Tess Turbo22 recently wrote to ask:
Dear Jim:
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” has always been one of my favorite Disney animated films. But there’s a moment in the movie that I don’t quite get.
What am I talking about? It’s this short sequence right before the film ends. Phoebus has just saved Quasi’s life by catching the hunchback as he was plummeting by a window in the cathedral. As the soldier pulls him to safety, Esmeralda comes rushing in. The three of them share a smile, then Quasimodo takes Esmeralda and Phoebus’ hands. The hunchback then makes a big show of placing his hands on top of and underneath theirs. It almost looks as if Quasi is giving his blessing to the soldier and the gypsy girl.
Don’t get me wrong, Jim. I mean, I understand the emotional effect that the filmmakers were trying to achieve at that moment in the movie. They wanted the audience to believe that Quasimodo’s now okay with the idea of Esmeralda & Phoebus being together. That the hunchback won’t let his own feelings for the gypsy girl get in the way of her chance of happiness with the soldier.
But still, it feels (at least to me, anyway) like there’s something missing here, Jim. Given the way this particular sequence is staged, I can’t help but think that this is the payoff for some other moment in the movie that we didn’t get to see.
Am I right, Jim? Was there originally supposed to be another scene in Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” that set up this whole Quasi-takes-Esmeralda-and-Phoebus’-hands bit? Or am I just reading too much into this moment in the movie.
I figured that – if anyone would know about this – it would be you, Jim. So whaddaya say, oh knower of all things Disney? Is there really a story here?
Actually, there is, Tess. There originally was supposed to have been an earlier moment in Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” that would have set up that Quasi-takes-Esmeralda-and-Phoebus’-hands bit toward the end of the movie. As to the reason that this particular sequence ended up getting cut out of the finished version of the film … well, you can blame the fidget factor.
To explain: Had Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” stuck with the original storyline that screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Tab Murphy, Jonathan Roberts, Bob Tzudiker and Noni White had mapped out, the movie’s “Court of Miracles” sequence would have been much, much longer than it does now.
Just to refresh your memory (for those of you who may have forgotten the storyline of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”): The “Court of Miracles” is this special hideaway that the thieves and the underclass of Paris retreat every night. Judge Claude Frollo has been searching for years for the gypsies’ secret hideout to no avail.
But Quasimodo and Phoebus — thanks to a handy clue that Esmeralda provides them with — are eventually able to find the super secret entrance to the “Court of Miracles.” Unfortunately, as soon as they enter the gypsies’ underground lair, they are captured, gagged and brought before Clopin. He immediately orders them executed.
Nooses are quickly thrown around Phoebus and Quasimodo’s necks. And Clopin is just about to pull the switch that releases the trapdoor on the gallows when Esmeralda appears. She explains that these two are her friends (friends to all the gypsies, actually) which is why they don’t deserve to be hanged.
With that, Clopin turns to the gagged Phoebus and Quasimodo and says “Why didn’t you say so?” He then releases the two intruders …
At least that’s how this sequence now goes in the finished version of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” But — had the animators stuck with the original expanded storyline for this sequence — the hunchback and the soldier wouldn’t have gotten off quite so easy.
To explain: Borrowing a story idea from Hugo’s original novel (where Esmeralda takes pity on the poet Gringoire — who is about to be hanged by Clopin, the King of Thieves, for accidentally discovering the whereabouts of the “Court of Miracles” — and marries him, thereby saving him from the gallows), Clopin was going to insist that the only way that Phoebus would be able to escape death now was if he became a gypsy himself.
Of course, the only way you can become a gypsy is if you are born into this way of life and/or if you marry into it. Which is how Phoebus finds himself plucked from the gallows and plopped in front of the preacher. Who of course, is Clopin.
Now the soldier starts to squawk until he realizes that his bride-to-be is actually Esmeralda. Which somehow makes this punishment much more palatable.
Now you may be wonder why these same rules didn’t apply to Quasimodo. Well, according to the original screenplay of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” just because Quasi had recently been elected “King of Fools,” the gypsies consider him exempt from this particular punishment.
Still, as the newly crowned King of Fools, he is expected to officiate at Phoebus and Esmeralda’s wedding. In particular, Quasimodo must give the final blessing at the end of the service.
Now keep in mind that — at this point in the picture — Quasi is still carrying a huge torch for Esmeralda. And the fact that Clopin and the rest of the gypsies are now insisting that he play such a prominent part in Phoebus and Esmeralda’s wedding is just tearing the hunchback up inside.
Perhaps my favorite moment in this entire sequence comes when Quasi — clearly heartbroken — tries to slip away from the ceremony. As the hunchback attempts to step back into the shadows and flee, Clopin spies him.
CLOPIN: Where are you going?
Taking Quasimodo’s arm, Clopin leads him back to the banquet table.
CLOPIN: Has no one offered you a drink?
Clopin picks up two goblets, one of which he hands to Quasimodo.
CLOPIN: Here.
Clopin then lifts his glass to Phoebus, Esmeralda and the rest of the assembled guests.
CLOPIN: A toast to love.
Phoebus then lifts up a goblet of his own and turns toward Quasimodo.
PHOEBUS: A toast to Quasimodo. Without your help, my friend, I would never have found my one true love.
ESMERALDA: Thank you, Quasimodo.
For just a moment, Quasimodo clearly doesn’t know what to do or say. In his goblet, the hunchback catches a quick glimpse of his own reflection. The curved shape of the glass distorts Quasi’s image, making him look — just for an instant — like a regular guy. A normal man with relatively handsome features.
All sorts of emotions quickly play over Quasi’s face. His heartbreak at losing Esmeralda. His embarrassment of being forced into this extremely awkward position. The sad knowledge that — had he looked anything like his reflection in the goblet did — the homely hunchback might have actually had a shot at winning the fair gypsy’s heart.
Shaking all of this off, Quasimodo suddenly raises his goblet.
QUASIMODO: To love and friendship.
CLOPIN: Spoken like a true gypsy.
With the wedding toast complete, all that must be done now to complete the ceremony is for the King of Fools to give his blessing to the happy couple. Quasi is clearly reluctant to do this. But thanks to Clopin’s constant prodding, the hunchback is just about to take Esmeralda and Phoebus’ hands when Frollo and his troops coming rushing in and interrupt the wedding.
So you see. you WERE right, Tess. That sequence toward the end of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” really was the pay-off for a scene that you never got to see: Esmeralda and Phoebus’ aborted gypsy wedding. By freely taking their hands in that manner and finally giving the soldier and the gypsy girl his blessing, Quasimodo really is indicating that he now thinks that it’s alright for these two to get together.
And that whole gypsy wedding sequence sounds pretty moving, doesn’t it? So why did this particular portion of the “Court of Miracles” sequence of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” make it into the finished film? As I mentioned earlier, the fidget factor played a big part in this decision.
“And what, pray tell, is the fidget factor?” you might ask. To be honest, it’s based a lot on how kids in test audiences react to various sequences in early work-in-progress versions of the movie. If a particular scene or song in a movie really doesn’t hold the attention of the under-5 crowd, it’s usually targeted for tightening — if not outright elimination from the feature.
Some of you make recall that this is what happened to Disney’s “Pocahontas” and its love ballad, “If I Never Knew You.” Arguably one of the more achingly beautiful songs ever written for a Disney feature length animated film, “If I Never Knew You” went over like a lead balloon with the kiddies during “Pocahontas” test screenings. I’ve heard stories about how children were literally racing up and down the aisles right after Mel Gibson and Judy Kuhn began belting Alan Menken and Stephen Schwarz’s truly beautiful tune. Which is why this rather sweet song ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor.
With Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Schwartz and Menken actually wrote two different ballads for the movie’s gypsy wedding sequence: “In a Place of Miracles” and “As Long as There’s a Moon.” With the hope that at least one of them might catch on with test audiences and help prevent this particular sequence in the movie from getting cut.
Alas, it was not meant to be. As nice as “In a Place of Miracles” and “As Long as There’s a Moon” might be (and they’re actually both pretty terrific songs. So much so Alan and Stephen had hoped that one or both of these tunes might become the film’s liftable ballad. That song — like “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin” and/or “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” — that has a life outside of the movie. That tune that finds its way into the Top 40, that helps promote the project to teens and adults), kids in the test audiences really began to fidget as soon as the gypsy wedding sequence got underway. It was only when Frollo and his men entered the “Court of Miracles” that the film finally won back their attention again.
Which ultimately, is why the gypsy wedding section of the “Court of Miracles” sequence of Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” ended up getting cut. Which is why that hand clasping moment between Quasimodo, Phoebus and Esmeralda later on in the film doesn’t pay off nearly as well as it probably should.
Now aren’t you glad that you asked, Tess?