The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

In 15th century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Sonya Levien (screen play), Bruno Frank (adaptation),

Stars:

Charles Laughton, Cedric Hardwicke, Thomas Mitchell

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Laughton	...	The Hunchback / Quasimodo
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Frollo (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Thomas Mitchell	...	Clopin
Maureen O'Hara	...	Esmeralda
Edmond O'Brien	...	Gringoire
Alan Marshal	...	Phoebus
Walter Hampden	...	Archdeacon
Harry Davenport	...	King Louis XI
Katharine Alexander	...	Madame de Lys
George Zucco	...	Procurator
Fritz Leiber	...	Old Nobleman
Etienne Girardot	...	Doctor
Helene Whitney	...	Fleur de Lys
Minna Gombell	...	Queen of Beggars (as Mina Gombell)
Arthur Hohl	...	Olivier

Storyline

King Louis XI is a wise and old king and Frollo is the Chief Justice. Frollo gazes on the gypsy girl, Esmeralda, in the church during Fool's Day and sends Quasimoto to catch her. Quasimoto, with the girl, is captured by Phoebus, Captain of the Guards, who frees the girl. The courts sentence Quasimoto to be flogged, and the only one who will give him water while he is tied in the square is Esmeralda. Later, at a party of nobles, Esmeralda again meets both Frollo, who is bewitched by her, and Phoebus. When Phoebus is stabbed to death, Esmeralda is accused of the murder, convicted by the court and sentenced to hang. Clopin, King of the Beggars, Gringoire the Husband of Esmeralda, and Quasimoto, the bellringer, all try different ways to save her from the gallows.

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Plot Keywords:

king | bellringer | court | murder | chief justice | 

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Taglines:

IMPACT! POWER! FIRE! PATHOS! DRAMA! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 December 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Victor Hugo's Immortal Classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 117 min (Turner library print) (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Edmond O'Brien'.

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Goofs

In this story set in 15th century France, a character wears glasses kept in place with strings that loop around the ears. That type of eyeglasses was invented in Spain during the reign of Philip II in the 16th century.

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Quotes

Quasimodo, the bell-ringer: I never realize till now how ugly I am, because you're so beautiful... Im not a man not a beast laughs I'm about as shapeless of the man on the moon. I'm deaf you know but you can speak to me by signs
Esmeralda: Why did you save me
Quasimodo, the bell-ringer: you ask me why I saved you oh, I tried to carry you off, and the next day you gave me a drink of water and little pity.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theatre 3000: The Giant Gila Monster (1992)

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Soundtracks

"Ave Maria"
(1572) (uncredited)
Music by Tomás Luis de Victoria
Sung by mixed chorus during opening credits

User Reviews

Heartbreaking Novel

In the end of Fifteenth Century, in the Feast of Fools in Paris, the deformed bell ringer Quasimodo (Charles Laughton) is elected the King of Fools. The gorgeous gypsy Esmeralda (Maureen O'Hara) does not have the necessary permit to stay in Paris and seeks sanctuary in the Notre Dame with the Archbishop of Paris. His brother, the Chief of Justice Frollo (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), has a repressed lust for the gypsy dancer and tries to force Esmeralda to go with him to the tower of the Cathedral. However she flees and Frollo orders Quasimodo to abduct the beautiful youngster.

Quasimodo catches her but she is rescued by Captain Phoebus (Alan Marshal) and feels a crush on him. Quasimodo is arrested and sentenced to be whipped in the square of Notre Dame. When he begs for water, Esmeralda is the only person that gives water to him. Meanwhile Esmeralda helps the poet Gringoire (Edmond O'Brien) that was going to be hanged by the King of the Beggars, accepting to marry Gringoire to save him from the gallows.

Esmeralda flirts with Captain Phoebus in a party and he is stabbed on his back by the jealous Frollo. Esmeralda takes the blame and is sentenced to the gallows. But Quasimodo rescues Esmeralda and brings her to the sanctuary of Notre Dame and expresses his love for the gypsy. Meanwhile a fight of classes between the nobles led by Frollo that want to hang Esmeralda, and the people, led by the beggars, gypsies and poets that want to protect the woman takes place.

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is one of the cruelest romances of the literature and cinema history in a dark age in France. The author of "Les Misérables", Victor Hugo, writes another heartbreaking novel, describing the fight of classes in the French society in the end of the Middle Ages. In this version of this sad tale of injustice, Charles Laughton is awesome with a memorable performance and Maureen O'Hara is very beautiful in the role of the seductive gypsy. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Corcunda de Notre Dame" ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame")