The Phantom of the Opera (1990– )

Burt Lancaster: Gérard Carrière

Photos 

Quotes 

• Erik The Phantom of the Opera : [reaches for his ears]  My God! The place really is haunted; what is that?

  Gerard Carriere : Well, without looking, I would say with confidence it must be Carlotta.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Who?

  Gerard Carriere : The new star.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : She can't sing!

  Gerard Carriere : [chuckles]  Well, obviously she doesn't know that.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Well, someone should tell her.

  Gerard Carriere : She's married to the new manager.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Good God. This means she's probably going to sing all the time. What kind of horror are you leaving me in?

  Gerard Carriere : Erik, what are we going to do about all of this?

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : I know what to do about it. I'll kill them both.

  Gerard Carriere : Oh, come on, now!

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : I'm teasing; probably the only one I need to kill is her.

  Gerard Carriere : Erik!

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : What has happened to your sense of humour?

  Gerard Carriere : My humour?

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just not used to killing people; it threw me off a bit.

• Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Did you know my mother well?

  Gerard Carriere : [pause, then]  Yes.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Did you love her?

  Gerard Carriere : [long pause, then]  Yes, I loved her.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : And she let you see my face.

  Gerard Carriere : She thought your face was absolutely and flawlessly beautiful.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : What did you think of it?

  Gerard Carriere : Well I - I thought it could have been better.

  [pauses, then] 

  Gerard Carriere : I'm your father.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : [nods knowingly]  I wondered when you'd say.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : [Gerard looks stunned; Erik continues]  You see, my eyes are the only part of my face I can look at in a mirror without wishing to break the glass. But they're not her eyes. They're yours.

• Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Father?

  Gerard Carriere : Yes?

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : I'm sorry for what I've put you through.

  Gerard Carriere : Well, actually, there never was a day I'd have given any of it up for anything.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Oh, I like that story. Tell me another fairy tale.

  Gerard Carriere : It's true.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Why?

  Gerard Carriere : Because you have your mother's soul.

• Gerard Carriere : Erik has been more than a son to me. My friend and my guide. For the last thirty years, the truth is he has been the real director of this opera house, not I. If we were a great company - and we were - it was because of him. Every decision on repertoire, to the smallest prop, was his. My own small talent, such as it was, was keeping him alive. And now I must leave. And he cannot. But you can, and you must, for your own sake as well as his. If you love him as you say you do, please, don't give him any false hope. You will crush him utterly, and in the process, you will destroy yourself.

• Erik The Phantom of the Opera : All in all, not all that bad - being born I mean. Because I could hear music, and I heard Christine.

  Gerard Carriere : She didn't mean to hurt you.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : I know that. She just asked for too much of me, that's all. Not her fault - thought she loved me.

  Gerard Carriere : She does.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : She did. But only for a moment. Still, a moment such as that is worth living for, wouldn't you say? I do regret one thing, though.

  Gerard Carriere : What's that?

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Not having killed the Comte de Chagny.

  Gerard Carriere : But why?

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : Because he doesn't love music, so how can he possibly love her?

  Gerard Carriere : He loves her.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : If you say so.

  Gerard Carriere : She was just unprepared for you.

  Erik The Phantom of the Opera : She was unprepared for ugliness. And for that brief, sweet moment, so was I.

• Christine Daee : You said my voice reminded you of a certain singer.

  Gerard Carriere : That's right. Unfortunately, it's reminded someone else of her as well.

• Christine Daee : [speaking of Erik]  I'm not afraid. Now I know his heart.

  Gerard Carriere : So do I. Unfortunately, there is more to him than that.

• Gerard Carriere : [to Count Philippe de Chagny]  Believe me, my dear friend. Her love for him is a far different thing than her love for you. If you turn away from her now, she'll die.