| Claude Frollo | |
|---|---|
| Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame character | |
 | |
| First appearance | The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) |
| Created by | Victor Hugo |
| Adapted by | Tab Murphy |
| Voiced by | Tony Jay (1996–2006) Corey Burton (Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance) |
| Portrayed by | Norbert Lamla (1999 musical) Patrick Page (2014 musical) |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Judge Minister of Justice |
| Family | Jehan Frollo (younger brother;2014 musical) |
| Children | Quasimodo (adoptive son) Claudine Frollo (daughter;Descendants) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Nationality | French |
Judge Claude Frollo is a fictional character inDisney's 34th animated film,The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). He was based on ArchdeaconClaude Frollo fromVictor Hugo's1831 novel.
Frollo is portrayed in the Disney film as the ruthless, fanatically religious French Minister of Justice. He views the world and everyone in it (except for himself) as corrupt and sinful, and reserves particular hatred for Paris'Romani population, whom he longs to exterminate. Like his original character in Hugo's novel, Frollo adoptsQuasimodo as his son and lusts after the Romani girlEsmeralda to the point of obsession and resolves that she will belong to him or he will execute her. Frollo believes everything he does is according to God's will, despite his hypocrisy in lusting after Esmeralda and treating her people and Quasimodo with cruelty.[1]
DirectorGary Trousdale described the film's Frollo as "a horrible, horrible person", whileTony Jay, who voiced him, compared him toHannibal Lecter inThe Silence of the Lambs.[1]
In the film, Frollo and his soldiers capture a group ofRomani people attempting to immigrate to Paris on a boat. A Roma woman in the group attempts to flee with her deformed baby, but Frollo kills her outsideNotre Dame Cathedral, when she soughtsanctuary to escape from him. Aghast at the baby's deformity, Frollo tries to kill the child by throwing him into a nearby well to drown, but the cathedral'sArchdeacon intervenes and accuses Frollo of murdering an innocent woman in front of the cathedral. Fearingdivine retribution, Frollo reluctantly agrees to raise the deformed child in Notre Dame as his son, to atone for his sin and in the hope that the hunchback will someday be "useful" to him. He mockingly names the child "Quasimodo" (meaning "half-formed"), and teaches him that the world outside the cathedral is a sinful place full of people who would hate and shun him for his deformity, even lying that his mother had tried to drown him and that Frollo saved him from this fate.
Twenty years later, in thePalace of Justice, Frollo appoints a newCaptain of the Guard,Phoebus, stating his intent to eradicate the city's Romani population by discovering their sanctuary, the "Court of Miracles". While attending the annualFestival of Fools, Frollo discovers a Romani dancer, Esmeralda, who attracts and disgusts him with her beauty; she dances in front of him and kisses him on the nose. He finds that Quasimodo has left the bell tower and joined the Festival. Even after being crowned King of the Fools for his deformity, Quasimodo is humiliated by the crowd after Frollo's guards start a riot. To teach him a lesson for disobeying him, Frollo refuses to help him, going so far as to refuse Phoebus' request to stop the cruelty, until Esmeralda defiantly frees Quasimodo. Phoebus refuses to arrest her forwitchcraft inside Notre Dame and instead tells Frollo that she has claimed sanctuary inside the cathedral; the Archdeacon orders Frollo and his men out, reminding him of his promise of never again assaulting the cathedral. Frollo lusts after Esmeralda, sniffing her hair and calling her beautiful.
In the fireplace chamber of the Palace of Justice, Frollo, throughsong, begs theVirgin Mary to save him from her "spell"; he then resolves that she will be his, or she will die, asking God to have mercy on both of them. When Frollo learns that Esmeralda has escaped Notre Dame, he instigates a citywide manhunt for her, capturing and bribing Romani and burning countless houses in his way. Phoebus is appalled by Frollo's actions and openly defies him, and Frollo orders him executed as punishment for his insubordination. While fleeing, Phoebus is struck by an arrow and falls into theRiver Seine, but Esmeralda rescues him and takes him to Notre Dame for refuge.
Realizing that Quasimodo helped Esmeralda escape, Frollo returns to Notre Dame, telling Quasimodo that the city burns because of him. Frollo lies and says that he knows where the Court of Miracles is and will attack it at dawn. Previously, Esmeralda gave Quasimodo a pendant to help him and Phoebus find the Court of Miracles, and they warn the Roma about the attack. Frollo follows them and his men capture all present, cruelly thanking Quasimodo for helping him, declaring that he knew that he could be "useful" one day. The next day, Frollo prepares to have Esmeraldaburned at the stake in front of Notre Dame, but offers to spare her life if she submits to his desires. A disgusted Esmeralda rejects his advances, and Frollo prepares to execute her. A chained Quasimodo, tired of Frollo's cruelty, frees himself and rescues Esmeralda, bringing her to the cathedral.
An enraged Frollo orders his soldiers to seize the cathedral, ignoring his promise and the Archdeacon's pleas for him to stop. Phoebus releases the captured Roma, rallying the citizens of Paris against Frollo and his men, and Quasimodo pours molten lead around the cathedral to protect it. Frollo pursues Quasimodo and Esmeralda to the cathedral balcony to kill them, and indirectly reveals to a shocked Quasimodo that he killed his mother. Quasimodo nevertheless saves him from falling into the molten lead, but an unmoved Frollo climbs onto a gargoyle and raises his sword to strike at Esmeralda and Quasimodo, but the gargoyle crumbles underneath him, causing him to lose his balance. At this moment, a terrified Frollo sees the gargoyle'sdemonic face come to life and snarl at him. The gargoyle then breaks off entirely, sending the screaming Frollo falling to his death into the molten lead (symbolizing his soul has been damned toHell).
Frollo has recurring cameo appearances in the animated television seriesHouse of Mouse, as one of the guests in the titular club. He also appears in a cameo in the series' direct-to-video filmMickey's House of Villains.
Frollo is one of the Disney villains with a main focus in the anthology filmOnce Upon a Halloween, where the scene of his song "Hellfire" is shown as one of the film's clips.
In theKingdom Hearts series, Frollo appears in the video gameKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, serving as the main antagonist in the La Cité des Cloches world, having the same role as inThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.[2]
Claude Frollo appears in the video gameDisney Magic Kingdoms as a playable character to unlock for a limited time.[3]
In the gameTwisted Wonderland, there is a "twisted" version of Frollo named Rollo Flamme, a young man who first appears in the "Glorious Masquerade: Let the Bell of Solace Ring" event.
Frollo makes a cameo appearance in the 2023 shortOnce Upon a Studio.
Frollo was voiced byTony Jay, whom directorsKirk Wise andGary Trousdale chose for the role based on his brief appearance asMonsieur D'Arque in their previous film,Beauty and the Beast (1991), and animated by Kathy Zielinski. Features of the character were inspired by the actorStewart Granger andHans Conried, especially the latter's appearance in the 1953 filmThe 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T..[1] The film's producer,Don Hahn, stated that the character of Frollo was inspired byRalph Fiennes' performance inSchindler's List asAmon Göth, aNazi who hates and murders Jews, yet desires his Jewish maid.[4] ScreenwriterTab Murphy made Frollo Paris'justice minister rather than an archdeacon, thus avoiding religious sensibilities in the finished film.[5]
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| Introduced in 1950s–1960s | |
| Introduced in 1970s–1980s | |
| Introduced in 1990s–2000s | |
| Introduced in 2010s–2020s | |
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