The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 Cast: Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
, Patsy Ruth Miller
Patsy Ruth Miller
, Norman Kerry
Norman Kerry
, Ernest Torrence
Ernest Torrence
, Brandon Hurst
Brandon Hurst
The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 Cast: Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
, Patsy Ruth Miller
Patsy Ruth Miller
, Norman Kerry
Norman Kerry
, Ernest Torrence
Ernest Torrence
, Brandon Hurst
Brandon Hurst

DVD (Restored)

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Overview

This second film version of the Victor Hugo novel Notre Dame de Paris (the first was a Theda Bara vehicle, The Dancer of Paris) was a super-duper-spectacular as only Hollywood of the 1920s could make them, but it is never so large that it dwarfs the contribution of its star, Lon Chaney. As the hunchbacked bellringer Quasimodo, Chaney adorned himself with a special device that made his cheeks jut out grotesquely; a contact lens that blanked out one of his eyes; and, most painfully, a huge rubber hump covered with coarse animal fur and weighing anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds. While Quasimodo is but one of many interconnecting characters in the original Hugo novel, he dominates the narrative of this expensive Universal production. Set in the walled city of Paris in the 16th century, the story is set in motion when the evil Jehan (Brandon Hurst), brother of saintly Notre Dame archdeacon Dom Claude (Nigel De Brulier), orders the dog-like Quasimodo to attempt to kidnap gypsy girl Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller). Quasimodo is captured and flogged for his crime, whereupon Esmeralda shows him kindness by offering him water. He reciprocates when Esmeralda, framed on a murder charge by the obsessed Jehan (if he can't have her, no one can), is sentenced to be hanged. Quasimodo grabs a rope and swings down from the towers of Notre Dame, rescues Esmeralda from the gallows, and carries her into the church, shouting "Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" Through a series of convoluted plot twists, Clopin (Ernest Torrence), the king of beggars, leads an army of the Parisian poor to storm the gates of the cathedral and reclaim Esmeralda. Quasimodo defends both the girl and his church by tossing heavy objects and pouring molten lead upon the invaders. This climactic scene was filmed at night, requiring the services of literally every arc light in Hollywood. The Notre Dame set (which wasn't quite as large in real life as it seems on screen) remained standing on the Universal back lot for years after this film was completed, doing background service in the 1925 Lon Chaney starrer The Phantom of the Opera. With Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lon Chaney rose from mere leading player to major star, which led him to even greater success at MGM, where his reputation as "the man of a thousand faces" really got a workout. The story would be remade by in 1939 with Charles Laughton, in 1955 with Anthony Quinn, in 1982 with Anthony Hopkins, and again in 1996 as a sanitized Disney animated musical.

Product Details

Release Date: 06/29/2017
UPC: 0889290242631
Original Release: 1923
Source: Film Detective
Language: English
Time: 2:13:00
Sales rank: 36,409

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Lon Chaney Quasimodo
Patsy Ruth Miller Esmeralda
Norman Kerry Phoebus
Ernest Torrence Clopin
Brandon Hurst Jehan
Kate Lester Madame de Gondelaurier
Tully Marshall Louis XI
Raymond Hatton Gringoire
Eulalie Jensen Marie
Gladys Brockwell Godule
Nigel de Brulier Dom Claude
Harry Van Meter Monsieur Neufchatel
Winifred Bryson Fleur de Lys
Nick De Ruiz Monsieur Le Torteru
Edwin Wallock King's Chamberlain
W. Ray Meyers Charmolou's Assistant
William Parke Sr. Josephus
John Cossar Judge of Court
Harry von Meter Actor
Roy Laidlaw Charmolou
Harry de Vere Actor
Cesare Gravina Actor
Jay Hunt Actor
Gladys Johnston Actor
George MacQuarrie Actor
Jane Sherman Actor
Helen Broneau Uncredited

Technical Credits
Wallace Worsley Director
Carl Laemmle Producer,Producer
Wallace Worsley Sr. Director
Edward Lowe Screenwriter
Percy Poore Sheehan Screenwriter
Irving Thalberg Producer
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