One version I haven’t discussed very much is the 1977 British made for Tv-movie and that is because I haven’t reviewed it and I don’t really like it very much. However this is the only version that I know of that has TWO weddings. It has of course Gringoire and Esmeralda’s wedding and Fleur de Lys and Phoebus though it seem more like the reception than the actually wedding.
Let’s just with Esmeralda’s and Gringoire wedding.
Michelle Newell as Esmeralda with Christopher Gable as Gringoire
Unlike other version, Esmeralda gets a white veil in this version. I’m not sure why they added this and moreover I can’t tell if it’s cheesy as fuck or cute. I’m going for cheesy. They properly break the jug though the four shards for four years is not there, instead they are stuck together. However they get dancing, which is fun though I’m of the opinion that the Court of Miracles don’t need excuses for drinking and merriment.
Then we come to the wedding night. Esmeralda gives Gringoire some soup. Gringoire then both creepily and awkwardly tries to seduce Esmeralda. She on her part is not having it and puts him is his place quickly without any flowery language. Gringoire seems chill with their sibling-like relationship but he still tries to seduce her, like it’s pathetic.
Hetty Baynes as Fleur de Lys with Richard Morant as Phoebus de Chateaupers dancing at their wedding with corpses
And then we have Fleur de Lys and Phoebus’ wedding thing. This part is like a giant F-You. At the end of the movie, Esmeralda has been hung and Frollo is dead on the cobblestone. As Esmeralda’s body hangs and Frollo’s body litters the ground, Fleur de Lys, who is a delightful bitch this movie, come parading out with Phoebus. And they dance around the bodies as a happy music plays. Why Movie? That is one of the worse endings of any hunchback version. I mean it’s amusing in darkly fuck up way but still.
Oh Fleur de Lys wore white. White for brides came in to fashion in 1840 with Queen Victoria’s wedding. In the Medieval period bride wore Blue as it was the color of purity. So her in white is just cheesy so at least both weddings are consistent in style.
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I do not want to sound mean or rude, but Michelle Newell isn’t right for Esme. I mean, perhaps was just the horrid costumes and makeup, but Esmeralda was supposed to look very, very beautiful and Michelle doesn’t look like someone who will awake desire in every men from Paris. She also doesn’t look very gypsyish, and her dress looks like something a noble from the beggining of Renaissance would wear. Not even her dance is appealing, they could have done a better work, if not for her looks, they should at least make a good or even sensual dance to her to perform.