: Unlike the tragic ending of the novel, the 1939 film offers a slightly more hopeful conclusion. Esmeralda is pardoned and leaves with Gringoire. Quasimodo, safe but alone, looks at the stone gargoyles and asks, "Why was I not made of stone, like thee?" Notable Features of the 1939 Version
: Released as WWII was beginning, the film’s depiction of the persecution of minorities (the Romani) was seen by many as a commentary on the rise of fascism in Europe. subtitle The.Hunchback.of.Notre.Dame.1939.720p....
: The story begins during the boisterous Festival of Fools, where the "ugliest" person in Paris, the deformed Quasimodo , is crowned king. While the crowd mocks him, he remains loyal to his master, the repressed and cold High Justice Claude Frollo . : Unlike the tragic ending of the novel,
: RKO Pictures built a massive replica of Notre Dame and the surrounding "Court of Miracles" on their backlot, which remains one of the most impressive sets in Hollywood history. : The story begins during the boisterous Festival
: Just as Esmeralda is about to be executed in front of the cathedral, Quasimodo swings down on a rope, scoops her up, and carries her into Notre Dame, shouting "Sanctuary!" Under the law of the church, she is safe from the state as long as she remains inside.
: The King's guards and a mob of beggars (seeking to "rescue" her) storm the cathedral. Quasimodo , misunderstanding their intent, defends the church by pouring molten lead from the gargoyles. In the chaos, Frollo attempts to kill Esmeralda , but Quasimodo discovers his master’s true nature and throws him from the cathedral heights to his death.
