Gringoire of the 1977 version of Hunchback

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Christopher Gable as Gringoire The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1977 picture image

Christopher Gable as Gringoire

In many ways this version of Gringoire is on point with the book. He does pretty all the action in does in the book with the same attitude. He has a high opinion of himself with regards to his work, he does want Esmeralda but backs off when he rebukes with awkward attempt at seduction,  he cowardice about dying for Esmeralda, he doesn’t want to die in her place. Although he didn’t steal Djali, would have been easy for him to do but he doesn’t. In fact he pretty damn callous in that scene since Esmeralda is begging not to leave and he like “laters.”

Christopher Gable as Gringoire The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1977 picture image

Christopher Gable as Gringoire

In fact this Gringoire is very callous at the end of the movie. After Gringoire makes off with Djali we don’t hear from him again but we hear that he went on to write tragedies, so happy ending for him.  This version seeks to give the viewer closure on Gringoire, so after Frollo and Esmeralda die, Gringoire looks around at their bodies in the square and he  says  “And only I spared to tell the tale” then he smiles. At first before he says that line he does seem a little sad but the smiles after the line is said. It gives some credence to the story but it makes Gringoire look unlikable in this version. It does beg the question, was Gringoire unlikable in the book?

Christopher Gable as Gringoire The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1977 picture image

Christopher Gable as Gringoire

I’d say no. He was fairly relatable. He didn’t want Esmeralda to die but he didn’t want to die either plus he had no idea what Frollo’s motivation were regarding Esmeralda.  But it’s amazing how that one line that the movie adds in to give Gringoire an ending made him look like such a jerk. It’s not even the line itself it that smile and the fact that right after said smile he says “there is a god in heaven.” Such a massive jerk-face.

Is there anything good about this version? And don’t say adherence to the book, many Hunchback versions adhere to the plot so they don’t have to add anything else to make it good for a visual medium.  

The Weddings of the 1977 version

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One version I haven’t discussed very much is the 1977 British made for Tv-movie and that is because I haven’t reviewed it and I don’t really like it very much. However this is the only version that I know of that has TWO weddings. It has of course Gringoire and Esmeralda’s wedding and Fleur de Lys and Phoebus though it seem more like the reception than the actually wedding.

Let’s just with Esmeralda’s and Gringoire wedding.

Michelle Newell as Esmeralda with Christopher Gable as Gringoire 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Michelle Newell as Esmeralda with Christopher Gable as Gringoire

Unlike other version, Esmeralda gets a white veil in this version. I’m not sure why they added this and moreover I can’t tell if it’s cheesy as fuck or cute. I’m going for cheesy. They properly break the jug though the four shards for four years is not there, instead they are stuck together. However they get dancing, which is fun though I’m of the opinion that the Court of Miracles don’t need excuses for drinking and merriment.

Then we come to the wedding night. Esmeralda gives Gringoire some soup. Gringoire then both creepily and awkwardly tries to seduce Esmeralda. She on her part is not having it and puts him is his place quickly without any flowery language. Gringoire seems chill with their sibling-like relationship but he still tries to seduce her, like it’s pathetic.

Hetty Baynes as Fleur de Lys with Richard Morant as Phoebus de Chateaupers dancing at their wedding with corpses 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Hetty Baynes as Fleur de Lys with Richard Morant as Phoebus de Chateaupers dancing at their wedding with corpses

And then we have Fleur de Lys and Phoebus’ wedding thing. This part is like a giant F-You. At the end of the movie, Esmeralda has been hung and Frollo is dead on the cobblestone. As Esmeralda’s body hangs and Frollo’s body litters the ground, Fleur de Lys, who is a delightful bitch this movie, come parading out with Phoebus. And they dance around the bodies as a happy music plays. Why Movie? That is one of the worse endings of any hunchback version. I mean it’s amusing in darkly fuck up way but still.

Oh Fleur de Lys wore white. White for brides came in to fashion in 1840 with Queen Victoria’s wedding. In the Medieval period bride wore Blue as it was the color of purity. So her in white is just cheesy so at least both weddings are consistent in style.

Novel Conclusion

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We finished reading/blogging about the Novel of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I hoped you guys found it enjoyable, sorry it took so long, so many chapters.

I can’t tell you how many times I have read this, at least four all the way through. Reading this time I found some flaws with the book. Like it’s very slow to start and Hugo bogs down the narrative with a lot of names of people that don’t matter in the scheme of things. Is this bad? No, not really, it’s a style but once you get through Hugo’s essays and long descriptions of Paris and the plot finally gets going the book is great.

Notre Dame de Paris Belle Esmeralda Helen Segara, Garou Quaismodo, Frollo Daniel Lavoie Phoebus Patrick fiori picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Belle with Garou, Daniel Lavoie, Patrick Fiori and Helene Segara

I love how in some parts the book are a bit silly and how other parts are so tragic, so many emotions and for the most part the movie get the emotional resonants of book but they really do just focus on Quasimodo’s emotions and not Frollo.

I think it’s understandable why, at the end Quasimodo is just more likable and understandably tragic. I just wish Frollo got as much time with his core emotional scenes as Quasimodo gets. To do that some actor would need to spear-head that vanity-project with himself as Frollo and not Quasimodo.

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo and Christopher Gable as Gringoire 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo and Christopher Gable as Gringoire

 

I think what a lot of version miss is the madness of the time, that is why Frollo original lie about sanctuary being dispelled is so important. It started off small and then exploded leading to the death a of great many people including most of the main characters. Films should try to work it in better instead not at all. The book isn’t so long that a film couldn’t add it but a mini-series would be better, like by the BBC, they do good work.

All in all the Hunchback of Notre Dame is a great book to read  even if you just skim parts and/or skip the essays and a bird-eye view of Paris. It really paints a great picture of the late medieval period and has a great range of emotions.

Project Re-Read Book 10, Chapters 1-4

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Book 10, Chapter 1, Gringoire has Several Capital Ideas

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo and Christopher Gable as Gringoire 1977 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Kenneth Haigh as Frollo and Christopher Gable as Gringoire

This chapter is a pun, because Gringoire now like architecture and capitals are the tops of columns but it also means good. In this chapter Frollo and Gringoire talk about saving Esmeralda from the suspension sanctuary which is a lie tah Frollo told Gringoire to get her out of Notre dame in his mercy.

 

Frollo comes up with the idea that Gringoire should take her place and if he gets hang who really cares, Gringoire does though. Gringoire then comes up with the attack idea and seeking Esmeralda out. Frollo approves.
Lot of versions don’t features Frollo’s lie, sanctuary gets suspended and the Court of Miracle sometime rise up and fight. I think the fact that a lie get blown so out proportion that ends with deaths of so many is more impactful. The only version to have the Frollo lie, that I have seen is the 1977 version. In fact in that version Frollo propose the idea that Esmeralda is pregnant which in the book was Gringoire and made Frollo either nagry or delighted, it so hard tell with him

Book 10, Chapter 2, Turn Vagabond!

Illustration of Jehan Frollo picture image

Illustration of Jehan Frollo

In this chapter Jehan turns vagabond. That’s it. He comes looking for money and threaten to turn vagabond Frollo tell him to do it and he does but Frollo still give him money.

You know it just dawned on me, the book calls him Dom Claude more than Frollo. I guess that is a trait of the disney movie.

I don’t think any movies have this scene, the 1956 might but I can’t recall. Jehan says he will steal want he needs but taht is like at the strart of the movie so I don’t know if really counts. This chapter basically gets Jehan in to the fray.

 

Book 10, Chapter 3, Joy Forever!

Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Maurice Sarfati as Jehan, 1956 Hunchback of Notre dame

The Court of Miracles is on broad with Project Save Esmeralda and Wreck Notre Dame. Jehan also likes vagrant a.k.a vagabond I guess considering the last chapter. Seriously he took to it in like an hour.

Also yes i was right, the Duke of Egypt is a separate character, his given name is Mathias Hungadi Spicali. He is merged with Clopin so many times that if wasn’t for one illustration I would forget. Though he is in the 1956 version and addressed by name.

Sometimes you see this chapter in movies and sometime you don’t. I suppose I could say that about any chapter really.

 

Book 10, Chapter 4, An Awkward Friend

Molten Lead pours from Notre Dame 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Molten Lead pours from Notre Dame 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame

ATTACK!!! The Court of Miracles attack Notre Dame to save Esmeralda and loot it because they consider it to no longer be sacred and Notre Dame is only protected by its sanctity. This is really just the first part of the attack. Quasimodo defend against what he thinks is a threat when really he and the Court of Miracles want the same thing. Jehan also dies in this chapter by Quasimodo. In the end Quasimodo prays for a miracles as there is just too many for him.

I’m hard press to think of a Hunchback version that didn’t have the attack on Notre Dame. Well, the Enchanted Tales version didn’t, they has a not-so-epic run up Notre Dame stairs. In Secret of the Hunchback they fight in church.

Sometimes the Court of Miracles attacks and sometimes they don’t but mostly this chapter is done well. It’s curious though, the movie would have you think that the molten lead was the finishing move but it wasn’t.