Parents' Guide to

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

By M. Faust, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

This classic silent film will appeal to teens.

Movie NR 1923 95 minutes
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

Lukesmom19
Lukesmom19 Adult
November 12, 2019
age 10+

Dark Themes

I'm shocked this movie got a G rating. At the very beginning, a baby is almost downed and the babies mother is killed. A woman is burned at the stake because she is a "witch." Lots of ethnic slurs and stereotypes. Cruel and abusive behavior towards the main character by a "parent" figure. So much yuck for young kids to see in one movie. But Disney plus was sure to warn me about smoking of all things.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Set in medieval Paris, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME centers on Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), who lives in the bell towers of the great cathedral of Notre Dame. Blind in one eye and deaf from years of ringing the great bells, the hunchback prefers living away from people who would abuse him or recoil in horror at his ugliness. His protector is Jehan, a former priest with worldly and political ambitions. Jehan orders Quasimodo to kidnap Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy girl whom he fancies. When caught, the hunchback is publicly whipped. Only Esmeralda comes to his aid, winning Quasimodo's undying devotion. He is able to repay her kindness when Jehan attempts to frame the man she loves on a murder charge.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

As this is a black-and-white silent film, it may not appeal to many children; even those who find Chaney's performance compelling are likely to find other parts of the film creaky and dull. Parents should not make the mistake of bringing it home simply because their children want to see another version of the story told in animated form by Disney.

Known as "The Man of a Thousand Faces," Lon Chaney was one of the most popular movie stars of the silent era. His parents were both deaf-mutes, and his skills at communicating without speaking were never so well seen as in this classic film. Chaney's costume here is equally notable: it included a 72-pound rubber hump that made it impossible for him to stand erect. This production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame shows equal attention to detail: it took a year to build the lavish sets, and the climactic scene in which an army of gypsies storms the Cathedral uses more than 2000 extras.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the difference between how people appear and the way they behave. Have you ever judged someone for how they looked and found out they were different?

Movie Details

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