The Hunchback of Notre Dame is quite the oddball in Disney’s lineup of animated films. It is based on such a dark and gothic story, and the key subjects that make up the plotline are not those typically found in Disney films. But I think the songs and the score of this film are some of Alan Menken’s best (which is saying a lot because really everything he touches is gold). The lyrics of songs like “Out There” and “God Help the Outcasts” are quite powerful and the score tells such an epic story on its own.
Premiered on: June 19, 1996 at the New Orleans Superdome, Louisiana
Directed by:
Kirk Wise
Gary Trousdale
Produced by: Don Hahn
Based on: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame written by Victor Hugo
Sequels: The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)
Cast:
Tom Hulce – Quasimodo
Demi Moore – Esmeralda (speaking voice)
Heidi Mollenhauer – Esmeralda (singing voice)
Tony Jay – Judge Claude Frollo
Paul Kandel – Clopin
Kevin Kline – Captain Phoebus
Charles Kimbrough – Victor
Jason Alexander – Hugo
Mary Wickes – Laverne
David Ogden Stiers – Archdeacon
Frank Welker – Djali
Mary Kay Bergman – Quasimodo’s Mother
Corey Burton – Guard
Jim Cummings – Guard
Bill Fagerbakke – Guard
Supervising Animators:
James Baxter
Dave Burgess
Russ Edmonds
Will Finn
Tony Fucile
Ron Husband
David Pruiksma
Michael Surrey
Kathy Zielinski
Music by:
Alan Menken
Stephen Schwartz
Songs:
“The Bells of Notre Dame”
“Out There”
“Topsy Turvy”
“God Help the Outcasts”
“Heaven’s Light”
“Hellfire”
“A Guy Like You”
“The Court of Miracles”
“Someday”
Academy Awards: Best Score (nomination)
The Story:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame begins with bells ringing off in the distance as a chorus sings “The Bells of Notre Dame.”
The scene zooms towards Notre Dame and through the city streets of Paris. The people of Paris are waking up and starting their days. Clopin is continuing to sing and some children have gathered around him to hear his tale. He is using puppets to tell the story of the mysterious bell ringer of Notre Dame.
His story takes place in the past as a group of gypsies are getting safe passage into Paris on a boat through the canals one winter night. But it is a trap and they soon are surrounded. Judge Claude Frollo appears on his horse and he wants to purge the world of gypsies. He tells the guards to bring the captives to the Palace of Justice. One lady is holding a bundle that the guards think are stolen goods and they try to take it away from her. She runs away and Frollo chases her on his horse. She runs to the door of Notre Dame and begs for sanctuary. Frollo catches up and pulls the bundle from her. She falls and bashes her head against the steps. Frollo realizes that the bundle is a hideous-looking baby.
Frollo sees a well nearby and goes over to drown the baby. The Archdeacon appears and yells at him to stop. Frollo says that it is an unholy demon and he is going to send the baby back to Hell. The Archdeacon is very upset about the innocent blood that has already been spilt on the steps of Notre Dame. He makes Frollo feel guilty about what he has done and what is he is about to do to the baby. He points to the surrounding statues and says that Frollo cannot hide from the eyes of Notre Dame. Frollo asks what he must do and the Archdeacon tells him to care for the baby as his own. Frollo agrees as long as the baby is locked away in Notre Dame. He suggests the bell tower and gives the baby a cruel name that means half-formed, Quasimodo.
Clopin is still singing the backstory and he shows how Quasimodo grows up and rings the bells with the use of puppets. The title card then appears.
Quasimodo is grown up and looking out over Paris. There is a little bird’s nest in the gargoyles’ mouth next to him. The little bird is too scared to learn how to fly and so Quasimodo encourages him. He thinks that it is a good day to learn how to fly because it is the Festival of Fools. He tells the bird that nobody wants to be cooped up there forever. The little bird takes his encouragement and flies off with a flock that is flying by.
The two gargoyles near him come to life. Hugo is annoyed that he slept with his mouth open again and a bird made a nest there. Victor and Hugo are both excited to watch the Festival of Fools but Quasimodo is feeling depressed about only being able to watch it. He leaves the balcony area and Victor and Hugo wonder why Quasimodo is not more excited and think that he might be sick. Another gargoyle, Laverne, appears and says that if listening to Victor and Hugo for twenty years has not made him sick yet, nothing will. Laverne points out that watching the Festival isn’t the same as experiencing it. He is not made of stone like them. Quasimodo is inside playing with his toy carvings of the city of Paris that he made. The gargoyles find him and Laverne asks Quasimodo if he has thought about going to the festival instead of just watching it. He thinks that he will never fit in but the gargoyles insist that he attends the Festival. Laverne tells Quasimodo that life is not a spectator sport. He thanks them for the encouragement but tells them that they are forgetting on thing, his master Frollo. Frollo has forbidden Quasimodo to ever leave the bell tower and Frollo hates the festival. The gargoyles still encourage him to go because nobody wants to be cooped up there forever.
Quasimodo works up the courage to go to the Festival and starts to get ready when Frollo appears. He asks who Quasimodo is talking to and Quasimodo says his friends. Frollo then knocks on Victor, who has turned back to stone along with the other gargoyles, and asks if stone can talk. Quasimodo admits that they can’t. Frollo then sits down with his basket of lunch and Quasimodo sets out the dishes. Frollo gets a nice goblet and plate whereas Quasimodo’s dishes are very simple. Frollo asks Quasimodo if he would like to review his alphabet and Quasimodo says that he would like that very much. A is for abomination, B is for blasphemy, C is for contrition, D is for damnation, E is for eternal damnation, and F is for festival. Frollo spits out his drink and Quasimodo quickly corrects himself and says forgiveness! Frollo now knows that Quasimodo is thinking of going to the Festival and Quasimodo points out that Frollo goes every year. He says that as a public official, he must go but he does not enjoy a moment of it. They go outside on the balcony.
Quasimodo says that he did not mean to upset Frollo and Frollo then tells him that when his heartless mother abandoned him, anyone else would have drowned Quasimodo. He says this to make Quasimodo feel guilty about asking to go to the Festival as a thanks for taking him in and raising him like a son. Quasimodo feels very sorry and Frollo tells him that Quasimodo does not know what it is like out there in the world. He starts to sing “Out There” and tells Quasimodo that he can only protect him if he stays in the bell tower. Frollo makes sure that Quasimodo knows that he is ugly and a monster. Frollo then leaves and Quasimodo continues to sing “Out There;” he sings about just wanting one day out of the bell tower. The song shows the streets of Paris as Quasimodo runs along the roof of Notre Dame looking down.
Down in the streets, Phoebus is returning to Paris after fighting in a war and is completely lost. He is looking for the Palace of Justice but the guards he is asking for help will not acknowledge him. Esmeralda and her goat Djali are dancing in the streets for money nearby. One mother tells her child to stay away from them because they will steal their money. Phoebus walks by and throws a coin in the hat for them. When he sees Esmeralda, he is smitten.
A child then whistles a warning to Esmeralda and Djali and they try to run away, but they are caught by some guards who ask her where she stole the money from. Esmeralda insists that she earned it but they do not believe her. Esmeralda and Djali fight off the guards and run away. The guards chase after her but Phoebus makes sure his horse is in the way and so the guards run right into Achilles, who then sits on one of the guards. The other guard calls Phoebus a peasant and pulls out his sword on him. Phoebus then pulls out his sword and the guards then know that he is a captain and finally give him the directions to the Palace of Justice. They even escort him there.
Phoebus reports for duty to Frollo in the Palace of Justice. Frollo tells the captain that he has come to Paris in their darkest hour because gypsies are everywhere and are living outside of the normal order. Phoebus is not impressed that he was called away from the wars to stop fortune tellers and palm readers but Frollo thinks that the real war is there. He says that for twenty years he has been taking care of the gypsies one by one. He squishes ants as he does this as a visual aide. He continues by saying that the gypsies continue to thrive and he believes that they have a safe haven somewhere inside the walls of Paris. Frollo flips over a stone and there are hundreds of ants under it. He says that their hideout is called the Court of Miracles. Phoebus asks what they are going to do about it and Frollo slams down the stone and kills all of the ants. Phoebus says that Frollo has made his point and they then head to the Festival of Fools.
Quasimodo sneaks down the outside of Notre Dame towards the Festival. The gargoyles wave from above. The song “Topsy Turvy” is being sung by the peasants at the Festival and is being led by Clopin. Quasimodo gets himself stuck right in the middle of the Festival and he falls into Esmeralda’s tent. He is scared of what she might think of him but she is very nice to him and makes sure he is ok. However, as he leaves she tells him that he has a great mask.
Frollo and Phoebus arrive as the finest girl in France is about to dance. Esmeralda appears on stage through some smoke and she starts to dance.
Then it is time to crown the King of Fools. The person with the ugliest face wins. Esmeralda drags Quasimodo on stage and he ends up winning the contest because he is not wearing a mask. Everyone thinks he is hideous and realizes that he is the mysterious bell ringer of Notre Dame. First everyone gasps but then they start cheering because they had asked for the ugliest face and that is what they got. They crown Quasimodo and parade him around as the King of Fools. Frollo is furious about this.
Everyone is still cheering for him but then the guards start throwing fruit at him. The crowd laughs and Quasimodo is tied down to the revolving stage as everyone throws fruits at him. He calls for Frollo to come help him but Frollo just turns up his nose. Phoebus asks for permission to stop this cruelty but Frollo says that a lesson needs to be learnt here.
Esmeralda gets on stage and everyone stops. She tells Quasimodo not to be afraid and that she is very sorry; it was not supposed to happen like this. Frollo yells at Esmeralda to get down at once and she says that she will once she frees Quasimodo. Frollo forbids it but she frees Quasimodo anyway. She yells at Frollo that he preaches justice but he is cruel to the people who need his help most. Frollo tells her that she will pay for this. But she just tells him that the only fool here is him. Frollo commands Phoebus to arrest her and the guards close in on Esmeralda. She counts that there are ten of them and only one of her. She pretends to cry into a handkerchief but then she disappears with a poof of smoke. Esmeralda calls to the guards from across the courtyard and she leads them on a merry chase. The crowd helps her out until she finally disappears. Frollo tells Phoebus to find her and to find her alive. Frollo goes over to Quasimodo and just glares at him. Quasimodo tells Frollo that he is very sorry and will never disobey him again. He walks back to Notre Dame and the crowd gasps as he walks by.
Phoebus spies Esmeralda disguised as an old man heading into Notre Dame with Djali. He follows her and taps her on the shoulder. Esmeralda throws Phoebus to the ground and takes his sword. He tells her to give him a chance and he apologizes. She asks what he is apologizing for and then Phoebus grabs the sword from her and says for that. Esmeralda grabs a candlestick and fights him with it. Djali joins in and butts Phoebus in the stomach. The captain then puts away his sword and introduces himself. He asks who she is and she asks if this is an interrogation. Phoebus tells her that this is an introduction and that he is not arresting her; he can’t as long as she is in the church. Esmeralda thinks that he is not like other soldiers and tells him her name.
Frollo then bursts in and tells Phoebus to arrest her. Phoebus whispers to Esmeralda to claim sanctuary but she thinks that he has tricked her. Phoebus immediately turns around to Frollo and says that she has claimed sanctuary and that there is nothing he can do. Frollo tells Phoebus to drag her outside and arrest her. The Archdeacon appears and says that Frollo must respect the sanctity of the church.
Frollo angrily leaves but then ducks behind a pillar to wait for the Archdeacon and Phoebus to leave. He grabs Esmeralda from behind and tells her that he is patient and that she will not last long inside those stone walls for long. He then sniffs her hair and she asks what he is doing. Frollo tells Esmeralda that he is imagining a rope around her neck and she breaks free of him. She tells him that she knows what he was imagining and Frollo says that it is typical of a witch to twist the truth to cloud the mind with unholy thoughts. Frollo leaves Notre Dame and tells her that she has chosen a magnificent prison but it is still a prison none the less because as soon as she sets one foot outside, she will be captured. Esmeralda races to the door and sees the guards forming around the church and knows that she and Djali are trapped.
The Archdeacon is nearby and warns her not to make Frollo any angrier than she already has after the Festival. She defends what she did to help Quasimodo. The Archdeacon tells her that she cannot make all the wrong things right and Esmeralda realizes that there is no one out there who is going to help her. The Archdeacon suggests that perhaps there is someone inside Notre Dame who can.
Esmeralda sees all of the people inside praying and she starts to sing “God Help the Outcasts.” Quasimodo hears her singing and sees her from above. She passes the other people who are praying for things like riches and fame. She asks for nothing for herself because she can get by, but she is asking for those less fortunate. Quasimodo makes it down to where Esmeralda is but then he is caught staring at her. The people in the church start to yell at him to get back to the bell tower. Esmeralda calls after Quasimodo to wait because she needs to talk to him. Quasimodo makes it back to the tower and the gargoyles see that he has brought a friend with him. They congratulate Quasimodo that he has the girls chasing after him but not to run away too quickly so that she can catch him.
As Esmeralda catches up, the gargoyles turn back into stone. Quasimodo says that he has chores to do and keeps running from her. Hugo turns alive for a moment to make kissy faces at Djali. Esmeralda keeps following Quasimodo and apologises again for what happened that afternoon. She would never have pulled him up on stage if she knew who he was. She reaches his loft where the model of Paris is and she is very impressed with his work. Esmeralda thinks that if she could make something like that, she would not be dancing in the streets for money. She finds the people that she knows who have been perfectly carved. Djali is less impressed and eats a toy sheep. Esmeralda thinks that Quasimodo is lucky to have all of this room for himself but he is not sure about his life. Then he starts to get very excited when he starts talking about the bells. He introduces the bells to Esmeralda as he has names for them all. He then shows Esmeralda his view of the city from the top balcony. He suggests that she could stay here forever because she has sanctuary. Esmeralda says that may be so but she does not have freedom. Quasimodo tells her that she is not like other gypsies because they are evil and Esmeralda asks who told him that. Quasimodo tells her that Frollo, his master, did. She asks how such a cruel man could have raised him but Quasimodo argues that Frollo is not cruel because his master saved his life when no one else would since he is a monster. Esmeralda is concerned that Frollo would tell Quasimodo that and asks to see his hand. She reads a long life line and that he is shy, but she doesn’t see any monster lines. She then shows him her hand and asks if he sees if she is evil. He says of course not and she points out that maybe Frollo is wrong about her people.
Quasimodo tells Esmeralda that since she has helped him, he is going to help her escape. They are going to climb down the outside of Notre Dame. He tells her to carry Djali and he then he carries them both down Notre Dame. Esmeralda asks Quasimodo to come with her to the Court of Miracles but he will never leave Notre Dame again. So Esmeralda tells him that she will come visit him; she will come after sunset. Quasimodo is nervous about her visiting and starts to make excuses that he needs to do his evening chores after sunset but then she kisses his cheek and he quickly says that whatever works for her.
Esmeralda then gives Quasimodo a woven band on a necklace and tells him that if he ever needs sanctuary, this will show him the way. She tells him a rhyme “When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand.” Guards start to approach and so she must hurry and go. Esmeralda escapes and Quasimodo climbs back up Notre Dame. He meets Phoebus at the top who is looking for Esmeralda. Quasimodo is very angry that he is there and yells that there are no soldiers allowed here because she has sanctuary. Phoebus tells Quasimodo to let Esmeralda know that he meant her no harm and that he did not mean to trap her there as it was the only way to save her life. Quasimodo fights him back with a torch but Phoebus slices it with his sword. Quasimodo tells Phoebus that he will let Esmeralda know what he says if he leaves. As Phoebus is leaving, he tells Quasimodo that Esmeralda is lucky to have a friend like him.
After Phoebus leaves, the gargoyles congratulation Quasimodo for getting rid of the buffoon who had some nerve snooping around trying to steal his girl! But Quasimodo doesn’t think that he is her type because he has the ugliest face in all of Paris. He starts to sing “Heaven’s Light” and sings about couples with their warm and loving light. He carves a toy Esmeralda for his Paris model and thinks that she is an angel. Quasimodo then rings the evening bells.
At the Palace of Justice, Frollo is singing “Hellfire” and he is very angry about his lust for Esmeralda. He thinks that his only solution is to destroy her. There is a knock on the door and a guard informs him that Esmeralda has escaped from Notre Dame. Frollo says that he will find her if he has to burn down all of Paris.
The next morning, Phoebus greets Frollo when he pulls up to the captain of the guards in his carriage. Frollo gives the orders to find Esmeralda. They search and destroy many homes and business in their quest. The guards find many other gypsies and offer them ten pieces of silver for Esmeralda. The gypsies refuse and so they are locked up. Then Frollo ups it to twenty pieces of silver but the gypsies still refuse.
Frollo locks a family in their home and tells Phoebus to burn down the house. But Phoebus says that he was not trained to murder the innocent and Frollo argues that he was trained to follow orders. Phoebus still refuses and dunks the fiery torch in a barrel of water. Frollo sets fire to the house himself and Phoebus breaks in and rescues the family. A guard then hits Phoebus with the hilt of a sword and Frollo says that his punishment will be death, and what a pity that Phoebus threw away such a promising career. Phoebus tells Frollo to consider it his highest honour. Frollo is about to behead Phoebus when Esmeralda, who is disguised in the watching crowd, throws a rock at Frollo’s horse. The horse bucks Frollo off and causes enough of a distraction for Phoebus to escape the guards. He rides away on Frollo’s horse and Frollo tells the guards to shoot him but not to hit the horse. One guard does hit Phoebus with an arrow and the captain falls off and into the river below. The rest of the guards keep shooting at him but Frollo tells them not to waste any more arrows and to let the traitor rot in his watery grave. As they leave, Esmeralda sneaks down to the river and she overhears Frollo’s plan to burn the city to the ground in order to find her. She jumps into the river and pulls Phoebus out.
The next scene shows a zoomed out shot of Paris burning. Frollo and the guards still can’t find Esmeralda and Frollo is trying to figure out how she got out of Notre Dame when there were guards surrounded every door. He then starts to get an idea as the bells of Notre Dame are ringing.
The gargoyles are sadly looking out over Paris and they are worried about Esmeralda. Laverne tells the others not to say anything to further upset Quasimodo because he is so worried already. Quasimodo approaches and Victor just starts blurting out how hopeless it is. But Hugo thinks that Esmeralda will already be three steps ahead of Frollo and well out of harm’s way. And she will be back because she likes Quasimodo. Laverne says that Quasimodo is the cute one but Hugo thinks that he is the cute one. Laverne calls Hugo the fat, stupid one with the big mouth. Then the gargoyles start to sing “A Guy Like You” and sing about how great Quasimodo is and how Esmeralda is in love with him.
After the song, Quasimodo hears Esmeralda call for him. She is in the bell tower and he is so happy that she is alright and that she came back. She says that he has already done so much for him but she needs his help one last time. A friend of hers brings in Phoebus and she tells Quasimodo that Phoebus has been wounded and is a fugitive. She knows that he will be safe there. Quasimodo does help but is disappointed that Esmeralda seems to be falling for Phoebus instead. Esmeralda takes care of the wound and tells Phoebus that he is either the bravest or the craziest solider she has ever seen. Phoebus reminds her that now he is an ex-solider. She says that he is lucky that the arrow did not pierce his heart and he says that he is not so sure it didn’t. They kiss and poor Quasimodo is devastated. In his thoughts, he sings a reprise of “Heaven’s Light” about his hideous face.
Suddenly Djali starts bleating a warning. They see that Frollo is coming and that they must leave quickly. Quasimodo shows Esmeralda and her friend a way out and she asks him to promise that he will not let anything happen to Phoebus.
Frollo is approaching the bell tower and Laverne tells Quasimodo that they must quickly stash the stiff. Quasimodo drags Phoebus and hides him under the city model table. Frollo comes in and Quasimodo tells his master that he was not expecting him. Frollo says that he is never too busy to share a meal with him. He has brought a little treat. Quasimodo quickly grabs some dishes but he is very nervous and klutzy. Frollo asks if something is troubling him and that he thinks he knows that Quasimodo is hiding something. Quasimodo quickly eats the grapes that Frollo brought and tries to look innocent. As Phoebus groans under the table, Quasimodo pretends that is just him choking on a seed. Frollo then asks what is different about the room and Quasimodo assures him it is nothing. But then Frollo picks up the Esmeralda carving and says that Quasimodo did a very good job and that it looks just like her. He now knows that Quasimodo helped her to escape and now all of Paris is burning because of him. Frollo destroys some of the models but Quasimodo is quick to defend Esmeralda and says that she was very kind to him. Frollo thinks that she is not capable of any sort of love. Frollo then eases his anger and says that a poor, misshapen boy like him had no chance under her spell but not to worry because soon they will be rid of her. Frollo burns the Esmeralda model as he says this. He continues to say that he knows where her hideout is and that tomorrow he will attack with a thousand men.
Frollo then leaves and Phoebus gets up and says that they must find the Court of Miracles before Frollo does to warn them. He asks if Quasimodo is coming but the hunchback is too scared to go out again. Phoebus argues that Esmeralda helps Quasimodo and he has a funny way of showing his thanks. Phoebus then leaves to find Esmeralda.
Quasimodo is left behind and argues with the gargoyles that Esmeralda already has her knight in shining armour and it is not him. He thinks that Frollo is right about everything and that he is tired of being something he is not. But then he pulls out the woven band and Laverne hands him his cloak. He thinks he is out of his mind but goes anyway. He scares Phoebus as the captain is escaping but Phoebus is glad that he changed his mind. He asks if Quasimodo knows where to find Esmeralda but all he has is the map. Phoebus thinks that it must be a code of some kind, perhaps in ancient Greek or Arabic. But Quasimodo thinks it is a map and the two argue if it is a map or not. Quasimodo points out that he has lived in the bell tower for twenty years and knows what the city looks like from above. Phoebus reluctantly agrees and says that they will need to work together to find Esmeralda and he offers a truce. Quasimodo agrees.
The map leads them to a graveyard where they find the same symbol as woven in the band. They go down a staircase inside a crypt and find old catacombs. Phoebus jokes that it is the Court of Ankle Deep Sewage. There are skeletons that start to follow them but they don’t know it. Phoebus says that they should have fun into trouble by now, like a guard or a booby trap. The lights go out and Phoebus thinks it is an ambush. The lights are back on and gypsies dressed as skeletons have surrounded them. They capture Phoebus and Quasimodo and Clopin appears as their lead. He asks who they are and the captors say that they are trespassers and spies. The pair try to deny this but are gagged. Clopin tells them that they are very clever to have found their hiding place but they will not live to tell the tale. He starts to sing “The Court of Miracles” and Phoebus and Quasimodo are brought down deeper into the catacombs and into a marketplace. Clopin is going to hang them but Djali goes off to find Esmeralda for help. She comes running to the marketplace and tells Clopin to stop. The captives are not spies but their friends. They untie Phoebus and Quasimodo and Phoebus says that they have come to warn them all. Frollo is coming to attack at dawn with a thousand men.
Esmeralda hugs Phoebus and tells him thanks. Phoebus notices how sad Quasimodo looks and tells her to thank him because it was Quasimodo who figured out where to find the Court of Miracles.
Suddenly Frollo appears with his guards and surrounds them all. He declares that the Court of Miracles is his at last and he thanks Quasimodo for leading him right to it. He is also happy that they have caught Phoebus back from the dead and that there is going to be a bonfire in the square tomorrow and that they are all invited to attend. Quasimodo begs him not to but Frollo tells his guards to being him back to the bell tower and to make sure he stays there.
The next day, Frollo is going to burn Esmeralda at the stake for witchcraft in the square near Notre Dame. All of the gypsies and Phoebus are in cages and the Archdeacon tries to come out of Notre Dame to help them but the guards stop him. Frollo tells Esmeralda that it is not too late and he can save her from the flames if she chooses him. Esmeralda spits in his face. From above, Quasimodo is in chains and the gargoyles to try help him but he will not try to help himself because he thinks that everything is his fault. He thinks that Frollo has already own. He tells the gargoyles to leave him alone and they say that they will. They comment that they are only made of stone but they thought that Quasimodo was made of something stronger. They turn back into stone.
Quasimodo then looks over as Frollo lights the fire and he starts to scream. He breaks the chains and the pillars that they were attached to. He takes a rope and sings down the side of Notre Dame and he saves Esmeralda. He climbs with her to the top of Notre Dame and hoists her high above the crowd and yells “Sanctuary!” He lays her on a bed as Frollo tells the guards to seize the cathedral. Quasimodo leaves Esmeralda and then throws a wooden beam down to the square. It almost hits Frollo and destroys his carriage. The guards are scared to approach Notre Dame but Frollo tells them to break down the door. Phoebus escapes from his cage and yells at the crowd that Frollo has declared war on Notre Dame herself! They will not allow it! He riles up the crowd and they let all of the gypsies free. They race towards the guards to fight back and protect Notre Dame and Esmeralda. Quasimodo and the gargoyles fight back from the inside.
The Guards succeed in breaking open the front door but they are chased off by fiery molten metal that Quasimodo has poured down. Only Frollo makes it into Notre Dame. The Archdeacon tries to stop him but Frollo throws him to the ground.
Quasimodo goes to get Esmeralda to show her how they have won by beating the guards back but she does not move or wake up. He thinks that she might be dead after trying to give her some water but she would not drink. Quasimodo cries over her body.
Frollo appears and Quasimodo yells that he killed her. Frollo tells him that it was his duty, even though it was horrible. He pretends to comfort Quasimodo but is actually going to stab him in the back. Quasimodo sees this in the shadows and fights Frollo back. He is about to stab his master when Frollo begs him to listen. Quasimodo tells Frollo to listen and says that all of his life, he told him that the world was a dark and cruel place but the only thing that makes it that way are people like Frollo.
Esmeralda wakes up and Frollo pulls out his sword to kill them both. They run and he finds them hanging off the side of Notre Dame. He tries to kill them but fails and so he tells Quasimodo that his mother actually did try to save him and finally tells him the truth. He tells him that he should do what he was going to do twenty years ago and kill him. He whips his cape at Quasimodo and tries to knock him down but Quasimodo holds on. He pulls Frollo down and Frollo is then hanging onto a gargoyle for dear life. Esmeralda holds onto Quasimodo and Frollo tries to kill her but in the process, the gargoyle falls along with Frollo.
Quasimodo slips out of Esmeralda’s hands but Phoebus catches him a level below. Quasimodo hugs Phoebus and Esmeralda runs down and hugs Quasimodo. He then grabs both Esmeralda and Phoebus’ hands and makes them hold hands with each other. They kiss.
Phoebus and Esmeralda go outside of Notre Dame’s doors and everyone cheers. Esmeralda then goes back inside and reaches out her hand so Quasimodo can take it. She brings him outside as well to a silent crowd. A little girl goes up to him and reaches to grab his face. She then gives him a hug and brings him down to the people. Clopin yells “three cheers for Quasimodo” and the crowd cheers. A reprise of “The Bells of Notre Dame” plays.
The gargoyles pop some champagne and wave goodbye to Quasimodo as he is hoisted on the people’s shoulders and lead throughout the streets of Paris.
The scene zooms out on Notre Dame and the city of Paris.
The end credits play to the song “Someday.” The credits end with Hugo yelling “Goodnight, Everybody!”
Trivia:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the first feature film to be produced at the new Walt Disney Studios Animation building in Burbank.
There was an animation unit in Paris working on the film and it was actually located quite close to where Victor Hugo lived in the 1800s.
This was Mary Wickes last role. She had not completed her recordings for Laverne when she passed away and actress Jane Withers was brought in to say her last few lines.
Laverne was named for one of the Andrews Sisters who had sang in early Disney films such as Make Mine Music and Melody Time.
Captain Phoebus was the first Disney hero with facial hair, aside from the Beast of course!
Inspiration for the look of the film was taken from both the original novel illustrations done by Luc-Olivier Merson and by Victor Hugo’s own illustrations that he made while writing the story but didn’t publish.
A team took a research trip to Paris during production.
The story takes place in 1482.
The film’s premiere included a parade through the French Quarter of New Orleans.
Belle, Pumbaa, and the Magic Carpet all make cameos in the same scene.
Some of the names that Quasimodo gives to the bells are: Jacqueline, Gabrielle, Guillaume & Big Marie.
The song “Someday” playing during the end credits was sung by All-4-One.
Representation in the Disney Parks:
There is very little representation in the Disney Parks of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. At Disneyland in Fantasyland there is Clopin’s Music Box in the Princess Fantasy Faire.
In Hong Kong Disneyland there is a quick service restaurant called Clopin’s Festival of Foods in Fantasyland.
Check out the other films of Disney’s Renaissance:
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