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When Christine went to give Erik his ring back, this troper got choked up.
"Christine, I love you. . ."
The show's longevity, numerous locations, and YouTube have given us countless versions of this scene. Sometimes Christine runs off before he even finishes the line. Other times, he holds onto her and tries to prevent her from leaving, often offering her the ring again. Gentler versions have her kissing his hand or touching his face--one even has her kissing him again. But however it's done, it never fails to make your heart break for him.
Agreed. Makes me bawl EVERY time.
Just about any time "All I Ask of You" is being sung or reprised, really.
The reprise of "All I Ask of You" is so, so much sadder.
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. Must ... have ... hankies.
Howard Mcgillin's Music of the Night. Holding out that last note, looking at Christine so lovingly, as if she was his EVERYTHING - cue the waterworks!
Nowadays, most Phantoms kneel at Christine's side (after she's fainted) and take her hand while singing, "You alone can make my song take flight. . ." Makes it even sadder when it's recalled in the final scene of the show.
In "Stranger Than You Dreamt It", when Christine accidentally unmasks the Phantom. We don't see his face, but she does and is horrified. He CRAWLS towards her, understanding that she's repulsed, but still pleading for even a hint of affection, and she gently hands his mask back to him.
At one performance I saw, the actor playing the Phantom caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the shards of glass framing the mirror bride and just crumpled, sobbing "Oh, Christine..." Talk about putting the Woobie in Jerkass Woobie...
This troper saw Brad Little as Erik in 2002 and this was exactly what he did... It was jaw-droppingly effective.
The final scene is mentioned here, but one part in particular breaks down this Troper; the Dark Reprise of Masquerade, which dissolves this troper into Inelegant Blubbering until the end. It doesn't help that the stage Phantoms often keep repeating "I love you!" brokenly after they sang it, some shouting it into Christine's veil, clinging to it pitifully because it's the only thing they have left of her.
Ohgod this. Seeing the broken mess of a man left onstage after Christine and Raoul depart is... Just heart-rending.
This troper has only seen Brad Little as the Phantom (three times), so it's uncertain whether this is something other actors have done, but during the first incarnation of All I Ask Of You, as it nears the end and you can see him on the angel above the stage listening to the lovers... Leading up to his declaration ("you will curse the day you did not do..."), over the last few lines that the lovers sing you could see him shaking, putting his hands over his ears and thrashing back and forth, very clearly just trying to make it all stop, go away, anything at all just to not have to hear it... It was ridiculously effective at displaying his torment, and made this troper cry every time.
This troper watched the 25th Anniversary performance on DVD, with Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom. It's kind of hard to find any single Tearjerker moment for the Phantom, but the end was really striking. During the "Point of no Return" trio, I sobbed wretchedly, and still do. Every single time, without fail. The Phantom himself is even crying. And then during the reprise of Masquerade, when he mimics the action of the toy and smiles like a comforted child. Oh, and then when Christine returns the ring, and when she goes to leave, she looks back at him and he gives a tiny encouraging nod, as though to let her know that she's completely free and he won't pursue her.
Joel Schumacher's adaptation has this in spades:
"This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing/ A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing."
"Christine, I love you."
This even extends to the end credits, with the new song "Learn to be Lonely."
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