The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
A promotional lobby card for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."
Directed by	Wallace Worsley
Produced by	Carl Laemmle Irving Thalberg
Written by	Victor Hugo Edward T. Lowe Jr. Perley Poore Sheehan
Starring	Lon Chaney Patsy Ruth Miller Norman Kerry Nigel de Brulier Brandon Hurst
Music by	Cecil Copping Carl Edouarde Hugo Riesenfeld Heinz Eric Roemheld
Cinematography	Robert Newhard Tony Kornman Virgil Miller Stephen S. Norton Charles J. Stumar
Editing by	Edward Curtiss Maurice Pivar Sydney Singerman
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	2 September 1923
Running time	133 min
Country	United States
Language	Silent film English intertitles
Budget	$1,250,000 (estimated)
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The 1923 film version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, starring Lon Chaney as Quasimodo and Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda, and directed by Wallace Worsley, is one of the more famous adaptations of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film was Universal's "Super Jewel" of 1923 and was their most successful silent film, grossing over three-million dollars. The film is most notable for the grand sets that recall 15th century Paris as well as Lon Chaney's performance and spectacular make-up as the tortured bell-ringer of Notre Dame. The film elevated Chaney, already a well-known character actor, to full star status in Hollywood. It also helped set a standard for many later horror films, including Chaney's The Phantom of the Opera in 1925. Today, the film is in the public domain.

Synopsis

The locale of the story is in the city of Paris ten years before Columbus discovered America, and is a serious, tragic production throughout. The story centers on the life of Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. He is prevailed upon by Jehan, the Archdeacon's evil brother, to kidnap the fair Esmeralda, the ward of the King of the underworld, Clopin. Esmeralda is rescued by dashing Phoebus, and taken under his wing. Quasimodo is sentenced to be lashed in the public square. While he is suffering under the sting of the whip, Esmeralda comes and brings him water. From that time on he is her devoted slave. Jehan and Clopin learn that Captain Phoebus plans to wed Esmeralda, and do all in their power to break up the affair, but fail. Jehan then stabs Phoebus and lays the blame on Esmeralda. She is sentenced to die, but is rescued by Quasimodo and escapes to the Cathedral, where she takes refuge. Clopin, egged on by Jehan, tries to storm the Cathedral while the crafty Jehan uses the time to loot the treasure vaults. Quasimodo, single handed, battles off the invaders with streams of molten lead, but gives his life in saving Esmeralda from Jehan. Phoebus, who was only wounded, comes to the rescue and saves the Church and his sweetheart. As they clasp each other to their hearts, Quasimodo rings their happiness and his own dirge. Shortly after ringing the bell, Quasimodo dies from a stab wound in the back, given to him shortly by Jehan before he threw him of the cathedral.

Make-Up

The memorable make-up was, as was his habit, created entirely by Lon Chaney. He wore a heavy plaster "hump" on his back that prevented him from standing up straight, and pulled his right eyelid down until it was closed, holding it in place with wire. He also stretched the corners of his mouth to make his cheeks bulge, and pinned the skin into place with wires, wearing a set of false teeth to give the impression of Quasimodo having stained, jagged teeth with gaps where some were missing. The fact that Lon Chaney was able to convey a sense of humanity beneath Quasimodo's deformed visage and swing monkey-like across the set of the cathedral with a heavy plaster cast on his back is a tribute to both his acting skills and firm belief that an actor must suffer great pains for their art.

Preservation

Original prints of the film were on cellulose nitrate film stock and were either worn out, decomposed or were destroyed by the studio (mostly the latter). Original prints were on tinted film stock in various colors, including sunshine, amber, rose, lavender and blue. The only surviving prints of the film are 16 mm "show-at-home" prints distributed by Universal in the 1920s and 1930s for home-movie purposes, and no original 35mm negatives or prints survive. Most video editions (including public domain releases) of the film are derived from 16 mm duplicate prints that were distributed by Blackhawk Films in the 1960s and 1970s. A DVD release of a newly restored print of the film was released by Image Entertainment on October 9,2007. The new Image 'Ultimate Edition' DVD of The Hunchback was produced by David Shepard and was remastered in high-definition from an original color-tinted 16mm print and features a new orchestral musical score by Donald Hunsberger and composed by Robert Isreal with an audio commentary by Chaney historian Michael F.Blake and rare bonus features such as rare behind the scenes footage on the making of the film and much more.

Cast

• Lon Chaney as Quasimodo
• Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda
• Norman Kerry as Captain Phoebus
• Brandon Hurst as Jehan Frollo
• Nigel De Brulier as dom Claude
• Ernest Torrence as Clopin Trouillefou
• Raymond Hatton as Pierre Gringoire
• Winifred Bryson as Fleur-de-Lys Gondelaurier
• Gladys Brockwell as Paquette
• Kate Lester as madame Gondelaurier
• Tully Marshall as king Louis XI
• Roy Laidlaw as Jacques Charlomue
• Harry von Meter as Monsieur Neufchatel
• Nick De Ruiz as Monsieur le Torteru
• Eulalie Jensen as Marie
• Ray Myers as Charmolue's assistant
• William Parke as Josephus
• John Cossar as Judge of the Court
• Edwin Wallock as King's Chamberlain

External links

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Internet Movie Database
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Google Video

•  • e The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
Characters	Esmeralda • Esmeralda (Disney) • Claude Frollo • Claude Frollo (Disney) Quasimodo • Captain Phoebus • Clopin Trouillefou • Pierre Gringore
Films	Esmeralda (1905 film) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939 film) Notre Dame de Paris (1956 film) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982 film) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) • The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002 film)
Other Adaptations	La Esmeralda (1844 ballet) • Notre Dame de Paris (1998 musical) • Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (1999 musical)