Hitchcoc
Charles Laughton was an interestingly odd looking man. He usually used his physical appearance in roles of villainy. Think of Javert in "Les Miserables" and Bligh in "Mutiny on the Bounty." He was not lacking in intellect which made him much more formidable. Here, he is a man that nature has dealt a terrible blow. Despite being cruelly treated by his master and the general population, he rises above it to do acts of kindness. He is the moral compass of the movie. Esmerelda (Maureen O'Hara) is stunning as she dances and flirts. Quasimodo knows that there is no place in her heart for him, but she shows him kindness which no one else seems to have. So when it comes to having to choose to possibly give his life, he does not hesitate. Frollo (Sir Cedrick Hardwick) is a masterful villain, using the church as his means to do evil in a self serving way. If he can't have the Gypsy girl, then no one shall. The cinematography is stunning and artistic. Laughton's make-up is outstanding. Only Lon Chaney gave up more to play the role.
gavin6942
In 15th century France, a gypsy girl (Maureen O'Hara) is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bell-ringer (Charles Laughton) of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times wrote a mostly negative review of the film, finding it "little more" than "a freak show". Though he acknowledged it was "handsome enough of production and its cast is expert," he called it "almost unrelievedly brutal and without the saving grace of unreality which makes Frankenstein's horrors a little comic." Nugent has his opinion, but time has sided against him. This incarnation of "Hunchback" is now widely considered the best. And although it pains me to say that anyone could beat Lon Chaney, Laughton does a fine enough job... maybe not surpassing Chaney, but at least being a suitable replacement for this version... with sound, everything is a little more epic.
Leofwine_draca
For many viewers, this 1939 version of the classic Victor Hugo novel is the definitive retelling of the story. It's the one that stars an excellent Charles Laughton in the titular role, playing the deformed hunchback antihero who ends up proving his mettle against the corrupt local justice. It's not just Laughton's make-up job which is legendary: his performance is excellent too, really investing the audience in his sympathetic character.THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME tells a fast-paced and engaging tale of life in 15th century Paris. A huge tableau of characters are assembled, some of them lovable, some of them hissably evil. Most notable of all is the recently-deceased Maureen O'Hara who shines as the innocent gypsy girl Esmerelda, drawn into becoming a pawn shared between the forces of good and evil through no fault of her own.This RKO picture boasts exemplary production values and some excellent sets and scenery. Sir Cedric Hardwicke memorably chews the scenery as the black-hearted villain of the piece, but he gives just one of many strong performances here. It's a roller-coaster ride of love, hate, adventure, murder, and madness, all with a tragic heart, a sort of Middle Ages version of THE ELEPHANT MAN if you will.
edwagreen
One of the few pictures where you will see Edmond O'Brien in a handsome dashing lead. Sure, it's 1939 and he is thin and the romantic type.The film shows the absurdity of medieval decision making where the accused is put through tests that have nothing to do with their innocence or guilt.The film depicts cruelty and ignorance among all groups of the period. The elite saw the printing press as a potential danger if the masses got mass produced books and learned how to read.Charles Laughton says nothing for the first 1 1/2 hours of the film. However, his distorted face and contortions say it all. He is a frustrated being who finds kindness after 50 lashes. Maureen O'Hara, as the gypsy girl who came into Paris illegally, provides him with water.This is a film of basic misunderstanding and mistrust by many.Cedric Hardwicke steals the show as the ruthless magistrate hiding a great secret that will send O'Hara to the gallows.Henry Davenport best shows a king, more of a figurehead.The make-up job done on Laughton's Quasimodo was outstanding.
AD
