{"id":44513,"date":"2019-09-04T14:54:46","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T21:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44513"},"modified":"2021-01-23T22:55:19","modified_gmt":"2021-01-24T05:55:19","slug":"hunchback-of-notre-dame-the-1939","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44513","title":{"rendered":"Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1939)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m not a man and I&#8217;m not a beast. I&#8217;m as shapeless as a man on the moon!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Poster-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-44516\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Poster-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Poster.jpg 661w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn medieval Paris, a hunch-backed bell-ringer (Charles Laughton) at Notre Dame Cathedral provides sanctuary for a young gypsy woman (Maureen O&#8217;Hara) falsely accused of murder by an insanely jealous chief justice (Cedric Hardwicke) who lusts after her. Will Esmeralda (O&#8217;Hara) be saved by her new husband (Edmond O&#8217;Brien), the King of the Beggars (Thomas Mitchell), or Quasimodo (Laughton) himself?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Laughton Films<\/li>\n<li>Disfigured Faces<\/li>\n<li>Edmond O&#8217;Brien Films<\/li>\n<li>Falsely Accused<\/li>\n<li>Gypsies<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Maureen O&#8217;Hara Films<\/li>\n<li>Misfits<\/li>\n<li>Thomas Mitchell Films<\/li>\n<li>William Dieterle Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;visually impressive telling of Victor Hugo&#8217;s classic, set in 11th-century Paris&#8221;, features an &#8220;excellent cast&#8221; &#8212; including a young Edmond O&#8217;Brien &#8220;looking skinny&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Festival.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Festival.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Festival.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Festival-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Festival-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He notes that director William Dieterle handles &#8220;the crowd scenes (more than 3000 extras were employed) expertly&#8221; and instructed &#8220;cameraman Joseph H. August to use some interesting angles.&#8221; However, he argues that while &#8220;Laughton has received a great deal of praise for his performance&#8221;, he &#8220;doesn&#8217;t really get much opportunity to act&#8221; given that &#8220;what few lines he has are intended to make us (or Esmeralda, or the Parisians in the streets) feel sorry for him&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-65479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Laughton3-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary believes &#8220;the film surely would have worked better if Laughton&#8217;s hunchback didn&#8217;t let his physical appearance completely dominate his every thought and word, because he&#8217;ll get enough pity as it is just from his hideous looks (the make-up people must have used a deformed walrus as Quasimodo&#8217;s model&#8221;). He argues that &#8220;O&#8217;Hara, who is breathtakingly beautiful, comes across better.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m less critical of Laughton&#8217;s performance and make-up than Peary, though I&#8217;ll admit to not being a huge fan of the storyline either in this adaptation or the <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44557\">earlier silent version with Lon Chaney, Sr.<\/a> &#8212; Quasimodo&#8217;s personality and background ultimately seem under-developed (is he mentally challenged, and\/or simply irreparably traumatized?), as does that of Hardwicke&#8217;s character: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-65480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Hunchback-Hardwicke-360x270.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and the damsel-in-distress, Beauty-and-the-Beast narrative hook doesn&#8217;t do much for me. It&#8217;s once again the sets and crowds (along with atmospheric cinematography) that most impress in this film. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Laughton as Quasimodo<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Laughton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Laughton.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Laughton.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Laughton-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Laughton-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Maureen O&#8217;Hara as Esmeralda<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-OHara.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-OHara.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44521\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-OHara.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-OHara-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-OHara-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Van Nest Polglase&#8217;s sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Sets.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44522\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Sets.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Sets-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Sets-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Joseph August&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Cinematography.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Cinematography-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Cinematography-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Perc Westmore&#8217;s make-up<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Makeup.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Makeup.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Makeup.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Makeup-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Hunchback-Makeup-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a look as an Oscar-nominated classic. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0031455\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/hunchback-of-notre-dame-1939.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/2910\/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1940\/01\/01\/archives\/the-screen-in-review-hunchback-of-notre-dame-with-charles-laughton.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2015\/05\/16\/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame-1939\/\">Fantastic Movie Musings Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/hunchb.html\">FilmSite Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/lwzSYAXg6LI\">Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not a man and I&#8217;m not a beast. I&#8217;m as shapeless as a man on the moon!&#8221; Synopsis: In medieval Paris, a hunch-backed bell-ringer (Charles Laughton) at Notre Dame Cathedral provides sanctuary for a young gypsy woman (Maureen O&#8217;Hara) falsely accused of murder by an insanely jealous chief justice (Cedric Hardwicke) who lusts after her. Will Esmeralda (O&#8217;Hara) be saved by her new husband (Edmond O&#8217;Brien), the King of the Beggars (Thomas Mitchell), or Quasimodo (Laughton) himself? Genres, Themes,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44513\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44513"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44513\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65482,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44513\/revisions\/65482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}