One of my all time favorites.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Many of these early talies seem to have been ground out with little attention paid to character, or to story for that matter. A parade of murder mysteries and bathetic romances.This one is different in that it has a narrative that is not only coherent but interesting in itself. If, that is, "The Count of Monte Christo" is interesting, so is "The Phantom of Paris," though far less rich in detail.Gilbert is supposed to have fallen from grace in Hollywood because of his squeaky voice. I didn't notice it here. He looks and sounds like any other matinee idol of the period.It's a watchable flick.

Forgettable Early Talkie with John Gilbert Giving Hs All, this Pre-Code Film has a Good Premise but is Strained and Stilted. It's one of those that Screams Stage Play, is Well Acted but Not Stylish and a bit Clunky.Everyone goes Through the Motions and in the End, Despite a Twisty, Labored Climax the Movie Borders on Boring. There are much Better Examples of Horror from the Time Period like "Mystery of the Wax Museum" (1933), "Dracula" (1931), and "Dr. X" (1933).Overall, Fans of John Gilbert can witness His Transition to Talkies and Despite a Good Speaking Voice, His Career was Mishandled by MGM and given the Short End by the Studio. While always a Pleasure to Watch (and hear), His Talking Pictures were mostly Mediocre.

Cheri-Bibi is the title character of a Gaston Leroux novel (he of the Phantom of the Opera). The character is the greatest escape artist in Europe (ala Houdini). He has come from the bottom up and has interest in a girl from the upper crust who is engaged to an incredible boor. The rich father denies permission for them to marry and he makes the mistake of saying that they will marry even if he is dead. Well, of course, someone shoots the father. What we have is quite a good setup, but eventually it is strained to the limit. Bibi is arrested and in prison for four years and faces execution at the Guillotine. He escapes and seeks revenge. He finally gets the murderer to admit his deed on his death bed, but circumstances make it worthless. He then assumes the identity of the guy. Due to some surgery, he takes on the role of the evil husband, hiding in plain sight. The fact that no one recognizes him, including his former lover, is too much for me. It's an entertaining tale and has a satisfactory conclusion, but that one element takes too much suspension of disbelief.

John Gilbert liked nothing better than to get his teeth into a gritty character part (rather like John Barrymore) and when talkies came in he got his chance. Even though he excelled at the few meaty parts he was given (an absolute cad in "Downstairs", an alcoholic given one more chance in "The Captain Hates the Sea") as a reviewer says, after "His Glorious Night" the writing was on the wall for him, as far as the studio was concerned and they tried their best to push him from one pot boiler to another. That he succeeded and gave some of his finest performances shows that he was not such a one dimensional player as a lot of people thought.Now Gaston LeRoux is known for the horror book "The Phantom of the Opera" but back in his day his main claim to fame was as the creator of Rouletabille, a teenage crime reporter who was the French equivalent of Sherlock Holmes and also for his creation of Cheri-Bibi, an adventurer who was Leroux's most popular character.This is just a marvelous movie with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Cheri-Bibi (Gilbert) is a great escapologist "the sensation of the world" who wows audiences where ever he performs. One person who is not "wowed" is Lt. Costaud (Lewis Stone, who else!!) who is even skeptical when Cheri performs a "Houdini" like escape from a sealed barrel of water using Costaud's own handcuffs - of course he escapes, he always does!! Costaud has been hired by Inspector Bourrelier (C. Aubrey Smith) to try to expose him so as to disillusion his daughter Cecile (Leila Hyams) but her love is of the strongest. Even though Bourrelier doesn't like Cheri, he has found out some disturbing news about his future son-in -law, Touchesis (Ian Keith) - that he is a fortune hunter only interested in Cecile for her money and he already has a mistress - the predatory Vera (Natalie Moorehead, where would pre-codes be without her!!) But before he can change his will which requests Cecile and Touchesis marry, he is murdered!! Cheri, of course, is arrested but daringly escapes and lives for years in a dungeon like room at the toymakers (Jean Hersholt). This is just a marvelous movie and with more than a passing nod to "Les Miserables" as Costaud, like Javet, is a policeman who never gives up his search. When Costaud gets too close Cheri escapes again and .... but the plot is just too involving!! Needless to say Cheri returns, disguised as Touchesis and learns that the man was a tyrant who has never had the affection or love of his wife and even incites fear in his own son (adorable Douglas Scott).I enjoyed this movie far more than "Downstairs" and it shows that if Gilbert hadn't met such an early death he could have spent the rest of his life in character parts. The title was obviously a ploy to align itself with "The Phantom of the Opera".