The Climax (1944) – Review

A Universal film taking place in an opera house and starring Boris Karloff as a deranged killer must have, at the outset, seemed like great ingredients for an excellent horror movie with its obvious elements being lifted from The Phantom of the Opera, but what we have here is actually more melodrama than horror. Thus 1944’s The Climax works best if you think of it more as a psychological thriller rather than a straight up horror film.

Directed by George Waggner, Universal’s The Climax is a 1944 horror/mystery film that is set in a Vienna opera house  during the 19th century and follows the gripping tale of love, jealousy and murder. At the centre of the plot is Dr. Friedrich Hohner (Boris Karloff) who is employed by the Vienna Royal Theatre to take care of its artists but he has a dark secret, ten years ago he murdered his prima donna fiancée in a rage. This murder occurred because she chose her career as a singer over him and blaming her voice for ruining their relationship. A decade later, Angela Klatt (Susanna Foster) is the new singer on the scene and she is prepared to dominate audiences with her extraordinary vocal gifts, however, Angela sounds a little too much like Hohner’s dead lover and this brings out his old obsessions and a desire to stop that voice once and for all.

“That’s one thing I hate! All the noise, noise, noise, noise!”

Standing in the way of his controlling and dominating this new prima donna is her protective fiancé, Franz Munzer (Turhan Bey), but the performance by Turhan Bay in this role is about as lacklustre and uninteresting as it gets and you almost wish her to fall into the clutches of Boris Karloff’s mad doctor just to break up the monotony. This is not a good way to establish conflict. Aside from Karloff’s voice-obsessed villain the other interesting character in this film is that of his housekeeper (Gale Sondergaard) who at first seems just as sinister Karloff’s mad doctor and an ally in his plan, but in a surprising twist, she is revealed to have been the devoted servant of Hohner’s murdered ex and has been working for him for an entire decade with the hope of uncovering proof of what really happened to her missing mistress. In fact, one of the biggest missteps the film makes is giving us a flashback of Hohner committing the murder right at the beginning of the film, thus robbing us of actually having a mystery to solve. That kind of thing can work for an episode of Columbo but not here. This elemental lacking of mystery is somewhat offset by Hohner having this really cool “At-Home-Mesmerizing Kit” that he uses to rob Angela of her will to sing.

“Now, my dear, let’s hear you bark like a dog.”

The story of a man obsessed to the point of murder and mutilation may not be all that original – i.e. The Phantom of the Opera – but Universal’s The Climax showcases a beautiful blend of horror and opera, with the filmmakers incorporating actual operatic performances into the storyline. The movie features some breathtaking musical numbers that highlight the talents of Susanna Foster and giving us a taste of the beauty and intensity of the opera world. These sequences not only enhance the film’s visual and auditory experience but also serve as integral components of the plot. Then we have Boris Karloff, whose performance as Dr. Hohner is front in centre and is the highlight of the film, with Karloff effortlessly embodying the tortured and obsessed villain of the piece.  He captures both the character’s charm and underlying darkness while also underplaying the villain’s Svengali aspect. Karloff’s screen presence is undeniable and he adds a touch of gravitas to every scene he appears in.  His portrayal alone is worth the price of admission.

Karloff is the most dangerous of music critics.

Stray Observation:

• This film was obviously intended to be a sequel to Universal’s 1943 remake of The Phantom of the Opera and was shot on the same lavish sets. I bet that saved them a lot of money.
• If your house doctor is Boris Karloff you may want to rethink your hiring practices, in fact, you may just as well call up Lionel Atwill and have both mad doctors on your payroll.
• Actress Gale Sondergaard plays a Mrs. Danvers-like housekeeper, much as she did in the horror comedy The Cat and the Canary, and one must wonder if some charm school specialized in churning out stern and scary housekeepers for the rich.
• Doctor Hohner has a shrine for the corpse of his dead lover and this makes him a forerunner of the Abominable Dr. Phibes.

I wonder how easy it is to find contractors who can build secret shrines.

Visually, The Climax is a feast for the eyes as the opulent sets and lavish costumes create an immersive atmosphere, transporting viewers to the grandeur of the Vienna opera house. The film effectively utilizes shadows and lighting to heighten the sense of suspense and mystery. The technicolor cinematography, combined with the eerie score, contributes to the film’s Gothic ambience and really pulls the viewer into the world of music and horror. While The Climax may not be as well-known as some of Boris Karloff’s other works it offers a unique blend of horror, romance and murder mystery that should keep his fans happy. The film also provides a nice glimpse into the world of opera during the 19th century and the haunting backdrop adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. If only the mystery itself had been allowed to be an actual mystery and if a few more horror elements had been added this could have been one of the better Universal entries.  As it stands, what we have here is a film mostly forgotten due to it leaning more into melodrama than horror, and for a film called The Climax it has a very rushed climax, not to mention a romantic pairing that was kind of cringe.

Susanna Foster had a great voice but no chemistry with Turhan Bey.

In conclusion, director George Waggner’s The Climax is an enjoyable and atmospheric film that showcases Boris Karloff’s exceptional talent and the amazing voice of Susanna Foster to bolster the proceedings. It may not be a flawless masterpiece, but it delivers on its promises of suspense, Gothic charm and in giving us a memorable performance by the great Karloff. If you are a fan of classic horror or appreciate the allure of the opera than this one is a worthwhile watch.