The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1923

1h 53m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

121

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Romance

Drama

Horror

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.

Directors

Wallace Worsley

Writers

Victor Hugo(novel by)

Chester L. Roberts(writer by)

Perley Poore Sheehan(adaptation by)

Stars

Lon Chaney

Patsy Ruth Miller

Norman Kerry

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Top cast

Lon Chaney

Quasimodo

Patsy Ruth Miller

Esmeralda

Norman Kerry

Phoebus de Chateaupers

Kate Lester

Madame de Condelaurier

Fleur de Lys

Don Claudio

Jehan

Clopin

El Rey Luis XI

Mons. Neufchatel

Gringoire

Mons. Le Torteru

Marie

Charmolu

Charmolu's Assistant

Josephus

Sister Gudule

Judge of the Court

Directors

Wallace Worsley

Writers

Victor Hugo(novel by)

Chester L. Roberts(writer by)

Perley Poore Sheehan(adaptation by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

I reckon that this has to be the saddest of all love stories ever written - in any language! Although top billing goes to the pathetically grotesque Lon Chaney as the bell-ringer "Quasimodo", I think the plaudits must go to Patsy Ruth Miller as the persecuted gypsy "Esmerelda" in this 1923 adaptation of Victor Hugo's story. The score is hauntingly effective as both battle prejudice, jealousy and enmity from high and low society; with plots for revolution against the rather despotic rule of Louis XI never far from the theme. Chaney's make up is not great, even by the standards of the day, and it would not look out of place in a "Tarzan" film, but that matters little to the wonderfully evocative efforts from director Wallace Worsley to enshrine this classical story of lust, power and sadness to film, with a narrative that emphasises more of the emotional aspects of the story than many of it's successors. Particularly effective is the use of light and staging (partly Parisian, partly Californian) too. 2¼ hours may look long, but this positively flies by - rarely, if ever, making you want it to hurry up. Great stuff.

Geronimo196706 Jun, 2022