The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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Joel H Dec 5 I’m sad to admit that most of my knowledge of The Hunchback of Notre Dame comes from Disney’s animated movie, so I felt a little more cultured watching a version that is slightly more faithful to Victor Hugo's novel. However, even this 1939 adaptation makes some major alterations to the story to make it more family friendly. Charles Laughton gives an incredibly nuanced performance as Quasimodo, while Maureen O'Hara is always enjoyable to see on the screen, but I thought Cedric Hardwicke really stole the show as the hypocritical Frollo. Now it’s probably time I actually read The Hunchback of Notre Dame. See more j f @LiberteBurrows 06/26/2024 Forget wife-swapping; barbarism and scapegoating are the true pastimes of France. See more Matthew B 08/24/2023 The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a tale of three kings. There is the French King, Louis XI (played by Harry Davenport). There is Clopin (Thomas Mitchell), the King of Beggars, head of the criminal element in Paris. Finally for a day there is a King of Fools, inaugurated during Paris's annual celebration of The Feast of Fools. This is our titular character, Quasimo (Charles Laughton), the misshapen bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral. This offers us a rich cross-section of Parisian society during the fifteenth century, drawing ironic parallels and contrasts. Perhaps it is this which makes William Dieterle's 1939 adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel the most satisfying film version. Quasimodo is the film's real hero, and he is treated with great compassion in the story. Fitted with a large prosthetic hump and with wax placed in his ears to simulate his deafness, Charles Laughton brings much pathos to the role of Quasimodo. Quasimodo is the bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral. His back carries the famous hump. His face too is twisted, with one eye below the other, and his voice sounds distorted as well, perhaps reflecting his deafness caused by the bells. This grotesque appearance causes people to scream, look away or shrink back as he passes. His only friends are the bells of Notre Dame to which he has given names. When he falls in love, he takes extra pleasure in playing the bells. He swings from them and leaps around the walls of the cathedral with surprising agility for someone with so ungainly a body. He can be seen sitting next to the building's gargoyles that seem like appropriate companions for him. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was one of most expensive RKO films made at the time. It required 2.500 wigs, and among the talent involved in the film were two men who would later become great directors in their own right, Jacques Tourneur and Robert Wise. Perhaps that explains why the story is so enjoyable, and the most lively adaptation of Hugo's novel. I wrote a longer appreciation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2018/04/21/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame-1939/ See more Seth N 07/12/2023 Despite the fact that they decided to make Jehan the Claude Frollo of the book (leaving Claude as the good archdeacon) I really liked how the story was adapted. Even though we don't see much of her, I was pleased to see that Fleur de Lys is present, and that the situation between her and Phoebus is quickly implied. It's a great adaptation of the novel, which restranscribes a good number of scenes that others forget. See more Red T 07/04/2023 All Time Classic. The acting is phenomenal led by Laughton who plays Quasimodo beautifully as a sympathetic, feared, charming, and on the brink character throughout. O'Hara stands in contrast with her beauty and does a excellent job also along with a excellent supporting cast. The cinematography is incredible in gothic style that is so memorable and atmospheric. The set design, climax, makeup on Laughton, costumes are all amazingly done. The music is really good also although I wouldn't call it catchy or memorable on its own but used really well. The editing is very good also, the only issue is it does jump around sometimes Frollo's story and it isn't clear at times whether Esmeralda or Quasimodo is the main character in the first half but it handles the transitions well between there respective stories well. The pacing is perfect as this is a slow burn throughout as the drama unfolds and leads to an amazing final 15 minutes. The special effects work is excellent and the final shot is awesome as well. Everyone should see this once. See more 04/10/2022 Molten Metal! Consider that the lead is played by a master thespian who just a few years earlier had portrayed the haughty and tyrannical Captain William Bligh. That, my friends, is what critics call "Range" with a capital "R!" See more Read all reviews

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

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