The 1923, silent-film adaptation of Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", starring Lon Chaney Sr, was a tough act to follow, but RKO accepted the challenge and gave moviegoers a big-budget, sound remake of Quasimodo's powerful tale, released December 29, 1939.
Directed by William Dieterele, produced by Pandro S. Berman and adapted by Bruno Frank and Sonya Levien, the studio recruited Charles Laughton to portray the famed bellringer. He was teamed with Maureen O'Hara as the gorgeous Gypsy girl, Esmeralda; Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the hypocritical Frollo; Thomas Mitchell as the earthy Clopin; Edmond O'Brien as the poetic Pierre Gringorie; and Alan Marshal as the lustful Captain Phoebus: indeed, a phenomenal match of thespians and characters.
Laughton's look, rendered by make-up artist Perc Westmore, differed from Chaney's. Where the latter lifted his semblance straight from Hugo's novel, Westmore gave Quasimodo's deformities a cherubic quality, but they were no less wracked by woe: the sort of guise that would spark ridicule among the derisive and yet compassion among the warmhearted.
As with Chaney's performance, Laughton injected his with a seamless blend of kindness and anguish: a combination that excels whenever he interacts with O'Hara's gentle Esmeralda. Laughton's inquiry to a cathedral gargoyle of "Why was I not made of stone like thee?" ripples with emotion through his subtle but sorrowful delivery.
The movie also does an excellent job in displaying the hypocrisy and zeal among the "pious" and "downtrodden" of Medieval Paris. These examples not only show the highs and lows of the period, but also those of modern society, whether relegated to '39 or beyond.
Joseph H. August's atmospheric black-and-white photography and Alfred Newman's regal score make this adaptation all the more special, sealing its classic stature.
There's no debate that "The Hunchback of Notre Dame '39" stands as one of the greatest retellings of all time, maintaining its moody splendor eighty years after its release.
Revisit "Hunchback '39" today to recall what old-time, character-driven filmmaking is all about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoHbHMhRXJA.
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