The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

Film details

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Year1939
CountryUSA
GenreDrama
TypeMovie
Runtime117m
CastCharles Laughton, Cedric Hardwicke, Thomas Mitchell, Maureen O'Hara, Edmond O'Brien, Alan Marshal, Walter Hampden, Harry Davenport, Katharine Alexander

Review

"The first thing that is noticed right off the bat, at least in relation to the Disney version of the story, is that this film is much more dramatic, serious and dark than Disney's, which makes sense. The nature of the beast that is Quasimodo is much more terrifying and the job the filmmakers do on Charles Laughton is spectacular. The make up and everything else that went into making Laughton look like the hunchback is true movie magic. In addition, Laughton gives a good performance in the role. There isn't a whole lot to do with the character except look a bit forlorn and misunderstood, but when given the chance he does a good job." - Adam Kuhn, Corndog Chats

Ranking history

The 1,000 Greatest Horror Films

EDITIONS IN TOP 1,00011
HIGHEST#2142018
LOWEST#6202016
Top 1,000Outside Top 1,000Missing ranking data

Dashed lines indicate missing ranking data. Select a point to view that year's published list. The 1,000 Greatest Horror Films list was not updated in 2022.

Lists featuring this film 28 lists

AMC Filmsite's Greatest Horror FilmsUnranked—
Antti Alanen and Asko Alanen's Musta Peili - horror film filmography1985Unranked—
BFI's 10 great horror films of the 1930s2018Unranked—
BFI's A great horror film from every year, from 1922 to now2022Unranked—
BFI's Gothic - The Dark Heart of Film2013Unranked—
Bryan Senn's A Year of Fear - A Day-by-day Guide to 366 Horror Films2007Unranked—
Collider's Jeremy Urquhart's The 35 Best Gothic Horror Movies of All Time2025Ranked#13
Darkweb Online's Top 100 Horror Movies of All Time2002Ranked#31
Darrell Moore's The Best, Worst, And Most Unusual Horror Films1983Unranked—
Dr-Faustus' GREATEST HORROR MOVIES OF ALL TIME2018Unranked—
Fluxkompensator's Stefan_F's Die besten Horrorfilme der 30er Jahre [Best Horror Films of the 30s]2019Ranked#10
Gary Gerani's Top 100 Horror Movies2010Ranked#45
Gregory William Mank's Top 10 Horror Movies of the 1930s1996Ranked#10
Horror.com's Vintage 1012007Unranked—
John Brunas's Top 10 Horror Movies of the 1930s1996Ranked#10
Letterboxd's Top 250 Horror Films2025Ranked#135
Letterboxd's Top 250 Horror Films2025Ranked#134
Michael Brunas's Top 10 Horror Movies of the 1930s1996Ranked#6
Mike Mayo's VideoHound's Horror Show - 999 Hair-Raising, Hellish, and Humorous Movies1998Unranked—
Monster Mania's The 15 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1930s2011Ranked#12
Paste's Jim Vorel's A Century of Terror - The 100 Best Horror Movies of the Last 100 Years - Honorable mentions2019Unranked—
Paul M. Jensen's Top 10 Horror Movies of the 1930s1996Ranked#8
Paul Wells' The Horror Genre - From Beelzebub to Blair Witch (Short Cuts)2000Unranked—
Ramsey Campbell's Stevie's Top 100 Horror Movies2013Ranked#85
Taschen's Jonathan Penner and Paul Duncan's Horror Cinema Top 50 Horror Movies2017Unranked—
Ted A. Bohus' Top 10 Horror Movies of the 1930s1996Ranked#6
The Astounding B Monster - George E. Turner's horror top ten2014Ranked#6
The Orlok's Top 5 of 19392015Ranked#3