Although many actors including Lon Chaney, Anthony Quinn and Anthony Hopkins have strapped on the hunch over the years, none have come close to equalling let alone surpassing Charles Laughton's performance as Quasimodo in the 1939 version. Along with impressive sets, moody black and white photography and a powerful Alfred Newman score, this film remains a formidable artistic achievement.
Despite Laughton's makeup delivering plenty of shock value, his character retains sympathy. The audience is denied the comfort of seeing Quasimodo as a creature that could not exist in real life. He is neither a supernatural being nor a creation of a mad scientist. Laughton's Quasimodo is an afflicted but real human being - a kindred spirit of the true-life Elephant Man. Laughton is barely recognisable - those who know his work may recognise him by the mole on his left cheek.
Irish actress Maureen O'Hara in her Hollywood debut plays the other key figure in the story, Esmeralda. She fairly glows in this film, and has an effect on men not unlike the effect Cameron Diaz's character has on them in "Something About Mary". Males of all ages, hunchbacked or otherwise, are attracted to her.
Many scenes stay in the memory. When Quasimodo is caught watching Esmeralda dancing during the Festival of Fools, his head is pushed through a hole on a stage to be evaluated by the crowd. Although great advances have been made in makeup and special effects since 1939, the first sight of Laughton's Quasimodo still has the power to shock.
In the film's most disturbing sequence, Quasimodo is whipped for attempting to abduct Esmeralda on the orders of his guardian. After his tunic is ripped away to expose his hump, he receives 50 lashes in a scene that is still brutal despite 70 intervening years of cinematic excess. The brutality is only relieved when Esmeralda steps forward to give him water.
When Quasimodo attempts to hide his ugliness from Esmeralda in the bell tower of Notre Dame, it illustrates Laughton's ability to project a character through pounds of makeup. He also projected onto his character the way he felt about his own lack of physical attractiveness.
Laughton searched within painful life experiences to inform his roles. He didn't have to look far for pain in this demanding film. Apparently the hours spent applying his makeup put a strain on Laughton's relationship with his makeup artists, and at some point, they humiliated Laughton by pinning him down and squirting soda water in his face. Laughton drew on such experiences to help him plumb the depths of Quasimodo's despair.
In my opinion, through Laughton's inspired performance and superb production values, the 1939 film eclipses all the other versions. Despite many remakes, this remains the definitive film version.
Despite Laughton's makeup delivering plenty of shock value, his character retains sympathy. The audience is denied the comfort of seeing Quasimodo as a creature that could not exist in real life. He is neither a supernatural being nor a creation of a mad scientist. Laughton's Quasimodo is an afflicted but real human being - a kindred spirit of the true-life Elephant Man. Laughton is barely recognisable - those who know his work may recognise him by the mole on his left cheek.
Irish actress Maureen O'Hara in her Hollywood debut plays the other key figure in the story, Esmeralda. She fairly glows in this film, and has an effect on men not unlike the effect Cameron Diaz's character has on them in "Something About Mary". Males of all ages, hunchbacked or otherwise, are attracted to her.
Many scenes stay in the memory. When Quasimodo is caught watching Esmeralda dancing during the Festival of Fools, his head is pushed through a hole on a stage to be evaluated by the crowd. Although great advances have been made in makeup and special effects since 1939, the first sight of Laughton's Quasimodo still has the power to shock.
In the film's most disturbing sequence, Quasimodo is whipped for attempting to abduct Esmeralda on the orders of his guardian. After his tunic is ripped away to expose his hump, he receives 50 lashes in a scene that is still brutal despite 70 intervening years of cinematic excess. The brutality is only relieved when Esmeralda steps forward to give him water.
When Quasimodo attempts to hide his ugliness from Esmeralda in the bell tower of Notre Dame, it illustrates Laughton's ability to project a character through pounds of makeup. He also projected onto his character the way he felt about his own lack of physical attractiveness.
Laughton searched within painful life experiences to inform his roles. He didn't have to look far for pain in this demanding film. Apparently the hours spent applying his makeup put a strain on Laughton's relationship with his makeup artists, and at some point, they humiliated Laughton by pinning him down and squirting soda water in his face. Laughton drew on such experiences to help him plumb the depths of Quasimodo's despair.
In my opinion, through Laughton's inspired performance and superb production values, the 1939 film eclipses all the other versions. Despite many remakes, this remains the definitive film version.