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The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1939

This American adaptation is remembered as one of the great classics in motion picture history.

With a production cost of $1.800.000, it premiered on December 31, 1939, and was RKO's last movie of the decade. It brought in over $3.000.000 at the time of it's initial release. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Score and Best Sound.

This is my first contact with the works of Victor Hugo - I think I was 10 or 11 years old when I saw it on Swedish TV. Imagine my surprise when I years later read the novel and discovered that Esmeralda and Phoebus doesn't ride happily away towards a bright future with Quasimodo watching over them from the towers of Notre-Dame!

Laughton and make-up artist Pierce Westmore (brought in from Warner Bros.) worked hard on perfecting the look of Quasimodo, implementing a false eye, contact lens, false teeth and even earplugs so that Laughton would be at least partially deaf. No pictures of Laughton in make-up were allowed prior to the release to make sure there was an element of surprise for the audience.

Maureen O'Hara was brought in to the US for the role of Esmeralda and this debut set off her Hollywood career.

William Dieterle was very skilled in directing masses of people and used white gloves to make his hands visible from greater distances. And there is no doubt this adaptation has epic proportions.

Released
1939
RKO

Director
William Dieterle
Screenplay
Sonya Levien

Cast
Charles Laughton
(Quasimodo)
Maureen O'Hara
(Esmeralda)
Sir Cedric Hardwicke
(Frollo)
Alan Marshal
(Phoebus)