The Hunchback (1997 film)
This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. (October 2017) |
The Hunchback | |
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Written by | John Fasano |
Directed by | Peter Medak |
Starring |
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Music by | TNT |
Release | March 16, 1997 |
The Hunchback (a.k.a. The Hunchback of Notre Dame) is a 1997
Plot
In 1480 Paris,
Twenty-five years later in 1505, on the day of the Feast of Fools, Quasimodo is named the King of Fools by Clopin, the King of the Roma. A young Romani woman named Esmeralda honors Quasimodo with a dance. Both Frollo and Gringoire, a wandering poet, see her dancing, and both are entranced by her. Frollo stops the dance and scolds Quasimodo for leaving Notre Dame, telling him that if he ever goes outside the cathedral again, Frollo will not help him.
Frollo, after whipping himself for his lustful thoughts towards Esmeralda, pays two guards to kidnap her. They attempt to take her by force, but their plan is thwarted by Gringoire and Quasimodo, who protect her as Quasimodo is apprehended. Gringoire ultimately is nearly hanged by the Roma for trespassing on the Court of Miracles, but Esmeralda says she will marry him in return for rescuing her.
Angered by Quasimodo's disobedience, Frollo allows Quasimodo to be whipped in public for attacking Esmeralda, even though he is innocent. Esmeralda begs
Esmeralda and Gringoire's sham marriage eventually grows into real love. A jealous Frollo disguises himself and reveals to Esmeralda the depths of his feelings to her. Esmeralda reads his palm and sees death. Terrified, she runs away, dropping her knife. Frollo takes the knife and stabs Minister Gauchére with it, believing the man to be a sinner for reading books other than the Bible.
Esmeralda is tried for the murder and found guilty after the metal boot torture. Frollo tells her that he will spare her if she gives herself to him, but she refuses. Quasimodo saves her from being hanged and publicly declares sanctuary. Captain Phoebus and his guards storm the cathedral, but Quasimodo defends it by throwing things at them.
Esmeralda stays in Notre Dame and she and Quasimodo become close friends. He introduces her to the bells of Notre Dame and tells her of his plans to write a 600-page book. Esmeralda confesses that she misses her goat Djali, so Quasimodo goes to the Court of Miracles to retrieve the goat. He gives his book to Gringoire to distribute to the citizens of Paris.
When he returns, Esmeralda is gone. He confronts Frollo who admits that he turned Esmeralda over to the authorities. Frollo, refusing to help clear Esmeralda's name at Quasimodo's insistence, severely whips him. Frollo reveals the truth of Quasimodo's origins and curses him as a freak. He attempts to whip him again, but the hunchback finally stands up for himself.
Esmeralda is about to be hanged once more, but the Gypsies rebel against the higher classes and demand that she be set free. Hanging Frollo over the edge of a balcony on Notre Dame, Quasimodo forces him to confess his crime to the crowd below. Believing he will gain absolution for his sins, Frollo shouts "It was I" leaving King Louis XI surprised. Esmeralda is freed and goes to Notre Dame to thank Quasimodo. However, Frollo, overcome with temptation again, attempts to stab her. Quasimodo intervenes and is stabbed instead. The pair fight, leading to Frollo falling to his death, while Quasimodo narrowly survives by hanging onto the parapet.
Quasimodo tells Esmeralda that the pain is too much. While she attempts to tend his stab wound, he reveals that the biggest wound lies in his heart. Gringoire and Esmeralda ring the bells of Notre Dame in tribute to Quasimodo as he peacefully dies.
Cast
- Mandy Patinkin as Quasimodo
- Richard Harris as Dom Claude Frollo
- Esmeralda
- Gringoire
- Benedick Blythe as Phoebus
- King Louis XI
- Jim Dale as Clopin
- Trevor Baxter as Chief Lawyer
- Vernon Dobtcheff as Father Michel
- Nickolas Grace as Minister Gauchére
- Matthew Sim as Crippled Man
- Cassie Stuart as Colette
- Gabriella Fon as Queen Anne
Production
The filming locations were
"I wanted to play Quasimodo for real," says Patinkin, who won a
Emmy for CBS' "Chicago Hope." But the producers wanted something different. "They had their own Disney needs," he explains. "I just right there at the audition said, 'I can't do this.' "[1]
Reception
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References
- ^ a b King, Susan (16 March 1997). "The Hunchback From Hope". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
External links
- The Hunchback at IMDB
- The Hunchback at Warner Archive
- The New York Times review