Les Misérables (1978)

Touches You

Just perfect...

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Will read the whole novel soon, but after checking more than 1 movie adaptation of les miserables, I dare say 1978 succeeded to draw the characters in the way meant by the director and created an aura of heroism, integrity and sweetness around the main character (Jean Valjean). On the other hand, this movie demonized Javert as a contrary to the goodness of Valjean, but it wasn't just that, he was pictured as someone who was destroyed from inside and deeply wounded from his past and how he was born and lived as a child; although he haunted Valjean's life all along the movie, he was shocked by how good and chivalrous Valjean was when he could have killed him but decided to set him free instead, he probably felt too small and trivial in front of Valjean's strength. The scene of Valjean carrying Marius fainting on his shoulder after fighting against the troops is just amazing, a man as old as Valjean at this point of the plot carrying a young man on his shoulder all along a ditch to keep him safe, a memorable scene!

In the Eighteenth Century in France, the unemployed woodman Jean Valjean (Richard Jordan) is arrested for stealing a bread to feed his family and sentenced to five years in prison in Toulon. He tries to escape from prison due to the mistreatment of cruel Javert (Anthony Perkins), increasing his sentence. Nineteen years later he succeeds to escape and is helped by the kind Bishop Myriel (Claude Dauphin) that feeds and shelters him. However he steals his silverware in the dawn but he is arrested by two policemen and brought back to the bishop. The bishop tells that the silver objects were a gift and gives two additional candlesticks to Valjean. When the policemen leave the place, the bishop tells that he has bought his soul and now he should live an honest life. Jean Valjean becomes a well-succeeded businessman with the alias Madeleine bringing prosperity to a small town producing black beads that he had learnt in the prison and then the becomes the major. His life changes when Javert is assigned the chief of police of his town. Javert arrests the beggar Fantine (Angela Pleasence) accused of prostitution but Madeleine asks him to release her and brings her home. He learns that she sends money to a couple to raise her daughter Cosette. Meanwhile Javert travels to Paris to denounce Madeleine, but he learns that Jean Valjean is arrested. But Madeleine confesses the truth to the court and releases the man. Now Javert will take him back to Toulon. What will Jean Valjean do? "Les Miserables" is one of the saddest stories of injustice and obsession ever. The Victor Hugo's novel is a touching extensive novel and should be mandatory its reading for teenagers. This excellent film omits many details but it is very faithful to the novel as a whole. Maybe it is the best version ever made. Anthony Perkins is fantastic in the role of Javert and Richard Jordan has a great performance in the lead role of Jean Valjean. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Os Miseráveis" "The Miserables")

I saw this version of the story many many years ago and loved it. I still have never seen the musical nor the new film. I watched this version again recently for the first time in many years and while it suffered slightly from the usual low budget aspects of a lot of TV movies, the acting was excellent and Tony Perkins was absolutely amazing as Javert. My 15 year old son had never seen any version of the story and watched it with me and he was mezmerized by the film and loved every minute of it (this from a kid who can't sit still for 5 minutes unless there are explosions and robots and blood and guts everywhere).BTW, the bright-eyed young Marius who resembles an older Elijah Wood was played by Christopher Guard, who was Frodo in Bakshi's "Lord of the Rings".

I'm sorry to say that this did not live up to my hopes. Les Miserables is my favorite story and I love it to the point of obsession so I suppose that might make me a little bit hard to please but Anthony Perkins demeanor disappointing to say the least and his posture was so stiff as to not allow him to bend even when evading the hat rack brandished by Jean Valjean. And speaking of Richard Jordan, he seemed to overact quite a bit. His "innocent/confused stutter" is much too prominent and overused. All in all I was not too happy with the way it turned out.