of Claude Rains. Other than that, any similarity between THE CLIMAX and POTO is strictly coincidental.

The story is pretty lifeless, dealing as it does with the old chestnut about an older gentleman, the opera's resident doctor (BORIS KARLOFF) who killed his opera sweetheart years ago and is resentful when a new singer is engaged to sing the former diva's greatest role. He hypnotizes her in an attempt to silence her voice but doesn't count on interception from her romantic interest (TURHAN BEY) and the help of his housekeeper (GALE SONDERGAARD in a sympathetic role).

It was justifiably honored with Oscar nominations for Set Decoration and Art Direction, but failed to become the profitable hit Universal was obviously reaching for. The main reason is the plot doesn't hold enough interest with its cardboard characters. Even the role of the mad doctor is played in very low-key style by BORIS KARLOFF, one of the screen's great horror stars. A little more menace would have been a wise thing and would have heightened whatever suspense there is.

The supporting cast is a pleasant one, with JUNE VINCENT as the unfortunate opera diva Karloff murders, LUDWIG STOSSEL, THOMAS GOMEZ and SCOTTY BECKETT. The most obvious holdover from POTO is JANE FARRAR who practically repeats her role as a jealous diva, but even her tantrums were more credible in the former film.

Edward Ward's score is attractive but not as impressive as his work on PHANTOM, and Susanna's higher register sounds a bit strained at times, although overall her vocal performance is a good one.

Not likely to please fans of horror films with too much music and too little plot.

Like the previous year's remake of The Phantom of the Opera, Technicolor Boris Karloff thriller The Climax (oo-err) takes place in the world of opera, with its villain, a mad physician (natch), causing problems for the theatre's newest star, beautiful young soprano Angela Klatt (played by the very lovely Susanna Foster, who also starred in Phantom).

The Climax not only sails very close to Phantom territory n terms of plot, but it also shares much of that film's crew - - director George Waggner (who was producer on Phantom), composer Edward Ward, cinematographers Hal Mohr and W. Howard Greene, costume designer Vera West, art directors Alexander Golitzen and John B. Goodman, makeup artist Jack Pierce, editor Russell F. Schoengarth, and set decorators Russell A. Gausma and Ira Webb, who recycle Phantom's lavish backdrops.

And the similarities don't end there: as with Phantom of the Opera, The Climax proves hard to endure thanks to its horrible operatic screeching, the musical numbers a cacophony of high pitched warbling guaranteed to set one's teeth on edge and get the local dogs a-barking. It's my intense dislike of operatic singing that ensures that, of all the Phantom Of The Opera adaptations, my favourite remains the silent 1925 version (opera is so much more tolerable when you can't actually hear it).

All of The Climax's tuneless shrieking might have been a touch more bearable had the film been stronger in the script department, but Karloff's crazed Dr. Hohner hypnotising Angela so that she can no longer perform on stage is hokey B-movie tripe. Mind you, I can't really blame Hohner for trying: great looking gal, but that warbling soprano... Sheesh!

This much-maligned Boris Karloff vehicle is actually not too bad; then again, the 1943 version of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - for which this was a follow-up, conveniently filmed on the same expensive sets - isn't very popular with horror fans either.

Many have stated that Karloff sleepwalks through his role here: true, it doesn't really extend his range but, given that he was headlining a super-production and being the consummate professional that he was, I hardly believe he could afford to be indifferent about it (and, in any case, it returned him to territory he had already covered in CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA [1936])! It's fairly enjoyable in itself, if not a little silly (Karloff demanding that his sweetheart stop her glorious singing career merely because he's jealous of all the admiration she's getting, his hypnotic control over the Susanna Foster character being exercised by means of a flask of atomizer {throat spray}!), and the lavishly colorful production is certainly attractive. The musical numbers are more 'modern' than those in PHANTOM, though there are still too many of them (remaining, in any case, a matter of taste!).

Foster does okay by her role but I agree that Turhan Bey is totally miscast and almost sinks the film; however, the supporting cast is pretty good - above all Gale Sondergaard (in a surprisingly sympathetic role), Thomas Gomez and Ludwig Stossel.The film's best sequences would have to be the murder of Karloff's wife, the hypnotism sessions (highlighting Karloff's glaring eyes in close-up) and the fiery climax {sic} (as in THE BLACK CAT [1934], Karloff keeps the body of his dead wife embalmed in a secret room) - in essence, all the horrific elements there are.

P.S. According to the "Classic Horror Film Board", as was the case with Universal's initial DVD release of Dracula (1931), this film is missing the underscoring during the opening sequence (not having watched THE CLIMAX previously, I couldn't have known about this) - how the hell does something like this happen...?!

My summary, if you knew me, is quite sarcastic, as I am not a fan of opera. And, when I watch a horror movie (with the exception of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA), I tune in to watch horror--not see song after song after song. While technically this is a Boris Karloff film, you'd never know it unless you paid attention. It looks much more like a musical--something fans of Karloff probably were not happy to see.

When the film began, I was immediately struck by the vivid Technicolor. Karloff rarely performed in color until late in his career when most films were in color. But, for 1944, it was unusual to see color films--particularly horror films. Also, the spectrum of colors they used were unusual--lots of pastels like mauve, rich purple and aqua as well as gray. It was very striking.

A decade ago, Karloff argued with a prima dona at the opera and strangled her. However, her body was never found and Karloff has remained free. Now, a new singer, Miss Klatt, arrives and she reminds him strongly of dead woman, Marcellina. And, since Karloff is a bit touched, he feels strange impulses towards Klatt. He tricks her into being hypnotized and gives her the suggestion that her voice is gone! Apparenly now that Marcellina is dead, Karloff won't allow anyone else to sing like her or sing her music. In many ways, this film is like an anti-Phantom of the Opera or anti-Svengali--where the mad genius guides a woman's career to failure instead of great success.

The young lady's fiancé, Turhan Bey, is worried about her and the odd influence that Karloff is having on her. So, he sneaks her away from Karloff's home (where she is staying while she "recouperates"). Bey is surprised to find that the medicine that Karloff has given her in an atomizer turns out to be nothing but colored water. What gives?! Somehow Bey gets the idea to help his fiancée get over her inability to sing can be cured by arranging a command performance before the very young king. This plan made very little sense and I have no idea what Bey's reasoning was. The king, it turns out, is pretty swell and agrees to the plan.

Somehow Bey also gets the idea that by destroying the atomizer in front of her, that his lady friend will regain her voice. It's as if he read the script! Such amazing "insider knowledge" is an inherent weakness of the film.

When Karloff discovers what's happened, he once again tried to persuade Klatt not to sing. But, just to make sure, plans to either kill her or destroy her vocal cords--it's hard to tell which he's about to do when the housekeeper confronts him--of course, with no backup or witnesses!! She KNOWS the truth and will stop him (how?!)! Fortunately, as Bey read the script, he knew to appear just in time to save the lady and rescue Klatt from Karloff's clutches.

In the end, Klatt goes on and is marvelous (if you like that sort of stuff) and Karloff overacts as he and his dead Marcellina (who he kept embalmed in a hidden room in his house) catch fire for no particular reason.

Overall, it's hardly fair to call this a Karloff movie, as he's really just a supporting playing to a bunch of warbling. Unless you are a glutton for opera (very high-pitched opera, by the way), then this film will be, at best, barely a time-passer and nothing more. That's because there is almost no suspense, no twists, Bey apparently always has ESP (how else can he do what he does in the movie?) and in the end, Karloff catches fire for no apparent reason other than it's the end of the film! Truly, despite looking nice, this is a very badly written film that wastes Karloff's considerable talents.

And to think that Karloff's first color film was this dull song-fest.

Dr. Hohner (Boris Karloff) is Physician at the Vienna Royal Theatre, who in a fit of obsession and jealousy murders his fiancée. Ten years later, he hears another young singer (Susanna Foster) who reminds him of his slain fiancée, and he's determined to make her sing only for him, even if it means silencing her forever.

Karloff's first movie in glorious Technicolor is beautiful to look at, but ultimately a so so movie not offering much for the big man to do. Using the same sets that were used for the Claude Rains led Phantom Of The Opera the previous year, this appears to be Universal's attempt to give Karloff a slice of demented operatic pie. Why then is he given so little to do? So much time is spent with Foster and the hopelessly miscast Turhan Bey, that Karloff's warped Doctor almost feels like an intrusion on some Gothic melodramatic romance. A shame since what screen time Karloff gets shows potential for a memorable horror character to rank up with his better ones. Some good support comes from Gale Sondergaard & Thomas Gomez, and without doubt the operatic scenes are great, even if they take up so much time the flow of the movie is never at one with the creepy undercurrents of the tale. But really it's like opening a gorgeously wrapped birthday present only to find that within is a used gum ball without any flavour. 4.5/10

THE CLIMAX stars the one and only Boris Karloff as the quietly unhinged Dr. Friedrich Hohner, who has already disposed of his wife. When a young opera star (Susanna Foster) catches his ear and eye, Hohner sets out to have her under his control at any cost.

Karloff is a master at playing this type of low-key, seemingly docile character, who has something sinister boiling just beneath the surface. This is difficult to pull off, but he makes it look easy.

Lovers of opera should enjoy this movie, since it's packed with big musical productions. In fact, it's almost a musical!...

How can you fix a film that has... -too much opera for horror fans, -too creepy ending for opera fans, -too little action for Karloff fans, -too much Karloff for melodrama fans, -and a director who seems content with showcasing his lavish sets and the relatively new Technicolor process?

After giving the question quite a bit of thought, I don't think you can fix a project like "The Climax". It was ill-conceived from the start and the film they made was probably as good as could be made with the story they had to work with. But ultimately, the film is unsatisfying for all of the reasons listed above.

Watch it if you must,... but you've been warned.

According to the Wiki: The Climax was "Originally intended to be a sequel to Universal's Phantom of the Opera..." This film is really nothing like "Phantom" but it does have a dark charm of it's own dealing with an opera house and singer.

I realize that this film is not a favorite among some Karloff fans but some of us do find this film has an appeal of it's own. I for one enjoyed the movie.

Boris plays Dr. Friedrich Hohner a man obsessed with the memory of his dead girlfriend Marcellina and keeps her body preserved in a hidden chamber. He is determined that no one shall sing Marcellina's songs - NO ONE. It's a sinister role that Karloff plays and quite good too.

Franz Munzer (Turhan Bey) and Angela Klatt (Susanna Foster) are a couple in love. Angela is the target of Dr. Hohner anger because she sounds very much like his beloved Marcellina. Franz is a man out to find out what is going on with Angela. -- You will have to watch the film to find out more!!

Turhan Bey really steals the show in this movie to me. The cutest scene is when Angela (Susanna) is on stage singing and Franz (Turhan) is chewing on the paper of the opera program... LOL that was quite funny. Let's just say Franz really is deeply in-love with Angela! :D

This is also the first Boris Karloff movie that is in colour. The colour film shows us a reasonably ruggedly handsome man! He is very photogenic and the colour really brings that to light.

The movie is a good Victorian thriller. It is a horror film but I find the film more of a dramatic thriller.

7/10

1944's "The Climax" was the second film adaptation of Edward Locke's 1909 play of the same title, first done by the Laemmles in 1930, this time intended as a color follow up to their hugely successful 1943 remake of "Phantom of the Opera." Susanna Foster was the sole cast member to return, while replacing an unavailable Claude Rains was none other than conquering hero Boris Karloff, back after 37 months of Broadway service doing "Arsenic and Old Lace," and ready to take part in his very first color feature. The sets and costumes were recycled from "Phantom" as well, an engaging cast at least propping up its creaky story of Karloff's crazed Dr. Friedrich Hohner, morosely haunting the local opera house since the mysterious disappearance of his beloved Marcellina (June Vincent) a decade ago, revealed all too quickly as he flashes back to his murder of her (and subsequent shrine for her carefully preserved corpse) to silence 'The Magic Voice' that came between them. Having blown all sense of mystery sky high in the opening reel things settle into an easygoing groove with Thomas Gomez enjoying a pleasant change from Western heavy to jovial stage manager, meeting up with promising students Franz Munzer (Turhan Bey) and songbird Angela Klatt, whose natural abilities evoke memories of the late Marcellina, an obsession that Dr. Hohner intends to squelch through the use of hypnosis. A supremely disinterested Karloff proves a major disappointment, not helped by the script's insistence to sideline him for the majority of the film, constantly upstaged by backstage bickering between Jane Farrar's unrelenting diva and lover/partner George Dolenz (father of Micky), the dilemma of 'will she or won't she open her mouth and sing' simply not enough to carry a 90 minute trifle that lacks a truly menacing Svengali (once the boy king pops up to sigh in contentment at her command performance it becomes cringe worthy). Karloff was more animated in the upcoming "House of Frankenstein" though he again descends into autopilot, requiring the skills of a Val Lewton to renew interest in the revitalization of his once busy screen career.

Without being told so it is fairly obvious that The Climax was a film made by Universal to get some more use out of the set built for Phantom Of The Opera. I do mean both versions too.

Boris Karloff takes the place of Claude Rains as the man obsessed with a soprano. Unlike the pitiable Rains who went mad at the thought that someone was stealing concerto, Karloff is the house physician who is the paramour of soprano June Vincent. But the deeper he's involved the more jealous he becomes. When she gives him the brush finally he strangles her and hides the body. He's got quite the shrine to her, think of Lenin's tomb.

Ten years after Karloff did the deed young music students Susanna Foster and Turhan Bey audition for Thomas Gomez the head of the opera company. Karloff hears Foster sing and she reminds him so much of Vincent he's determined to halt her career. No one should sing like Vincent or sing any of her material. Karloff embarks on a campaign of psychological intimidation against Foster.

Karloff's menace Foster's soprano are the main reasons to see The Climax. Films like this and Phantom Of The Opera combine the music and horror genre well and remain popular to this day. There's also a nice performance by Gale Sondergaard as Vincent's maid who has been waiting for years to finally get the goods on the good Dr. Karloff.

And the music is swell. English is used instead of the foreign languages that we of the English speaking world enjoy classic opera. I suspect that opera fans would have put down their theater admission to hear Susanna Foster sing the Erie County Phone Directory of 1944.

I understand that "The Climax" isn't necessarily a well received" movie among Boris Karloff fans. The plot isn't much, i'll admit that, and some of the musical number "particularly the one in which Jane Farrar was the prima donna) were quite painful. But Susanna Foster's voice saves the day. This movies is no "Phantom of the Opera", but it was fun to watch. The Technicolor was magnificent, and the set design was gorgeous. Turhan Bey was an alright leading man for Foster. But he didn't seem "strong" enough, I suppose. Boris Karloff is fantastic as a menacing figure, hovering over Foster in an aura of mystery and horror. The film isn't scary enough to be considered a horror film, but too ominous to be considered a musical. There isn't a real genre for it. But it's enjoyable to watch and I liked it. I'm a big Susanna Foster fan, so it was joy to hear her sing, and I'm becoming a Boris Karloff fan, after seeing "Frankenstein" and "The Climax".

So, all in all, "The Climax" is good enough, but it could be better.

Master of terror Boris Karloffs' first colour feature was this Technicolour marvel, a triumph of production design, if nothing else. It's highly debatable that it could be considered a horror film at all; it really plays more like a Victoria era psychological thriller. The music, singing, and staging is first rate, and the performances are impressive. It might not appeal too much for genre fans looking for stark atmosphere, murder set pieces, or straight suspense. Of course, if one is a fan of the opera, they'll have a head start on appreciating "The Climax".

Boris plays Dr. Friedrich Hohner, a physician for an operatic troupe. 10 years ago, he was obsessed with its star, Marcellina (June Vincent), and wanted to keep her and her voice all to himself. She didn't see things his way, so he offed her and hid away her body; nobody was the wiser. Now, a fresh new face named Angela Klatt (Susanna Foster) whose beautiful soprano voice is eerily reminiscent of Marcellinas' has come to the doctors' attention. He similarly becomes obsessed with her, and does everything in his power to possess her.

Boris once again does a masterful job, and the other actors all have their moments to shine. Foster is immensely appealing, and Turhan Bey is likewise engaging as her fiancée. (He has one hilarious WTF moment when, elated by one of her performances, he begins to gnaw on his programme!) George Dolenz is funny as the egocentric male star Roselli. Gale Sondergaard, Thomas Gomez, Ludwig Stossel, and Jane Farrar round out this superior cast.

"The Climax" is somewhat slowly paced (those musical numbers do tend to dominate), but the story is reasonably entertaining and the actual climax to this film does bring the house down.

Six out of 10.

Boris Karloff stars in his first color feature, playing Dr. Hohner, the physician to the Vienna Royal Theater who one day, in a fit of insane jealousy, murders his mistress, who was also the star singer of the theater. He gets away with it, but ten years later, a new singer(played by Susana Foster) reminds him strongly of his long ago love, and so plots to keep her for himself using hypnosis to convince her to sing only for him, though her fiancée(played by Turhan Bey) gets wind of this and tries to save her... Despite Karloff, this is a dismayingly slow, turgid film, with too much singing and no suspense. Color is wasted here, as is Karloff, in one of his worst films.