Les Misérables (1998 film)

Les Misérables

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bille August
Produced by
Screenplay by Rafael Yglesias
Based on Les Misérables 
by Victor Hugo
Starring
Music by Basil Poledouris
Cinematography Jörgen Persson
Edited by Janus Billeskov-Jansen
Production
companies
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates
  • 1 May 1998 (1998-05-01) (United States)
  • 20 November 1998 (1998-11-20) (United Kingdom)
  • 24 December 1998 (1998-12-24) (Germany)
Running time
 134 minutes[1]
Country
  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • United States
Language English
Box office $14.1 million[2]

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, a man arrested for stealing bread nineteen years earlier, is released on parole. When no one is willing to allow a convict to stay the night, Bishop Myriel kindly welcomes him into his home. Valjean explains to Myriel that sleeping in a real bed will make him a new man. In the night, Valjean, interrupted by Myriel while stealing his silverware, strikes him and flees. When the police arrest Valjean, Myriel tells them that the silverware was a gift and scolds Valjean for forgetting to take his candlesticks as well. Myriel then reminds Valjean that he is to become a new man.

Nine years later, Valjean is now a wealthy industrialist and a mayor. Fantine, a single mother working at one of Valjean's factories, is fired from when her manager learns she has had a daughter out of wedlock. However, Valjean is preoccupied with the arrival of Inspector Javert, who previously served as a guard at the prison in which Valjean was held. Fantine, in desperate need of money to pay the extortionate demands of the Thénardiers for looking after her daughter Cosette, turns to prostitution. Javert starts to suspect that the Mayor and Valjean are the same person. Fantine is attacked by some customers, and when she retaliates, Javert beats and arrests her. Valjean insists on her release and she is let go.

Valjean nurses Fantine back to health, and promises her that she will have her daughter back. However, the Thénardiers continue to extort more money from Valjean and Fantine on the pretence of Fantine's daughter being ill. Later, Valjean receives word that another man is mistaken as being him and is about to be arrested. 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 at death's door. Before she dies, Valjean promises Fantine that he will raise her daughter as his own. Javert arrives at Valjean's home to arrest both him and Fantine, but Fantine dies. Angry and grieving, Valjean fights Javert and knocks him out, then flees the town. Valjean eventually finds and rescues Cosette from the Thénardiers, the corrupt innkeepers who were supposed to care for her, but are actually forcing her to be their servant. Both Valjean and Cosette finally make it to Paris where they start a new life together as father and daughter, cloistered within a religious convent.

Ten years later, they leave the convent, and Cosette, now nineteen years old, falls deeply in love with a revolutionist, Marius. Meanwhile Javert is now undercover as an insurrectionist, trying to undermine the organization to which Marius belongs. During an attempt to finally arrest Valjean, 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, 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 to bring him to safety. Javert catches them, but agrees to spare Marius. 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 Valjean's criminal past with his current lawful existence and the great kindness, generosity, and goodness that Valjean has shown. Stating, "It's a pity the rules don't allow me to be merciful," Javert finally sets Valjean free, shackles himself, adding "I've tried to live my life without breaking a single rule," and throws himself into the Seine thus taking his own life. Valjean walks down the empty street, finally a free man, with a smile on his face.

Cast

Adaptation from the novel

The film changes the names of secondary characters and places to make them more readily understood by an English-speaking audience. Many details of the plot are faithfully reproduced, including the trial at Arras and the death of Gavroche, while entire segments of the plot are eliminated. As mayor, Valjean is aided by a junior police official more loyal to him than to Javert. The Thénardier family appears only when Valjean redeems Cosette. The Petit Gervais episode does not occur. Marius has no family background and leads the student revolt. Cosette is far more independent in the film, suggests leaving the cloister to experience the outside world, and challenges Valjean's control of her life. Valjean explains his past to her directly rather than through Marius. The film ends with Javert's suicide, eliminating the novel's extended denouement, including the wedding and Valjean's death.

Release

Critical reception

Les Misérables received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 74% "Certified Fresh" score based on 43 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The site's consensus states "This intelligent, handsomely crafted adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel condenses the story's developments without blunting its emotional impact."[3]

Box office

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

References

  1. ↑ "LES MISERABLES (12)". British Board of Film Classification. 14 May 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Les Misérables (1998) at Box Office Mojo
  3. ↑ "Les Miserables (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Weekend Box Office Results for May 1-3, 1998 - Box Office Mojo
  5. ↑ Les Misérables (1998) at Box Office Mojo

External links

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