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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Play trailer Poster for The Hunchback of Notre Dame Released Sep 2, 1923 1h 33m Drama Horror Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 27 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
In 15th-century Paris, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother of the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and commands the hunchback Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) to capture her. Military captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her, but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an unlikely bond forms between them. After vengeful Jehan frames Esmeralda for the attempted murder of Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are put to the test.
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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Critics Consensus

A heart-rending take on the classic book, with a legendary performance by Lon Chaney.

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Critics Reviews

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C.A. Lejeune Guardian Although it is an elaborate-studied piece of work, over which much time and many dollars have been spent, it makes no tumultuous call upon our enthusiasm. Nov 20, 2018 Full Review Tom Milne Time Out Worth seeing mainly for Chaney's remarkable performance; even bowed and constricted by the heavy weights he used to help simulate Quasimodo's crippled gait, his body remains extraordinarily expressive. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader The self-torture demanded by Chaney's makeup is impressive, as are the scales of the sets and the crowd scenes, but nothing comes to life under the flat direction of Wallace Worsley. Mar 28, 2002 Full Review Jules Caldeira Film Inquiry This iteration of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a must for Chaney fans, Hugo Stans, or anyone who’s seen the Disney film and is looking for something a little more true in tone to the book. Nov 2, 2023 Full Review Michael Barrett PopMatters Every aspect of the studio machine was working on all cylinders, yet The Hunchback of Notre Dame would have accounted for nothing without the anchoring performance by Lon Chaney. May 5, 2022 Full Review Carl Sandburg Chicago Daily News In The Hunchback of Notre Dame may be seen what is surely Lon Chaney's masterpiece, the best piece of character work he has done in his interesting life in the movies. Mar 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jay W Before Lon Chaney Jr. Became the Wolfman, Lon Chaney Sr. Was becoming a horror movie icon with his silent film performances. Daddy Chaney starred as the Phantom in "The Phantom of the Opera" and Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Both of these classic silent films have been remade several times and have become more famous as musicals. But today, we look at the original big screen adaptation of Victor Hugo's story. This is one of those movies where you have to preface just about every praise with the qualifier: "For its time.". Really, it's a miracle that this film has survived for over 100 years. As you watch it on any streaming service you get that idea that the original film this is being played on is set to fall apart any second. This was an ambitious project. Due to the limitations of the time, the silent films typically have an easy to follow story with little dialogue and easily recognizable conflicts. Hunchback has more going on in its story than say, Charlie Chaplin trying to impress a girl. Don't get me wrong, a big portion of this story is trying to impress a girl, but there is a lot more to it. Consequently, the viewer really has to give this silent movie their full attention. And when I say silent, I mean silent, there was absolutely no music backing in the version I watched. Ir becomes a situation where I ask, does this even count as a movie? It is more a visual novel than a movie. I respect the film for what it was trying to do, and it may make an entertaining backdrop for a Halloween party. But I can't recommend sitting down and watching the full thing. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/20/24 Full Review Liam D One of the first adaptations of the Victor Hugo’s novel and the one that leads the most into horror. It still holds up 101 years later Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review Teddy B Wallace Worsley's direction isn't anything to really write home about but, admit it, Lon Chaney carries this film on his hunched back and into the stratosphere. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/12/24 Full Review robert p There are *2* such films with this title and both are good including the one done by actor Charles Loughton but this version falls below the one with Charles Laughton because his is the best by far but this actor get's his dues too, which is why I give this version a *4* star review!!!! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member By far the best silent film I've seen. Love it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Ethan S An enjoyable if a little overlong film. I haven't read the book, but it seems to me the filmmakers may have played up the bit about class struggle - there are definite shades of the French Revolution that seem a little anachronistic for the 15th century (though I realize the novel was also written well after the revolution also). Coming out in 1923 just as the Soviet Union emerged from its own revolution and civil war, I wonder if the filmmakers were not attempting some form of social commentary. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/22 Full Review Read all reviews
The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 15th-century Paris, Jehan (Brandon Hurst), the evil brother of the archdeacon, lusts after a Gypsy named Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) and commands the hunchback Quasimodo (Lon Chaney) to capture her. Military captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry) also loves Esmeralda and rescues her, but the Gypsy is not unsympathetic to Quasimodo's condition, and an unlikely bond forms between them. After vengeful Jehan frames Esmeralda for the attempted murder of Phoebus, Quasimodo's feelings are put to the test.
Director
Wallace Worsley
Screenwriter
Edward T. Lowe Jr., Perley Poore Sheehan
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Genre
Drama, Horror, Romance
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 2, 1923, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 7, 2015
Runtime
1h 33m
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