Review of the Characters of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1977)

Quasimodo is portrayed here by Warren Clarke. He does an adequate job. Clarke doesn't do much to elevate his performance, but it's not bad. His Quasimodo is mostly on point to his literary counterpart, but the filmmakers, or at least the screenwriter, do not make Quasimodo very impactful. His scenes are often overshadowed by other characters when the focus should be on him.

Warren Clarke

The best example of this is during his trial. A scene which, in the book, is meant to show the problems with the justice system. A justice system which allows an auditor, a person whose sole job is to listen, to be a deaf man. Quasimodo, also deaf, is subjected to this Justice.

Here, the focus is moved to, of all people, Jehan Frollo. He uses Quasimodo as an example for how he and his fellow students should be let off the hook for their rambunctiousness. He then goes and pretends to be Quasimodo's lawyer. Then, Claude Frollo enters, greeting Gringoire, but not his brother or adopted son. 

Quasimodo, whose on trial, just blows a raspberry.

His costume is very close to Hugo's description. "Half red, half violet, sewn with silver bells."

Kenneth Haigh

Claude Frollo is probably the most interesting depiction in this version.  

Kenneth Haigh, a man in his forties, looks youthful. He has a full head of  brown hair, sweet sparking eyes, and a brow hardly touched by the horrors of age. 

That is not Frollo.

Frollo is bald, austere, with wrinkles and deep expressive eyes. His aged appearance is the physical manifestation of his internal self. Comptemptous to his fellow man and irrationally fearful of women. A bitter old man. Haigh is none of these things. His appearance is inviting, not threatening. 

Perhaps this was the filmmakers intention, playing with the theme of the deception of looks, but I'm not one to say for certain. Haigh's performance is actually quite good. He's not very menacing, (Though his voice certainly can be) but he doesn't completely fumble with the material. He's quite proficient in getting across Frollo's pathos. 

It's not perfect however. At times, the way he inflicts his voice becomes over the top. Some of his dialogue is very overwritten and his delivery only adds to it. 

"Oh my Lord, is it the world that has gone mad...or is it I?"

Michelle Newell

Good, not great.

Esmeralda, likewise, is also very faithful to the source material.

I don't want to sound mean, but, the actress who plays Esmeralda is a bit homely. Within the logic of the story, a young girl who lives on the street, it makes sense, but I don't know.

I like how she makes a comparison between herself and Quasimodo. It brings to mind this quote from the novel:

"They were two extremes of social and natural wretchedness coming into contact and aiding one another."

Richard Morant

Phoebus is truly a secondary villain here. There's not a hint of ambiguity. From his introduction, where he taunts Quasimodo and hits on Esmeralda, to his marriage celebration which takes place as all around him die, he's ruthless. For what the filmmaker's intentions were, the portrayal is really effective.

Christopher Gable

Physically, this is the most accurate interpretation of Pierre Gringoire. His personality is also mostly on point, tough his dialogue can drag a bit, he's quite funny, and is used to spell out some of the themes. He is given a more fleshed out character arch, and has the last line.
"Yet only I am spared to tell the tell...there is a God in heaven!"

David Rintoul

The real star of this version is David Rintoul  as Jehan Frollo. Almost all of the action is witnessed through his eyes. Quasimodo's trial and flogging, Gringoire's mystery play, as well as almost all of Frollo's personal scenes. He is the mouth piece for a lot of Hugo's ideas. He talks about the fickle nature of "the people" during Quasimodo's torture and the siege of the cathedral. Jehan is no longer just a comic relief, but a major focus character. He is jealous of Quasimodo as he receives more attention than himself by Frollo. He pops in often to acknowledge Frollo's poor parenting and psychological decline.

Jehan seems like a strange character to turn into a focus, but it's a very interesting way to view the story.

The other characters are mostly adequate. Fleur de Lys and Clopin are well done, for all that's worth.

Next: The Sets and Cinematography The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1977)