Catalogue · No. 17
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Wallace Worsley · 1923 · United States · 113 min
Synopsis
In medieval Paris, the isolated bell ringer of Notre Dame becomes entangled in the fate of a young dancer pursued by powerful men driven by desire and intolerance. Amid public spectacle, cruelty, and political unrest, acts of compassion emerge within a society marked by fear and rigid hierarchy.
Critique
This adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame balances monumental spectacle with emotional intimacy, using the architecture of the cathedral as both setting and symbolic force. Lon Chaney delivers a performance of striking physical intensity that helped define screen horror before the classical era. The film softens aspects of Hugo’s pessimism yet preserves a powerful vision of exclusion, pity, and social violence.
Technical sheet
- Director
- Wallace Worsley
- Year
- 1923
- Country
- United States
- Running time
- 113 min
- Genre
- Romance, Drama, Horror
- Written by
- Victor Hugo, Chester L. Roberts, Perley Poore Sheehan, Edward T. Lowe Jr.
- Cinematography
- Robert Newhard
- Cast
- Lon Chaney, Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Kate Lester, Winifred Bryson, Nigel De Brulier
- Production
- Universal Pictures
- Music
- Newly composed original score
Licensing
Screening availability
- Theatrical screenings
- Non-theatrical screenings
- Festivals and cinematheques
- Educational screenings
- Television broadcasting
- Digital platforms and streaming
- Promotional and editorial use
- Licensing of graphic and visual materials
Available formats
- DCP
- DCP with subtitles
- Apple ProRes
- MP4 Screening File
- MP4 Rehearsal Copy for Musicians (silent films)
- Blu-ray
- High-resolution archival masters
Promotional materials
- Posters
- Press stills
- Promotional assets
- Screening support materials
Available subtitles
- English
- Spanish
- French
- Portuguese
- Italian
- German
