Matthew B
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/
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
08/24/23
Full Review
Seth N
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.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
07/12/23
Full Review
Red T
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.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
07/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
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!"
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The people that say black-&-white movies aren't on the same level as the ones with colour CLEARLY hasn't seen this. Outstanding.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/26/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is shrouded in romance, myth, mystery and intrigue... Throughout the ages, poets and writers have drawn inspiration from her splendor... Generations have found both wonder and terror in the gargoyles that appear menacingly from her thin structures...
Hailed by critics as the most important of French Romantic writers, Victor Hugo invented his own version of the historical novel, combining the local color and historical detail of Honoré de Balzac and the spiritual lecture of George Sand..
The film, set in 15th century medieval period, tells a moving story of a Gypsy girl Esmeralda who comes to Paris to intercede with the King Louis XI (Harry Davenport) for her people... While there, she earns her living as a dancer arising passion in the Chief Justice of Paris, Jean Frollo, a sinister priest, who discovers that she favors Captain Phoebus (Alan Marshal).
Frollo sends the deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral, Quasimodo, to kidnap her... Esmeralda is rescued by the captain of the guard who is later stabbed by Frollo with the blame being thrust on her...
Under torture, she confesses to the crime and is sentenced to be hung... But she is saved by the hunchback who attempts to shelter her in the cathedral...
Much of the rich atmosphere is concretely seen in this version: The persecution of Gypsies; the happy Festival of the Fools; the conclave of thieves and beggars in the Court of Miracles; the punishment of Quasimodo; the Cathedral and its role as the center of medieval Paris... The highest dramatic moment of the film comes when Clopin (Thomas Mitchell) calls upon his half-starved mob to attack the fortified cathedral and rescue Esmeralda...
Charles Laughton is cast as Quasimodo, Hugo's extremely disfigured man... Quasimodo is a monstrous 'King of Fools' with inner beauty, strength and nobility... He is deaf for the sound of the bells he loves... In this distorted body with ugly face, there is lot of humanity, kindness and gratitude...
Sir Cedric Hardwicke plays the privileged arch villain Jean Frollo, who controls medieval France... He is an ambitious priest who resists the force of political change against the church... He is a man with emotion and passion, blinded by a false light, obsessed, confused and tormented by a lustful desire...
Maureen O'Hara plays the enchanting Esmeralda, a young naive Gypsy dancer, innocent and pure...
Edmond O'Brien (in his film debut) plays an impertinent dreamer who arouses laughter and amusement with his adventures in the Court of Miracles...
Harry Davenport plays a fascinated King, happy to live in an age of great beginnings, determined to take his bath twice a year...
William Dieterle's film is a small masterpiece, projecting deep feeling for the human soul, love of the fantastic, the mystical and the grotesque...
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
Full Review
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