The Climax

The Climax
The Climax original 1944 poster
Directed by	George Waggner
Produced by	George Waggner
Written by	Curt Siodmak Edward Locke (play)
Starring	Boris Karloff Susanna Foster Turhan Bey
Music by	Edward Ward
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	October 20, 1944
Running time	86 min.
Language	English

The Climax is a horror film produced by Universal Pictures, first released in the United States in 1944. The credits state this is based on a play by Edward Locke, but the plot has little connection to Locke's play.

Plot

The physician at the Vienna Royal Theatre, Dr. Hohner (Karloff) murders his fiancee, a prima donna, out of obsession and jealousy. Ten years later, he hears another young singer (Foster) who reminds him of the late diva, and is determined to make her sing only for him, even if it means silencing her forever.

Cast

• Boris Karloff – Dr. Friedrich Hohner
• Susanna Foster – Angela Klatt
• Turhan Bey – Franz Munzer
• Gale Sondergaard – Luise
• Thomas Gomez – Count Seebruck
• June Vincent – Marcellina
• George Dolenz – Amato Roselli
• Ludwig Stössel – Carl Baumann
• Jane Farrar – Jarmila Vadek
• Ernö Verebes – Brunn
• Lotte Stein – Mama Hinzl
• Scotty Beckett – The King
• William Edmunds – Leon – theater concierge
• Maxwell Hayes – Count Romburg – King's aide
• Dorothy Lawrence – Miss Metzger

Production

The film was originally conceived as a sequel to Phantom of the Opera (1943). The Climax was made using the sets of the 1943 Phantom of the Opera, which was in turn used Universal's set for Phantom of the Opera (1925).

The film was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1944 for Best Art Direction (John B. Goodman, Alexander Golitzen, Russell A. Gausman, Ira Webb).

See also

• List of American films of 1944
• Boris Karloff filmography

External links

• The Climax at the Internet Movie Database
• The Climax at AllRovi