Les Misérables (1998 film)

Les Misérables
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bille August
Produced by	Sarah Radclyffe James Gorman
Screenplay by	Rafael Yglesias
Based on	Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Starring	Liam Neeson Geoffrey Rush Uma Thurman Claire Danes
Music by	Basil Poledouris
Cinematography	Jörgen Persson
Editing by	Janus Billeskov-Jansen
Studio	Mandalay Entertainment
Distributed by	TriStar Pictures
Release date(s)	May 1, 1998 (1998-05-01)
Running time	134 minutes
Country	United Kingdom Germany United States
Language	English
Box office	$14,096,321

Les Misérables is a 1998 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, directed by Bille August. It stars Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes.

As in the original novel, the storyline follows the adult life of Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), an ex-convict (paroled following 19 years of hard labor, for stealing bread) pursued by police Inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush). It was filmed at Barrandov Studios in Prague.

Plot

Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), a man arrested for stealing bread nineteen years previously, is released on parole. Since no one else is willing to allow a convict to stay the night, Valjean is kindly welcomed by Bishop Myriel to spend the night in his home. Valjean explains to Myriel that he is going to become a new man the following day. However, that night, Valjean steals Myriel's silverware and flees. Valjean is later arrested and brought back to Myriel, but Myriel tells the police that Valjean did not steal his silverware, but that he, in fact, actually gave it to him and also gives him his expensive candlesticks. Myriel then reminds Valjean of his promise that he was to become a new man that day.

Nine years later, Valjean is now a wealthy industrialist and a mayor. He eventually befriends Fantine (Uma Thurman), a single mother-turned-prostitute, after he rescues her when she was nearly arrested by the police officer Javert (Geoffrey Rush), who previously served as a guard at the prison Valjean was held in. Javert starts to become suspicious that the Mayor and Valjean are the same person. Later, Valjean receives word that another man (John McGlynn) is mistaken as being him and is about to be rearrested. Valjean arrives at court where the man is being tried and reveals his identity that he is the real Valjean. Valjean then returns home and finds Fantine deathly ill. Before she dies, Valjean promises Fantine that he will raise her very young daughter, Cosette. Javert arrives to Valjean's home to arrest him, but Valjean escapes and flees the community. Valjean eventually finds and rescues Cosette at the Thénardiers, corrupt innkeepers who were supposed to care for her, but were actually abusing and enslaving her. Both Valjean and Cosette finally make it to Paris where they start a new life together.

Ten years later, Cosette (Claire Danes), now a teenager, falls in love with a revolutionist, Marius (Hans Matheson). Meanwhile Javert is now undercover as an insurrectionist trying to undermine the organization to which Marius belongs. In an attempt to finally arrest Valjean again, Javert is captured by Marius and is brought to the barricades as a prisoner to be executed. Valjean journeys to the barricades himself when he learns how much Cosette and Marius love each other, intending to convince Marius to return to Cosette. When the soldiers shoot and kill Gavroche (Shane Hervey), a young boy allied with the revolutionists, Valjean uses his influence with Marius to have Javert turned over to him, so that he himself can execute him. Valjean takes Javert to a back alley, but instead of killing him, sets him free. Marius gets shot and Valjean takes him down a sewer. Javert agrees to spare Marius and Valjean takes Marius back to his home, also saying goodbye to Cosette. When Valjean returns to Javert, Javert tells him that he is now unable to reconcile the goodness shown to him by Valjean with his perfectly lawful existence. Javert finally sets Valjean free and commits suicide by falling into the river. Valjean walks down the empty street, finally a free man, with a smile on his face.

Cast

• Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean
• Geoffrey Rush as Javert
• Uma Thurman as Fantine
• Claire Danes as Cosette
  • Mimi Newman as young Cosette
• Hans Matheson as Marius Pontmercy
• Jon Kenny and Gillian Hanna as the Thénardiers
• John McGlynn as Carnot
• Shane Hervey as Gavroche
• Lennie James as Enjolras
• Sylvie Koblizkova as young Éponine

Differences from the novel

• The film greatly reduces the roles of many of the characters in the novel, especially the Thénardiers, who are only seen when Valjean buys Cosette from them. Éponine also does not play a major role in the film. She and her sister Azelma only appear in one scene together as children playing at a table in the Thénardier Inn, whilst Cosette makes stockings for them, as their mother calls their names.
• Marius' role is changed from reluctant participant in the Revolution to principal leader, resulting in Enjolras' role to also be changed and reduced. The subplot involving Marius' political shift is also not present.
• Petit Gervais does not appear in the film, therefore the scene in which Valjean steals a coin from him is cut.
• A large number of names have also been changed. Valjean is the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer in the novel, not of Vigau. The man he saves after the cart crash is called Fauchelevent, not Lafitte. The man mistaken for Valjean is called Champmathieu, not Carnot, and the prisoners identifying him are Brevet, Chenildieu and Cochepaille; the film only changed the last two names to Lombard and Bertin (probably for pronunciation reasons).
• Jean Valjean is illiterate in the movie, yet he can read in the novel.
• Many of the events surrounding the love story between Marius and Cosette have been removed, including Marius and the Thénardiers living in the same apartment house as Valjean and Cosette did; the events involving Éponine; the events involving Gavroche; and most of the events involving the Revolution.
• Javert finds Valjean's trace in Paris when he leaves a note for him, warning him about his daughter's involvement with a "dangerous revolutionary." The words "she betrays you every night" in said note have already been the source for many speculations.
• Javert captures Marius as he visits Cosette and takes her hostage, trying to get at Valjean. Cosette manages to knock him out and free Marius upon which Marius takes Javert to the barricades, claiming him to be a spy.
• In one scene, Valjean slaps Cosette, which is an act he would never do in the novel. In the same scene, Valjean also confesses his convict past to Cosette, while in the novel he reveals this to Marius, begging him not to say a word to her.
• Valjean tells Cosette that he loved Fantine.
• Valjean does not die at the end of the film as he does in the novel; the film closes with him walking away smiling from where Javert threw himself into the river, free from the "shadow of the past" that the Inspector represented. This also leaves out the wedding between Marius and Cosette, along with all other events after Javert's suicide.

Release

Critical reception

The film received a 76% 'fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes; the consensus states "This intelligent, handsomely crafted adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel condenses the story's developments without blunting its emotional impact."

Box office

The film opened at #4 in its opening weekend with $5,011,840 behind He Got Game, City of Angels, and The Big Hit; the film would eventually gross a domestic total of $14,096,321.

External links

• Les Misérables (1998) at the Internet Movie Database
• Les Misérables (1998) at AllRovi
• Les Misérables (1998) at Box Office Mojo
• Les Misérables (1998) at Rotten Tomatoes
• Les Misérables at the Arts & Faith Top100 Spiritually Significant Films list