Happy 4th of July
Black Cloak held up to the eyes, Classic Evil Acting
The performance in the 1923 version are for the most part are good. There are some delightful moments of hammy 1920’s acting. Like when Jehan walks in with the cape up to his eyes. The only thing hammier would have been if he twisted his mustache and tied Esmeralda to a train track.
Lon Chaney as Quasimodo 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Chaney excels as Quasimodo. His best moments are when he is watching Esmeralda dance and she shun him for his ugliness, Esmeralda giving him water on the pillory, and his death scene.
Patsy Ruth Miller as Esmeralda 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
In her book, Pasty Ruth Miller told a story about how Chaney told her that it wasn’t important for her to live the role but to make the audience feel the emotion the character. So Chaney wasn’t a much a of method actor.
Gringoire (Raymond Hatton) & Phoebus (Norman Kerry) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
What it really comes down to in the 1923 version of Hunchback, is with the exception of Chaney, is that acting is good, not amazing, not terrible, it’s just good. I’m not offended by it but nor I’m particularly moved by it except for a few instances.
Quasimodo dying Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Lon Chaney
Next Time – Costumes
Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame Patsy Ruth Miller 1923
Today Fan-art is by clayangel. It’s an adorable drawing of Gringoire and Djali. I love that Djali and Gringoire got away to together end and had a happy ending unlike anyone else.
True Love by Clayangel
http://clayangel.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d1lg9el
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Miller, O’Hara, Lollobrigida, Down, Disney, Hayek, Segara, Thierry, Enchanted Tales
Loading ...The 1923 version of Hunchback is brimming with glorified extras. So let’s just take a moment to recognize them and their contribution to this movie.
In order of billing in the little booklet that comes with the Ultimate Edition DVD
Madame de Gondelaurier (Kate Lester)
Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Madame de Gondelaurier (Kate Lester) – As Fleur de Lys’ aunt, she is Phoebus’ future aunt-in-law. She throws Phoebus a gala ball for his promotion where Phoebus declares his undying devotion for Esmeralda. But instead of casting Phoebus out she lets him stay and takes care of him when he is wounded and depressed. What a lovely door-mat she is.
Louis XI (Tully Marshall)
Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Louis XI (Tully Marshall) – Unlike the Louis in the 1939 version this Louis is cold and unfeeling. The only thing he does is confers a promotion on Phoebus and remarks on the rabble.
Monsieur Neufchatel (Harry Von Meter )
Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Monsieur Neufchatel (Harry Von Meter Harry L. Van Meter ) – This guy is like the second most important character in Notre Dame. Really the movie should have been called “The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Monsieur Neufchatel.”
Actually he is just Phoebus’ soldier friend. The most memorable this he does is tell Phoebus they have to go back to the barrack, and he gets a billing for that.
(behind the scenes fun- I had to search through the script which is in Philip Riley book
to find this characters because the movie never says his name and the commentary was no help.
Marie; Queen of the Gypsies (Eulalie Jenson) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Marie; Queen of the Gypsies (Eulalie Jenson) – She is Clopin wife and a mother figure to Esmeralda, that is all. She does try to stand up to Clopin in support of Esmeralda’s affections of Phoebus but to no avail.
Fleur de Lys (Winifred Bryson) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Fleur de Lys (Winifred Bryson) – Phoebus’ lovely fiancee who knows he is a ladies man but loves him anyway. Phoebus doesn’t feel much for her but she still takes care of him when he is wounded and depressed. But Phoebus doesn’t care and runs off with Esmeralda. That jerk.
Next Time – Performances
Black Cloak held up to the eyes, Classic Evil Acting
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Frollo is a Ladies’ Man
(based on the wonderful book
- Stalk her
- Insult her in public
- Accuse her of a crime that you committed
- Condemn her to die
- When she is in jail, confess your feeling but remember don’t let her talk
- Proposition her for sex
- Try to force yourself on her
- Give her an ultimatum; The tomb of your Bed
- If all else fails, weep like a child
- But most importantly be Persistent
Follow these 10 easy steps and the women will be your’s or dead, but if you can’t have her no should.
(Behind the scene factoid – The chocolates that Frollo is “holding” are Ghirardelli Valentine’s Chocolate Squares, 
however I changed name of to “Gobbo” which is Italian for Hunchback)
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however I changed name of to “Gobbo” which is Italian for Hunchback)
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
In my Gringoire review, I said that the 1923 version of Hunchback adhere too much to the book that is it is detrimental to the film and while it’s true with Gringoire, it’s even more true with the addition of Sister Gudule. Her being in this movie makes not sense to anything and it doesn’t add anything to the story.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) with young Esmeralda Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
Ok, if you have read the book you would know who Gudule is. She is Esmeralda’s biological mother and is a french women from Rheims. She is in very few versions of Hunchback since she takes some of Esmeralda’s mystery away. However, in the story Gudule is part of the whole dark/tragic destiny theme. In the 1923 version she adds nothing.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) showing the necklace to Esmeralda Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
So what does Sister Gudule do in this movie apart from nothing? Like in the book she is a recluse who lives in a basement. She hates Esmeralda and yells at her through a window. Shortly after she is introduced we’re are given her backstory about how her beloved little daughter was stolen by gypsies and how she prays for her child’s return while her child’s little shoe to comfort her. Unlike in the book, Gudule was a noble and gave Esmeralda a necklace which Esmeralda still wears. So Esmeralda is really a noble this whole time.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The next time we see her she is yelling at Esmeralda while Quasimodo is being whipped and we see Esmeralda is afraid of her. She tells Esmeralda that she should be whip instead of Quasimodo.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The last time we Gudule is when Esmeralda is being taken to be hanged. She runs up to the wagon and grabs her and manages to pull of Esmeralda’s necklace. She then realizes that it is the same necklace and instead of thinking that the gypsies stole off her daughter and gave it to another little girl she just happens to know that Esmeralda is her daughter. She tries to help by walking a few paces but then dies. And that’s it.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
The mere fact that Esmeralda is never made aware of her mother makes Gudule pointless to the story. It’s all build up for a necklace and a scene where a woman dies. More than that Gudule scenes can be edited out so easily. If you look at the Gudule part during the pillory scene, Esmeralda walks in and Gudule yell at her. Esmeralda walks off in a panic but in the very next shot Esmeralda is calm, like whole interaction never occurred. Maybe Gudule yelling made her empathic to Quasimodo but she was empathic already as evident by her saving Gringoire.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
So she does nothing. She just pads out the movies. If the movie had a more tragic tone she might have worked but the movie isn’t tragic. To be fair maybe in 1923 this film was a considered a tragedy which would justify Gudule but it’s also considered a horror so I guess this movie has some genre confusion. Either way Gudule was wasted.
Sister Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback Notre Dame 1923
Next Time; The Others
Fleur de Lys (Winifred Bryson) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923
Richard Armitage
As a possible movie (or mini-series) Frollo I would suggest Richard Armitage for the role. While Armiatge is younger and more attractive than Frollo is meant to be, he has a talent for playing brooding and complex characters.
Richard Armitage as John Thornton from the BBC of North & South
Armitage’s biggest roles have been playing John Thornton in the 2004 BBC version of North & South
Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne from the BBC version of Robin Hood
Armitage is a very versatile actor. I think he pull off the descent into insanity very effectively. I know Armitage could give Frollo the complexity he has in the book but is lacking from other film versions.
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit
As for his looks, yeah Armitage would be a handsomer and younger Frollo but his looks work with the character. He is tall and lean which would enhance Frollo’s austere look. With the right costume and make-up he could be made up to look like the ideal Frollo.
Richard Armitage
Tell me what do you think. Do you like Richard Armitage would make a good Frollo or do someone else is the perfect Frollo?
Bonus – Armitage was also in Captain America as Heinz Kruger and in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace as Naboo Fighter Pilot (he was uncredited)
Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger in Captain America
Richard Armitage as a Naboo Fighter Pilot Star Wars; The Phantom Menace
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Dom Claude in the 1923 version of Hunchback represents the religious aspect of Frollo’s character. He is also the brother of the evil Jehan though they don’t interact much. In fact if it wasn’t for a few text cards you wouldn’t really even know. In the 1939 version the brothers actually had scenes together.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller) & Quaismodo (Lon Chaney)
Basically this guy is a saint. He’s kind and sticks up for the little guys i.e. Quasimodo and Esmeralda. In fact despite Quasimodo being Jehan’s “Slave” Quasimodo spends more screen time with Dom Claude and generally seems to like Claude better.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) with Clopin (Ernest Torrence )
He is also well respected. This is proven by Clopin’s interaction with him where Clopin seem to back down to him.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Basically his ONLY function in this film is to give plot exposition because after it has to go somewhere.
Dom Claude (Nigel de Brulier) 1923 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Next Time; Sister Gudule or “Godule” as she is credited
Gudule (Gladys Brockwell) Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923