LES MISERABLES
France, 1957, 210 minutes, Colour.
Jean Gabin, Daniel Delorme, Bernard Blier, Bourvil, Serge Reggianni.
Directed by Jean Paul Le Chanois.
Les Miserables is one of the many film and television versions of Victor Hugo's classic novel. The film was made in France in the '30s as well as in the US in the '30s and '50s. This version, coming soon after the introduction of wide screen techniques, is a 3-hour spectacle which remains very faithful to the novel. (The successful musical seems to be very close to this particular adaptation of Hugo's novel.)
The film has excellent settings, uses the wide screen for intimate sequences as well as spectacle (including the Battle of Waterloo). The cast is a fine French cast: Jean Gabin, older, a more interior Jean Valjean; Bourvil, the comedian of so many films of the '50s and '60s, as Thenardier; Bernard Blier as a large but efficient Javert.
The minor characters are well drawn, the familiar episodes are there - as well as some vitality of action on the barricades. The film emphasises spectacle, yet nevertheless captures the essence of Hugo's characters and the issues.
1.The popularity of Victor Hugo's classic? Its status?
2.The tradition of screen adaptations? The musical? Audiences familiar with plot, characters, values?
3.A French interpretation, its scope, colour, musical score, period? The staging: tableaux and action? Intimate scenes and broad sweeps? The use of wide screen processes?
4.The introduction to Jean Valjean in the galleys, in the prison, the reason for his imprisonment, the march through Toulon, the accident and his lifting the wagon? Javert and his supervision with his father?
5.The passing of the 19 years, the effect on Valjean? Jean Gabin's interpretation - an interior and bitter Valjean? Going on the road, at the alps, not reporting to the parole officers? His future? The cardinal's arrival, his pomp and circumstance, seeking the bishop, the disdain at his humble house, not wanting to sleep there, going to the mayor? The bishop, turning over the bishop's house to the hospital, living in a poor house, riding on a donkey - and then saying he was too presumptuous to be like Christ? His housekeeper and his sister? Welcoming Valjean, the meal, setting the special cutlery? The room? Valjean and the stealing, the police bringing him back, the bishop offering the candlesticks? Buying Valjean's soul?
6.The transition to the town, Valjean and his skills, the factory, his being named as mayor, the civic awards? The factory people, Fantine and the abuse? The workers? His reputation? The arrival of Javert? Suspicions? Fantine's illness, her death? The nun and giving the information for Paris and the convent? Not giving him away? The false Valjean and the mayor confessing to save him?
7.The portrait of the Steadier’s, their characters, scoundrels, the poverty of their children, their spoiling them, being hard with Cosette - her having to get the water, going out in the night? The encounter with Valjean, the meal, the money, doing the deal, the bargaining? Their pretences about Cosette? Javert and his arrival, the pursuit in the house, Valjean concealed, the escape?
8.Arrival in Paris, going to the convent, his working in the garden, Cosette and her education?
9.The transition to Marius's story: his grandfather looking after him, his father and his fighting at the Battle of Waterloo, political stances, royalists and revolutionaries? The memories of Napoleon, the visualising of the Battle of Waterloo, the strategies, the slaughter? Marius's father and his injury, Thenardier robbing the corpses, helping the father? The letter to commend Thenardier? Marius and his leaving home, his father's death, the will, his study, the irony of living next to the Steadier’s? Their noise and arguments, pretences? Eponine and her love for him? Reading in the park, seeing Cosette and her father? Losing them?
10.Eponine and her place in the family, stealing, Valjean helping her, paying the cost of the bread, Cosette giving her the dress, bringing food, the irony of their coming to the Thenardier? Marius going to Javert to warn him? The Thenardier and their plot, the gang, the confrontation? Valjean's escape?
11.Marius and Eponine, her helping him, the letters, their friendship, her dying for him, her becoming a heroine?
12.The death of General Lamarq, the funeral? The students in the cafes? Revolution? The police, the spies? The building of the barricades? Enjolras and his leadership? The fighting, Javert as a spy, helping them? The battles? Gavroche and his taking the message, collecting the bullets, information about Javert, his being killed? Marius being wounded? The finale and the loss of the barricades, the execution of Enjolras and his friend? Valjean, offering to kill Javert and saving him? Carrying Marius, the encounter with Javert, their both carrying him home?
13.Javert, the return to the police, the mystery of his being freed by Valjean, his not getting an answer, pondering, walking past the Seine, people in fear of him, throwing himself in?
14.Tenardier, his good fortune, the plot, going to Marius, the lies - and his fare being paid to the United States?
15.The wedding, Marius and his conditions for Valjean's absence? The pursuit of the truth, the irony of Thenardier telling the truth? Valjean and his collapse in health, being reunited with Cosette?
16.The truth, the clearing of his name, the achievement? The humanity of the story? The plight of the poor? Law and justice? Oppression? Revolution? Religion, the picture of the church? Jean Valjean as a redeemer and a saviour?
