Daniel Auteuil: “All the fights, it's me; on horseback, it's me; and the Hunchback, it's me”

At the end of 1997, the actor recounted the very physical filming of Philippe De Broca's film, to be seen again this evening on Arte.

“If you don’t come to Lagardère, Lagardère will come to you!” These are the words in the form of an oath launched by Lagardère to the Count of Gonzague, who hatched a plot against his friend, the brilliant Duke of Nevers, to capture the fortune of his rich cousin. It will take sixteen years for the Chevalier de Lagardère to avenge his friend, make morality triumph, save honor and find love.

Almost 30 years ago, The Hunchback was released in theaters. Worn by Daniel AuteuilMarie Gillain, Fabrice Luchini and Vincent Perez, it was a considerable public success thanks to 2.3 million admissions, even if the 1960 version with Jean Marais had done better by attracting 5.8 million curious people to theaters.

In the First of December 1997 (n°249 with Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder on the cover for Alien Resurrection), the actor recounted all his admiration for the original film, and especially for the performance of his elder, to Jean-Jacques Bernard. He added that he agreed to succeed him by seeing the opportunity to play a very physical role, made possible thanks to fencing and horse riding lessons, but also combat choreography staged with stuntmen. Excerpts.

“It's strange, because The Hunchback was offered to me twice at the theater (…). Each time, I hesitated, including here, simply because when I was 9 years old and I I saw the film in which Jean Marais played, he was such a hero for me that I couldn't imagine becoming one. It was too much of a fantasy (…) (about Michel Carliez's fencing lessons) They were very rigorous exercises in poses, like dancing, which I absolutely wanted to do so that the movement was as full and wide as possible. Then, there was the arrival of the stuntmen (…). They are absolutely extraordinary guys. Because they are here to die. And I wanted to impress them. Because I knew that from the moment these guys respected me, I would earn something for the role… So all the fights are me; on horseback, it's me, and the Hunchback, it's me… [il rit] In the morning, I was always up before waking up. Honestly, I never got tired of it. Firstly because we were moving every day and because the luck of these roles is that we have different actors in front of us all the time. Plus, I change my mind. And again, I reduced the Hunchback's makeup to its simplest expression, just a false nose, that's all.”

Daniel Auteuil: “I almost gave up the role of Ugolin”