Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1982) – Nostalgia Central

This made-for-television movie, filmed at Pinewood Studios in England with American money from Hallmark, presents a mix of Victor Hugo’s classic novel of unrequited love, illicit passion and injustice, and previous movie versions of the story – particularly the famous 1939 version.

In 15th century Paris, a young priest named Claude Frollo finds a horribly deformed child in the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Frollo names the child Quasimodo and raises him in the church.

25 years later, Frollo (Derek Jacobi) is the Archdeacon of Notre Dame and Quasimodo (Anthony Hopkins, hardly recognisable under all the makeup which took four hours to apply each day) – known amongst the citizens of Paris as “the Hunchback” – is the bellringer at the cathedral.

During the Feast of Fools, Quasimodo meets a beautiful gypsy dancer, Esmeralda (Lesley-Anne Down), and falls in love with her.

So too does Quasimodo’s guardian, Dom Claude Frollo, and a poor street poet named Pierre Gringoire (Gerry Sundquist), but Esmeralda is in love with the handsome Captain Phoebus (Robert Powell) of the King’s Guard – a notorious gambler and womaniser.

When Esmeralda is falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death, it is Quasimodo who rescues her from imminent execution, providing sanctuary for her in the cathedral.

Frollo, furious at Esmeralda for her rejection of his attentions, revokes the law of sanctuary and sends for the King’s Guard.

Quasimodo
Anthony Hopkins
Esmeralda
Lesley-Anne Down
Dom Claude Frollo
Derek Jacobi
Pierre Gringoire
Gerry Sundquist
Captain Phoebus
Robert Powell
Clopin Trouillefou
David Suchet
Philippe
Tim Piggot-Smith
Judge
Nigel Hawthorne
Charmolue (Inquisitor)
Sir John Gielgud
Bishop of Paris
Roland Culver

Director
Michael Tuchner (1)
Alan Hume (2)

Video