The Cathedral of Notre Dame is perhaps one of the most evocative Gothic buildings in Paris, a fact of which Victor Hugo was aware when he wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

This dark tale of love and valour has inspired countless artists, including director Wallace Worsley. In 1923, Worsley shot a silent film version of Hugo’s novel and it was to prove Universal Studio’s most successful silent movie.

Lon Chaney was cast as the tortured bell-ringer Quasimodo, and his costume (weighing over seventy-two pounds) and make-up took over three and a half hours to put on. The film boasts spectacular sets of 15th century Paris, most notably of the cathedral which is indeed the main protagonist of the film.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be screened in the Teatru Manoel Courtyard tomorrow at 8pm as part of the Teatru Manoel and St James Cavalier’s ‘Silents are Golden’ series. The film will be accompanied with live music by Alex Vella Gregory on organ. For more information you can contact the Teatru Manoel booking office by phoning on 2124 6389 or by sending an email to [email protected].