Ahh the letter H or as my dad would say "Hitch" which I think is an Ottawa valley way to say this letter. Head on over to the A to Z Challenge to find new people writing about...anything:)
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME-1939
DIRECTOR:William Dieterle
STARS: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, Edmond O'Brien, Thomas Mitchell
OSCAR NOMS: Best Sound, Best Score(drama or comedy)
OSCAR WINS: Nil
PLOT: During the middle ages a disfigured hunchback saves a beautiful gypsy from being burned at the stake
LOVE: When Ouasimodo saves Esmeralda
TRIVIA: Charles Laughton actually discovered Maureen O'Hara and was mesmerized by her beautiful eyes. The make up was so well done and was kept secret so the studio tried to have no pictures taken of Laughton in make up. If anyone watches Face Off, Michael Westmore who is a mentor on the show(his daughter is the host) and did quite a bit of the make up on the Star Trek series, is the nephew of Perc Westmore...he did the make up for this film.
CEDRIC HARDWICKE-February 19, 1893-August 6, 1964
OCCUPATION: Actor
OSCAR WINS: Nil
OSCAR NOMS: Nil
ANECDOTE: There were quite a few old fashioned British men who worked on films in the 1930's who would often gather for tea and cricket etc... it was elitist to say the least. When Sir Cedric Hardwicke was knighted by King George V, the king uttered "Rise, Sir Cedric Pickwick." Yup King George was hard of hearing.
Birgit, I remember years ago watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame but I have no idea which flick I saw or who was in it. I'm pretty sure it wasn't this one, though. Maureen O'Hara was a beautiful woman in her day. This would be an excellent vintage film to see. Thanks for visiting today's #AprilA2Z Art Sketching Through the Alphabet Letter "H" + #4M post!
ReplyDeleteIt's been done a few times from a great silent version to one with James Cagney. I have not seen the animated version and choose not to
DeleteAh, yes, I saw that movie ages ago. I do remember seeing Perc Westmore on some shows when I was young. I believe he would do makeovers.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteCharles Laughton's portrayal of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is burned into my memory from childhood. It is one of the earliest films I ever watched. The epic scene in which the deformed bellringer drops stones from atop Notre Dame Cathedral and sends molten lead pouring down on soldiers, spewed from the mouths of gargoyles, helped cultivate my lifelong love of horror and the grotesque.
I also remember Cedric Hardwicke from the Hunchback movie and from two horror movies I watched as a kid, The Invisible Man Returns and The Ghost of Frankenstein in which he played Dr. F. Hardwicke also appeared along with your fave and mine, Jimmy Stewart, in the underrated Alfred Hitchcock suspense film Rope which introduced the innovative movie making technique of editing together a few extremely long continuous takes. I studied Rope in my college film course.
Thank you, dear friend BB!
I still have to see Rope and came close many times but still have not seen it. Love that scene you mentioned above
DeleteNo never saw it. I always thought Charles Laughton an excellent actor though. Only version I ever saw was the Disney one.
ReplyDeleteCould sure make a joke or three with such a last name and how the king said it. Only version of Hunchback I've seen is Disney's one.
ReplyDeleteI haven't even seen the Disney one
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT, I haven't seen this movie in ages. Laughton was one hell of a great actor, and I should re-see this one again sometime.
ReplyDelete~ D-FensDogG
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Such a classic movie! It's been many years since I saw it, but I do remember Charles Laughton's remarkable performance. Funny story about King George. I'm sure Sir Cedric was not impressed! ☺
ReplyDeleteI need to revisit the film as well...in response to all above. I will not see the animated version
DeleteWell, at least he didn't call him "Sir Cedric Softwicke."
ReplyDeleteI have not seen that version of Hunchbank, but it looks fascinating.
H - Frederick Haultain and the Province of Buffalo
I love this story and have seen a number of versions. Each time I interpret the story a different way! King George..haha!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Birgit!
I've seen almost all of the movie versions of this story. I refuse to see the Disney version, assuming they changed the ending to be a happy one. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing Edmund O'Brien, later known as a movie tough guy, in this early role as a long-haired poet.
The Westmore family had and has an incredible presence in film and TV make-up credits. Many movies from the '30s and '40s had a Westmore sibling handling the make-up, regardless of which studio produced the film. There was a great documentary about the clan several years ago (on TCM, I believe), hosted by Bo Derek, of all people.
There are many versions but I, too, will not see the animated version. The Westmores are huge now and in history...I didn't realize how much
DeleteThis is a classic that I watched long time back.
ReplyDeleteMaureen O'Hara though.
ReplyDeleteCedrick Pickwick. Heh. Heh.
ReplyDeleteYou've selected my favorite version of the Hunchback. I U-Tube it all the time. The
ReplyDeleteNever saw the movie. I was introduced to the book in French class. (No, we didn't read it in French.)
ReplyDeleteWhat, no stars being horrible to each other today?
ReplyDeleteSir Cedrick Pedwick! hahaha
ReplyDeleteA classic!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this movie, but never seen it or heard of Hardwicke.
ReplyDeleteNice tidbit on Charles introducing Maureen O'Hara to Hollywood. Makes me want to see the film again.
ReplyDeleteGreat anecdotes! I love the one about King George :-)
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir
Thanks everyone....Poor Sir Cedric....at least he wasn't knighted as Sir Rossis Deliver.
ReplyDeleteSeen it a number of times. Amazing performance.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out: It's About Time