LES MISERABLES

UK, 2019, 372 minutes, Colour.
Dominic West, David Oyelowo, Lily Collins, Adeel Akhtar, David Bradley, Josh O’ Connor, Olivia Colman, Ellie Bamber, Ron Cook.
Directed by Tom Shankland.

Since its publication in France, Les Miserables has been considered a classic, along with Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It has been filmed many times in English as well as in French and Italian. The story received a new lease of life in the 1980s with the musical, still running after many decades.

It seems surprising to have another version after the film version of the musical in 2012 and 1997 version, directed by Bille August, with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush. However, this is a BBC television series with six hours at the film-makers’ disposal. The writer is Andrew Davies who for many decades has adapted classic novels for the BBC from Pride and Prejudice through Vanity Fair to War and Peace. The director, Tom Shankland, has worked for some years in television.

Most audiences have been caught up in this version. There is also the experience of remembering the musical score and the lyrics at particular sequences, enhancing the sequences rather than distracting from them.

This version opens with the defeat of Napoleon, the many corpses at Waterloo, introducing Thenardier as a robber encountering a dying colonel and carrying him to safety. The contrast is with Paris and affluent young men, their liaisons with prostitutes, including Fantine who gives birth to Cosette. Those familiar with the story can see the various connections opening up, the colonel’s son being Marius, Fantine leaving Cosette with the Thenardiers. The other introduction is to the work in the galleys and the quarries, backbreaking work with Jean Valjean supervised by inspectors Javert.

The familiar episodes are all present, Jean Valjean’s encounter with the Bishop and the giving of the candlesticks and the conversion effect on him. He is the successful mayor of the town, setting up an industry where Fantine works. Javert arrives, continuing to pursue his quarry, the court case and the mistake about the identity of Jean Valjean and his confession, disappearing, buying Cosette from the Thenardiers as atonement for his treatment of Fantine, the going to Paris, disappearing for years into the convent.

Time passes, criticisms of the monarchy, social revolution, the barricades, the troops and the defeat of the revolutionaries, Jean Valjean going to the barricades, rescuing Marius, the sewer gate being opened by Thenardier, Jean Va;jean freeing Javert, his suicide.

The recreation of the period is excellent. And the performances are very strong, audiences not having seen Dominic West portray such a strong character, David Oyelowo a very different Javert. Lily Collins is Fantine. And, a number of British character actors take the supporting roles, led by Adeel Akhtar as Thenardier and Olivia Coleman as his wife, Josh O ’Connor as Marius.

1. A classic novel? Reputation? The variety of versions on film, on stage, the musical, now television series?

2. The impact for the 2019 audience, worldwide? 6+ hours available to tell the story?

3. Audience expectations, the title and its tone, the poor and oppressed of France in the early 19th century? The familiarity of the plot, of the characters? The musical score? The influence of the musical, contributing to the interpretation?

4. The cast, strong, British? The type of British accent for depicting French society of the 19th century?

5. The 19th century, costumes and decor, buildings, wealth and poverty, the city of Paris? The revolution experience, the barricades?

6. French history, the build-up to the French Revolution, post-revolution, Napoleon and the wars, his defeat at Waterloo? Taking the story of France into the 1820s and 1830s? The death of Napoleon, the establishment of the Republic, the return of the monarchy, social unrest?

7. The poor, crime and punishment, excess of brutality, ordinary people as underdogs? Issues of justice by legislation, by revolution? Victor Hugo, the religious themes, sin, repentance, forgiveness? The importance of the experience of Grace?

8. The opening, the battle of Waterloo, the devastation of the corpses, the Colonel and his dying? Thenardier and his presence on the battlefield, stealing, rescuing the Colonel? The beginning of the links between all the characters, all connected, degrees of separation? The irony of the ending, the recollections of Waterloo, the Colonel’s rescue, Thenardier, Marius as the Colonel’s son, Thenardier and his threats, watching Javert, the final confrontation with John Valjean?

9. Themes of hope, redemption, forgiveness, mistakes and reparation and atonement, the Catholic themes, the Bishop, the hospitality, the candlesticks and Valjean taking them with him? The nuns and Fantine’s death, the convent and a refuge in Paris? The story showing goodness in ordinary human beings?

10. The galleys, Valjean, the backbreaking work in the quarries, Javert watching, dislodging the stone, falling on the soldier, Valjean lifting it? Javert and his reaction, resentment, becoming more obsessed? The indications of the character of each of the antagonists?

11. The nobility in Paris, the grandfather and his being anti-Napoleon? Not receiving his son-in-law, despising him? Marius imbued with these attitudes? The maid, suggesting the Colonel come to see his son a church? The continued attitudes of the grandfather? Marius growing up, learning about his father, changing his attitude? His friendship with the revolutionaries? His seeing Cosette, following her, connecting with her? His lodgings, next to the Thenardiers? His going to the barricades, with the gun powder, his injuries, Valjean carrying him to safety, Thenardier unlocking the grill, back to his grandfather, the grandfather’s change of attitude, arranging the marriage?

12. Thenardier, the robber, carrying the Colonel, setting up the inn, the title, telling the story of his heroism at Waterloo? His wife and their relationship? Their greed, the children in their care, the Dickensian overtones and the treatment? Fantine pleading for Cosette, paying the money, the couple enslaving Cosette, Fantine, going to the town, getting to work, lying about her being alone, her making the toy, her being dismissed? Her resentment towards Valjean after his initial welcome? Selling her hair, her teeth – and the irony of the doll’s made with the hair? The letter writer and his advice about going into prostitution? Illness, treatment, to the Hospice, Valjean and his repentance, going to the inn, buying Cosette, taking her to Paris, Thenardier wanting more money? Going to the convent, the happiness of the years, his being protective, Cosette and her learning? Money, his burying the money in the ground and going to retrieve it? His concern about the revolutionaries, wary about Marius, Cosette exchanging notes, his going to the barricade, scenes of Javert but freeing him, carrying Marius, Thenardier and the gate, the ironies of the connections of the past? Cosette’s success, Eponyme and her poverty, her love for Marius, saving him? Thenardier going to Marius and Cosette, the truth, cassette realisation of what it happened? The going to seek John Valjean, finding him?

13. The famous scene of Jean Valjean and the refuge with the Bishop, his reputation, his housekeeper, inviting Jean to join the meal, the accommodation, Jean and his robbery of the mugs, the police bringing him, the urbane response of the Bishop, defending him, giving him the candlesticks? The effect on Jean, his taking this candlesticks everywhere?

14. Javert and his arrival in the town, his motivations, seeing the Mayor, his suspicions, going to Paris to report, the man arrested, the trial, the witnesses from the galleys and the declaring the innocent man was Jean Valjean? His declaration, confession, disappearance?

15. Javert relentless, his arrival in Paris, continuing to search for Jean Valjean, the house? His relationship with the men in the office? Severe with them? Going undercover to the barricades, his being tied up? The encounter with Jean Valjean? His being freed, going back to the office, allowing John Valjean to visit Cosette? Going to the river, his reflections, falling into the River? Thenardier witnessing this?

16. The revolution, the company, the causes, the introduction of Gavroche, his earnestness, the flag, the barricades, mocking the soldiers, his being shot? At the inn, the revolutionaries, their discussions, the different characters? At the barricades, heroism, at the inn, the leader and his associate lined up, shot?

17. The nuns, helping Fantine, the escape to the convent, the Superior and her doggedness? Jean Valjean and his life in the convent, Cosette and her education, her distaste for the galley prisoners? Jean Valjean on protecting her? Not telling her the truth? Her strength of mind when Marius told the truth?

18. The film’s perception of the character of Jean Valjean, and ordinary man, sinning, a conversion experience, doing good for people, becoming heroic even in his ordinariness?