Quasimodo d'El Paris (1999)
Directed by Patrick Timsit

Film Review

This racy adaptation of Victor Hugo's famous novel is unlikely to appeal to all tastes but for those that appreciate modern popular French comedy it is a real treat.  The film moves at a frantic pace with some very impressive visual effects, but the best thing of all is the outrageously camp sense of fun which pervades the film.

Without demeaning Patrick Timsit (who also directed the film) and Mélanie Thierry, who are entertaining in their roles as Quasimodo and Esméralda, the star of the film has to be Richard Berry.  His performance as Frollo, the bible-bashing evangelist with sadomasochistic tendencies, is an unforgettable mix of dry comedy and sinister bad guy charm.  It is worth seeing the film for his riveting performance alone.

Some of the violence in the film is, it has to be said, really unnecessary. Also some of the humour just fails to miss its mark and often provokes shock rather than a chuckle.  In particular, jokes about such sensitive topics as rape are in very poor taste and are a bit of a turn off.

A more substantial fault is that so many of the characters appear more as pale stereotypes than believable individuals.  Even Quasimodo himself is underplayed and fails to arouse any of the sympathy that you feel when reading the Victor Hugo novel.

As a serious film, this would be a very shallow effort and a real let down.  Thankfully, it is not a serious film.  It is a film that rejoices in its own unrelenting silliness and in that at least it is masterfully successful.

Film Synopsis

When his son Quasimodo shows signs of physical deformity, an important notable of El Paris places him in the care of the city's archdeacon, Serge Frollo, and adopts a pretty Cuban girl, Esmeralda, in his place.  As Esmeralda grows up to be the most beautiful of women, Quasimodo becomes increasingly ugly, but fortunately no one ever sees him as he is safely hidden away in the cathedral, where he is employed as a bell-ringer.  Frollo is by this time completely insane and regards every woman as a vile instrument of the devil.  With Quasimodo's help, he embarks on a mad scheme to purge the city of this evil.  No one would ever suspect the devout and upright Frollo of being a serial killer, so who then is responsible for the gruesome murders that are plaguing the city?  Quasimodo is the obvious culprit, and the only person to believe in his innocence is the pure-hearted Esmeralda...