The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) the film – stemmed from the company's domestic partnership policy and gay and lesbian theme days at Walt Disney World. Gary Trousdale also claimed that Southern Baptists were outraged over the casting of Demi Moore as Esmeralda, as she had just come off of the controversial "Striptease", in which she played an exotic dancer. Disney officials would not comment on the motivation for the religious content displayed in the film beyond comments on the subject included in the film's press kit with Disney vice president John Dreyer commenting, "The film speaks for itself." Nevertheless, there was praise from religious organizations
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) movie musicals". Janet Maslin wrote in her "The New York Times" review, "In a film that bears conspicuous, eager resemblances to other recent Disney hits, the filmmakers' Herculean work is overshadowed by a Sisyphean problem. There's just no way to delight children with a feel-good version of this story." Upon opening in France in March 1997, reception from French critics towards Hunchback was reported to be "glowing, largely positive". French critics and audiences found resonance in the film which recounted a real-life incident from August 1995 when French police raided a Parisian church and seized over 200 illegal immigrants seeking