THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

US, 1923, 133 minutes, Black and white.
Lon Chaney, Patsy Ruth Miller.
Directed by Wallace Worsley.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of Lon Chaney’s classics. His makeup and his performance are quite striking. This is quite a well-made silent film, with all the silent film’s limitations. However the captions are better than usual. The film is also quite spectacular, and follows the general line of Victor Hugo’s story. It is very similar to the remake with Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara and Cedric Hardwicke. There was a later version in the fifties with Anthony Quinn and Gina Lollobrigida. Something of the background can be seen in the Chaney biography, The Man of a Thousand Faces, with James Cagney.

1. The impact of this silent film now? Its qualities as a silent film? As a film? In the light of re-makes?

2. The status of the film as a silent classic: silent techniques, fixed camera, pageantry, lighting? The plot and its communication, captions, acting, sets, silent styles?

3. The importance of the presence of Lon Chaney, his compassion from the inside of a tormented character, the importance of make-up? The feel for Quasimodo?

4. How much of the Hugo plot did the film communicate: France in the 15th century, Paris, the two courts, church and state, (rood and evil? The world of the hunchback, the world of Esmeralda, the world of Phoebus? The blending of drama, melodrama, revenge story, war, romance?

5. The themes of romance and of dreams? Esmeralda and her dreams of Phoebus? Phoebus and his dreams? Jehan and his lustful dreams for Esmeralda? How did the film counterpoint these dreams?

6. How well did the film illustrate politics of the time, the atmosphere of war? The way of life of the aristocracy and the courts? The opposite court and its being called a Court of Miracles? The uprising?

7. The background of Beauty and the Beast? The mythology of Beauty charming the Beast and its application to the hunchback?

8 . The impact of Quasimodo? As a character, his spurning the crowd, his disfigurement, his being enclosed on himself, the world of the bells and his tasks in the cathedral? His hostility to the crowds? His being the King of the Fools and people's reaction? Jehan and his use of him, betraying him? The importance of the torture, his response to Esmeralda and her giving him the water? The repercussions of his rescuing Esmeralda? His pouring oil over the besiegers, his defying them and even death? His killing of Jehan? What insight was offered into this unfortunate man?

9. The contrast with Esmeralda and the importance of the sub-plot about her mother, her hostility, the visualizing of the flashbacks and the revelation of the truth, but Esmeralda not knowing it? As a heroine, the romance with Phoebus? Flirting with the aristocracy? Her saving of Gringoire from hanging? Her decisiveness? Her being betrayed, her being rescued, the confrontation in Notre Dame with the hunchback Jehan? Her happiness at the end?

10. Phoebus as an aristocrat, a callous hero, his fiancee, infatuation with Esmeralda, changing because of her? His being stabbed, poisoned in ideas by Jehan, the happy ending after saving Paris?

11. Jehan as a symbol of evil, lust? His appearance and manner? His lies, stabbing Phoebus, his behaviour in the court? His betrayal of Quasimodo and his threatening Esmeralda, his death? The contrast with his brother?

12. Clopin and his bitterness, his placing in the Court of Miracles? His being eager for a revolt? The inevitability of his death?

13. The King and his attitude towards the social situations?

14. The portrayal of the Court of Miracles? The crowds, the transformations of the blind and the cripples etc.? Clopin and his power over these people?

15. How well did the film show social oppression, the place of the King and the aristocracy, the need for change?

16. The character of Gringoire, and his poetry, his role in calling Phoebus to the rescue?

17. How well does a silent film communicate its plot, characters, exploration of values?