The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
There’s a theory I’ve invented, called “Humphrey Bogart-itis”. Humphrey Bogart-itis dictates that whatever performance you first watch of an actor will mark how you see him or her forever after. Humphrey Bogart, famous for his gangster and detective films, played the nice guy in The African Queen. Since The African Queen was the first Humphrey Bogart movie I ever saw, I always think of him as being nice and sweet.
The first Charles Laughton movie I ever saw was The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Even though Charles famously played such villains as Captain Bligh, Inspector Javert, Captain Kidd, and King Henry VIII, I always think of him as Quasimodo. To me, Charles Laughton is pitiful and lovable, and I always want to reach into the screen and envelop him in a big hug.
Disney patterned their drawing of Quasimodo after Charles Laughton, and when you watch this 1939 version—there have been quite a few remakes—you can see the numerous similarities between it and the cartoon. Cedric Hardwicke plays the cruel, cold Judge Frollo, and a seventeen-year-old Maureen O’Hara plays the wild but loving Esmerelda. Charles Laughton discovered Maureen and helped her get the part, adding an extra sweetness to their scenes together. Just as in the cartoon, there’s a Clopin, played by Thomas Mitchell, and a Phoebus, played by Alan Marshal. The order of scenes is nearly identical, but there’s an added sadness the cartoon understandably chose to cut: Quasimodo is deaf.
If you watch five minutes of Charles Laughton’s performance without bursting into tears, you’ve misplaced your heart. It’s one of those performances, like Robert De Niro in Awakenings, Sean Penn in I Am Sam, and Shirley Booth in Come Back, Little Sheba, that reduces you to a puddle within minutes. In itself, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a heart-wrenching story, but Charles’s incredible performance makes it one of the great classics of the silver screen, and certainly the most famous film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel. As you might expect, since the Academy snubs better performances than it awards, Charles Laughton wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Thankfully, here at Hot Toasty Rag, we righted the wrong and awarded him a well-deserved nomination. You may have already seen the famous “Sanctuary!” scene, and while I’m sure that scene brought tears to your eyes, I highly recommend you watch the full movie to make good use of that box of Kleenex going to waste on your coffee table.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Charles Laughton movies here!
More Maureen O'Hara movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1956's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1996's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1997's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
The first Charles Laughton movie I ever saw was The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Even though Charles famously played such villains as Captain Bligh, Inspector Javert, Captain Kidd, and King Henry VIII, I always think of him as Quasimodo. To me, Charles Laughton is pitiful and lovable, and I always want to reach into the screen and envelop him in a big hug.
Disney patterned their drawing of Quasimodo after Charles Laughton, and when you watch this 1939 version—there have been quite a few remakes—you can see the numerous similarities between it and the cartoon. Cedric Hardwicke plays the cruel, cold Judge Frollo, and a seventeen-year-old Maureen O’Hara plays the wild but loving Esmerelda. Charles Laughton discovered Maureen and helped her get the part, adding an extra sweetness to their scenes together. Just as in the cartoon, there’s a Clopin, played by Thomas Mitchell, and a Phoebus, played by Alan Marshal. The order of scenes is nearly identical, but there’s an added sadness the cartoon understandably chose to cut: Quasimodo is deaf.
If you watch five minutes of Charles Laughton’s performance without bursting into tears, you’ve misplaced your heart. It’s one of those performances, like Robert De Niro in Awakenings, Sean Penn in I Am Sam, and Shirley Booth in Come Back, Little Sheba, that reduces you to a puddle within minutes. In itself, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a heart-wrenching story, but Charles’s incredible performance makes it one of the great classics of the silver screen, and certainly the most famous film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel. As you might expect, since the Academy snubs better performances than it awards, Charles Laughton wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Thankfully, here at Hot Toasty Rag, we righted the wrong and awarded him a well-deserved nomination. You may have already seen the famous “Sanctuary!” scene, and while I’m sure that scene brought tears to your eyes, I highly recommend you watch the full movie to make good use of that box of Kleenex going to waste on your coffee table.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Charles Laughton movies here!
More Maureen O'Hara movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1956's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1996's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1997's The Hunchback of Notre Dame here!
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Director of 1939: William Dieterle
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Laughton
Best Director of 1939: William Dieterle
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Laughton