DramaRomanceHorror

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

- Impact! Power! Fire! Pathos! Drama!

Paris, France, 1482. Frollo, Chief Justice of benevolent King Louis XI, gets infatuated by the beauty of Esmeralda, a young Romani girl. The hunchback Quasimodo, Frollo's protege and bell-ringer of Notre Dame, lives in peace among the bells in the heights of the immense cathedral until he is involved by the twisted magistrate in his malicious plans to free himself from Esmeralda's alleged spell, which he believes to be the devil's work.

Release Date : 1939-12-29

Language :EnglishLatin

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : RKO Radio Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Victor Hugo's Immortal Classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Cast

Character Name : The Hunchback Quasimodo

Original Name : Charles Laughton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frollo

Original Name : Cedric Hardwicke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clopin

Original Name : Thomas Mitchell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Esmeralda

Original Name : Maureen O'Hara

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gringoire

Original Name : Edmond O'Brien

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phoebus

Original Name : Alan Marshal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Archdeacon

Original Name : Walter Hampden

Gender : Male

Character Name : King Louis XI

Original Name : Harry Davenport

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madame de Lys

Original Name : Katharine Alexander

Gender : Female

Character Name : Procurator

Original Name : George Zucco

Gender : Male

Character Name : Old Nobleman

Original Name : Fritz Leiber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Etienne Girardot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fleur de Lys

Original Name : Helene Reynolds

Gender : Female

Character Name : Queen of Beggars

Original Name : Minna Gombell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Olivier

Original Name : Arthur Hohl

Gender : Male

Character Name : Student

Original Name : Curt Bois

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beggar

Original Name : George Tobias

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phillippe

Original Name : Rod La Rocque

Gender : Male

Character Name : Court Clerk

Original Name : Spencer Charters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fleur's Companion #1

Original Name : Kathryn Adams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fleur's Companion #2

Original Name : Diane Hunter

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tailor

Original Name : Sig Arno

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beggar (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Butcher (uncredited)

Original Name : Dewey Robinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Child (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Mazzola

Gender : Male

Character Name : Choirboy (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Copeland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Count Graville (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Millett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Defense Attorney (uncredited)

Original Name : Ferdinand Munier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dubois (uncredited)

Original Name : Barlowe Borland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Esmeralda's Hangman (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Kilian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Festival Ball-Walker (uncredited)

Original Name : James Fawcett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Festival Contortionist (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Spear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Festival Juggler (uncredited)

Original Name : Ward Shattuck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Festival Skeleton Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Ray Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fleur's Servant (uncredited)

Original Name : Lillian Nicholson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grandmother (uncredited)

Original Name : Gisela Werbisek

Gender : Female

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Cording

Gender : Male

Character Name : Helene (uncredited)

Original Name : Angela Mulinos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge at Esmeralda's Trial (uncredited)

Original Name : Lionel Belmore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juggler (uncredited)

Original Name : Earl Clyde

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jupiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Thom Fox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lissy (uncredited)

Original Name : Gretl Dupont

Gender : Female

Character Name : Madeleine (uncredited)

Original Name : Tempe Pigott

Gender : Female

Character Name : Man in Street When Gypsies Arrive (uncredited)

Original Name : Nestor Paiva

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mars (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Dulac

Gender : Male

Character Name : Merchant (uncredited)

Original Name : Vallejo Gantner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mercury (uncredited)

Original Name : Charlie Hall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : George Barrows

Gender : Male

Character Name : Monk (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Godfrey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Moon (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Groag

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nobleman (uncredited)

Original Name : J. C. Fowler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nobleman Signing Petition (uncredited)

Original Name : Cy Kendall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Printer (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Halton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Saturn (uncredited)

Original Name : Norbert Schiller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Singer (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Abdo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Alexander Granach

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Edmund Cobb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph Dunn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier at Festival of Fools (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Bracken

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stilt Walker (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold DeGarro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Street Urchin (uncredited)

Original Name : Louis Zamperini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : John George

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Kenner G. Kemp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ugly Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Rondo Hatton

Gender : Male

Character Name : 'Ugly Man' Contestant #1 (uncredited)

Original Name : Vangie Beilby

Gender : Male

Character Name : 'Ugly Man' Contestant #2 (uncredited)

Original Name : Russ Powell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Venus (uncredited)

Original Name : Louis Adlon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Whipper (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Newlan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wooden-Leg Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Dickinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Workman in Play (uncredited)

Original Name : Joseph P. Mack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Priest (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Drake

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Priest at Cathedral (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Clayton

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Theodore Lorch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Dew

Gender : Male

Character Name : Younger Sister (uncredited)

Original Name : Margaret McWade

Gender : Female

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Perrin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Knight (uncredited)

Original Name : Hector V. Sarno

Gender : Male

Character Name : Older Sister (uncredited)

Original Name : Margaret Seddon

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Incredible film-making, bravo for real classics. What a truly lavish and gorgeous film this is, thematically it pulls the emotions in different directions, and as a story it's as sharp as a tack. Boasting a quite incredible performance from Charles Laughton as the tragic bell ringer Quasimodo (no nomination Academy, are you flipping sure?), and sets that are simply out of this world, this film to me defines classic cinema. Into the mix we get a radiant Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda who lights up the screen in every scene she is in, it's a very special performance in view of it being her first lead US turn. However, really the film's triumph lies with its script, a very aware piece of writing encompassing political goings on and the corruption of the church set around the hunchback's tragic love. The make up of Laughton leaves an indelible image when brought into focus with the great detail of the surroundings, and the score is mightily appropriate. All in all this film cost 2 Million Dollars for RKO Studios, one of their most expensive outlays, but they were rewarded in spades as the film was a monster success and here in the modern day age of cinema the film still stands up as a benchmark for great movie making. 9/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-22

The is a wonderfully evocative version of the timeless Victor Hugo story of love, desire, cruelty and brutality in 1490's Paris. Charles Laughton turns in a tour de force performance as the physically and mentally disabled "Quasimodo" who is feared, loathed and ridiculed by the local population. When a wandering gypsy girl "Esmerelda" (quite possibly Maureen O'Hara's best ever performance) is found guilty of murder he rescues her and gives her sanctuary in the high bell tower of Notre Dame cathedral. Here she is easy prey for the already infatuated "Frollo" - superby depicted by Sir Cedric Hardwicke. What follows is the stuff of great literature adapted with adroit skill and sympathy by Sonya Levein (screenplay) and directed by William Dieterie. The use of light and shadow, Alfred Newman's nimble score and an authentic set (recreated in California) make this by far the best rendering of this story on film.