Directed by Alan Cooke and written by Robert Muller, the film stars Kenneth Haigh as Claude Frollo, Warren Clarke as Quasimodo and Michelle Newell as Esmeralda, and features the visual effects by Ian Scoones and the original music by Wilfred Josephs.

On January 6, 1482 — the day of the Feast of Fools in Paris, France, a play written by Pierre Gringoire is being performed at the Palace of Justice.

Quasimodo is stopped and arrested by Phoebus de Chateaupers, the captain of the French ruler King Louis XI's archers, who enchants Esmeralda, much to Frollo's silent jealousy.

The next day, in the courtroom of the Palace of Justice, Quasimodo is on trial for crimes of kidnapping and resisting arrest including assault on three of the royal guards.

Estouteville, before leaving the court, orders Florian to sentence Quasimodo to one hour of flogging in the pillory to make sure he will respect the law.

Quasimodo, feeling unable to endure his two hours of torture in pillory during the hot weather, begs for water, but is mocked by the people, until Esmeralda gives him some from her canteen.

While Phoebus is making his move, Frollo bursts out from his hiding place and stabs the captain, leaving Esmeralda alone to be convicted of the crime she didn't commit.

The very next day, at the Palace of Justice, Esmeralda stood before the court, accused of murdering Phoebus with the additional use of witchcraft by the witnesses and Charmalou the prosecutor.

Despite her persistent denying, Charmalou successfully forces Esmeralda to confess under torture, and she reluctantly agrees to accept her death sentence by hanging.

It didn't take long before Captain Phoebus and the king's soldiers arrive to eliminate the whole gypsy crowd, along with Jehn and Robin, putting a stop to the rebellion.

During the attack on the cathedral, Gringoire and Frollo, with the priest hiding his face in his cloak's hood, bring Esmeralda and Djali out of Notre Dame.

Frollo reveals himself to Esmeralda, tells her that the cavaliers have blamed her for causing the rebellion and leading it the carnage, and once more demands to live with him safely as the man who loves her.

The priest points at Esmeralda, and Phoebus orders the soldiers to take her back to the scaffold, ignoring her screams for him as he leaves to have his wedding business.

Gringoire finds Frollo's dead body on the stone steps of Notre Dame, before looking up to the sky and proclaiming that only he would spare to tell a tale, and there is a God in heaven.