Jean-Claude, sometimes spelled "Jean Claude", is the main antagonist of the 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Golden Films, which is loosely based on the 1831 French novel of the same name by the late Victor Hugo.
Biography[]
Jean-Claude searches for Pierre as he enters the church. Pierre comes by and Claude threatens him. Pierre asks if magic by a Romani woman named Melody is forbidden and Claude is angered as he is convinced that it is against the law. Pierre adores Melody, but Claude opposes to this and decides to stop the Romani from playing any more music.
The following night, during the ceremony, Claude and Pierre set out on their horses across the town in search for the Romani, while the local kids retreat in fear as he sadistically makes fun of them. Claude gets off his horse and confronts the group of Romani. Some of Melody's instruments try to bite Claude's feet, but they are kicked aside and he explains that anything magic is illegal to Melody as he threatens to have her put in jail for three-hundred and twenty-four years. Claude offers her to have dinner with him, but she refuses. Claude asks Pierre if she agreed and he replies that it was a no-yes. Quasimodo comes and the Baron's weight once again causes his horse to fall, sending Pierre flying into Claude. Quasimodo confronts Claude and he orders him to go home. Claude, Pierre, and the Baron set out in search for Melody, and Claude threatens to end her life once he finds her.
During their search, Pierre offers to stop for a rest, but Claude refuses and offers to keep searching for the rest of the night and decides that Quasimodo won't be able to save Melody this time. He then catches the sound of music and the children flee in terror as Claude arrives at the party. The children inform Melody about Claude and she and her instruments flee. They catch sight of Melody heading to the church as they struggle to open the doors. As Claude and Pierre approach them, the bats open the doors and let them in before closing them, much to Claude's frustration. Claude then captures Melody's mother's donkey named Francois, who happens to have a wounded knee and explains to her that Melody won't stay in the church for long once she realizes that she's in trouble. Pierre explains that she's safe in Notre Dame, but Claude silences him. Pierre talks about the life of Quasimodo and Claude once again silences him.
When Melody notices her mother's donkey sitting outside and realizes that she's missing, she sets out with her instruments to find her. They arrive at a local barn where her mother is being held. They arrive at a window and convince her to escape. As the instrument's exit out of the window, Melody is captured by Claude and he pushes the instruments inside. Claude taunts Melody's mother and he and his cronies run off on their horses. Claude locks Melody in a prison cell and declares that they will have her executed as he laughs maliciously. Her bells escape the cell and inform her mother and the other instruments about her upcoming execution, so they head out to find Quasimodo.
The next morning, as they prepare her execution, Claude offers Melody to quit her Romani ways. However, she refuses, enraging Claude. Meanwhile, the instruments arrive at Notre Dame and reach Quasimodo in time to stop him from ringing the bells. When Claude realizes that the bells aren't ringing, Quasimodo arrives and rescues Melody. The villagers panic and Claude orders them to stop screaming. Pierre cheers for Quasimodo until he stops as Claude glares at him. The executioner asks Claude about the execution break and Claude is shocked.
While the villagers celebrate Quasimodo's victory, Claude orders Quasimodo to get back at Notre Dame and give him back Melody, but Quasimodo refuses and declares that he is no longer frightened of him, much to the joy of the villagers. Quasimodo confronts Claude for robbing the villagers of their freedom and Claude denies it. Claude and his cronies retreat as the villagers throw food at them until his horse stops. Pierre tells him to be nicer to his horse and the Baron belches as he exclaims "bon apetit!" and Claude smiles.
Trivia[]
- He is named after the Frollo brothers from the original novel, Jehan and Claude, and similarly to the latter, he has an antagonistic role to a female Romani woman.
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 Villains
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