Film IntroductionEsmeralda is a silent brief film that was produced in 1915, directed by James Kirkwood and adapted from Victor Hugo's 1831 classic book, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". The lead roles consist of Mary Pickford as Esmeralda and James Kirkwood as Phoebus.
Plot SummaryThe movie begins setting the scene at a gypsy camp outside Paris where Esmeralda, a gypsy maiden, lives. Simultaneously, in Paris, a poet called Pierre Gringoire is carrying out a street play. Esmeralda discovers her method to the city and is mesmerized by Pierre's theatrical efficiency. During this event, Esmeralda's goat, who has a skill for informing fortunes, ends up stealing a nobleman's purse causing Esmeralda to be wrongly implicated and detained.
In jail, Esmeralda meets her mother, who is a gypsy foreteller. Her mom exposes that she had lost a daughter fifteen years ago. However, none of them recognizes this connection at that minute. Esmeralda is launched from jail when Phoebus, a wealthy artistocrat and captain of the King's Archers, is smitten by her beauty and affects her release.
Quasimodo, the disfigured bell-ringer of Notre Dame, likewise develops an infatuation for Esmeralda after he sees her showing him compassion, unlike others who took a look at him with disgust and fear. Esmeralda, though innocent, is aware that her charm typically lands her in issues.
Conflict and ResolutionEsmeralda enters into difficulty again when she rejects the advances of Jehan, the irresponsible brother of the church's archdeacon, Claude Frollo. In a fit of rage, Jehan stabs Phoebus and accuses Esmeralda of this criminal offense. Despite being innocent, she gets sentenced to death.
Throughout this chaos, Quasimodo steps forward to save Esmeralda. He kidnaps her and provides her sanctuary in the cathedral, keeping the mobs who desired her founded guilty at bay. The movie culminates with the revelation of Esmeralda's real identity. The gypsy fortune teller recognizes a locket that Esmeralda wore as a baby, confirming that Esmeralda is her long-lost child. In spite of the societal norms versus gypsies, Esmeralda is accepted as a noblewoman due to her birth mom's honorable family tree.
Critique and ReceptionThe movie, Esmeralda, was a pioneering example of early 20th-century quiet movie theater. Mary Pickford's heartfelt portrayal of Esmeralda was very well received. While the film leaves numerous subplots of Victor Hugo's initial novel untouched, it was well-crafted and offered audiences a light-hearted and romantic analysis of the book. The movie was deemed a considerable success throughout that duration regardless of specific elements appearing simplified to contemporary viewers.
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