Story of movie The Hunchback Of Notre Dame 1956 Film : The Hunchback of Notre Dame (in French Notre-Dame de Paris) is a 1956 French-Italian film version of Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, directed by Jean Delannoy and produced by Raymond Hakim and Robert Hakim. It stars US actor Anthony Quinn and Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida. The film is the first version of the novel to be made in color.
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | |
|---|---|
French theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jean Delannoy |
| Produced by | Raymond Hakim Robert Hakim |
| Written by | Victor Hugo (novel) Jean Aurenche Jacques Prévert Ben Hecht |
| Based on | The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo |
| Starring | Gina Lollobrigida Anthony Quinn Jean Danet Alain Cuny Robert Hirsch |
| Music by | Georges Auric Angelo Francesco Lavagnino |
| Cinematography | Michel Kelber |
| Edited by | Henri Taverna |
| Distributed by | Allied Artists Pictures Corporation |
Release date | November 23, 1956 |
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | Italy/France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | 1 million |
| Box office | $2.25 million (US) |
In the tradition of many sword and sandal spectacles, Quinn and Lollobrigida are the only two actors in the film who actually speak in English; the rest of the cast is made up of French actors who have had their voices dubbed into English.
Anthony Quinn's portrayal of the hunchback Quasimodo is more human and less horrific than most other portrayals. Instead of having a huge hump and a hideously deformed face, he only has a small curve in his spine and a slightly deformed face.
Screenplay
The film is one of the few adaptations to use Victor Hugo's original ending; although Esmeralda is killed by a stray arrow rather than hanged. Esmeralda's last words were: "Life is wonderful" ("C'est beau, la vie"). A voiceover narration tells us at the end that several years afterward, an excavation group finds the skeletons of Quasimodo and Esmeralda intertwined in an embrace.
- Gina Lollobrigida as Esmeralda
- Anthony Quinn as Quasimodo
- Jean Danet as Phoebus de Chateaupers
- Alain Cuny as Claude Frollo
- Robert Hirsch as Pierre Gringoire
- Danielle Dumont as Fleur de Lys
- Philippe Clay as Clopin Trouillefou
- Maurice Sarfati as Jehan Frollo
- Jean Tissier as King Louis XI
- Valentine Tessier as Aloyse de Gondelaurier
- Jacques Hilling as Maitre Charmolue
- Jacques Dufilho as Guillaume Rousseau
- Roger Blin as Mathias Hungadi Spicali
- Marianne Oswald as La Falourdel
- Roland Bailly as The Hangman
- Piéral as The Dwarf
- Camille Guérini as The President
- Damia as The Beggar
- Robert Lombard as Jacques Coppenole
- Albert Rémy as Jupiter
- Hubert de Lapparent as Guillaume de Harancourt
- Boris Vian as Cardinal Charles of Bourbon
- Georges Douking as A Thief
- Paul Bonifas as Master Lecornu
- Madeleine Barbulée as Madame Outarde
- Albert Michel as Night Watchman
- Daniel Emilfork as Andry le Rouge
- Dell Four Color #854 (July 1957)
