The beginning of this movie finds its hero, Jean Valjean, as a prisoner in Toulon, where he has been incarcerated for stealing a loaf of bread. As in Hugo's novel, Valjean demonstrates his strength by lifting one of the caryatids supporting the balcony of the Toulon City Hall. When freed from prison, Valjean faces discriminatory treatment as an ex-convict. He finally finds food and shelter with a bishop. But he repays this hospitality by stealing the bishop's silver ware. When local police capture him and bring him back to the bishop with the silver ware, the bishop exonerates him, gives him two silver candlesticks, and tells him to become an honest man. Valjean assumes a new identity as M. Madeleine, and makes a new life for himself as an entrepreneur and Mayor of Montreuil.
Fantine, an innocent young woman, engages in an abortive affair with a man and the result of their dalliance is a daughter, Cosette, whom she leaves with the Thenardier family, while she works in Valjean's factory. But she is fired when the supervisor discovers that she is an unwed mother. Without a job, she resorts to desperate measures-selling her hair, her teeth, and finally her body-to raise money for Cosette. She is arrested after getting into a fight with a man who has abused her, and faces a prison sentence. But Valjean saves her, and promises to care for her and Cosette.
One day, a man is caught under a large cart, and Valjean releases him by raising the cart. When police inspector Javert witnesses this amazing display of strength, he begins to suspect that the Mayor is actually Valjean. Javert's suspicions are put to rest when an innocent man, Champmathieu, is mistaken for Valjean. Following a long scene in which he anguishes over the fate of Champmathieu and the custody of Cosette, Valjean testifies in court to save Champmathieu, then visits the Thenardiers and rescues Cosette.
There is a gap in the movie at this point. When the story resumes, the action has moved to Paris. Cosette, still living with Valjean, has developed a love interest in Marius, but has yet to tell Valjean. Marius asks his grandfather, M. Gillenormand, for financial support so he can marry Cosette; but Gillenormand says, "Never." When the Thenardiers plan to ambush Valjean, Marius overhears their plan, and unsuccessfully tries to warn him, then warns Javert. The Thenardiers carry out their plan, but Valjean is saved by the arrival of the police.
In the 1934 movie, unlike others, Cosette persuades Valjean not to go to England. He even plans to speak to M. Gillenormand on behalf of Marius and Cosette. But this film does little to show Eponine's feelings for Marius. In the novel, but not in the film, Eponine agrees to find Cosette's house, diverts her father's gang from attacking the house, leads Marius to it, risks her life to protect Cosette and Valjean from the gang, and later warns Valjean of a possible further attack. In short, her actions are never inspired by jealousy. From Hugo's previous narrative, we might expect Marius to go to the barricade, not because of Eponine, but because his previous decision to be poor prevents him from marrying Cosette or following her to England. He has sworn to kill himself if he cannot be with her. Now he is going to the barricade to fulfill that promise, and Eponine follows him, and reflexively grabs the barrel of a gun aimed at him. But, perhaps feeling that Eponine has become too admirable, instead of this logical denouement, Hugo pens a hasty and dubious narrative in which Eponine, driven by jealousy, plots to lure Marius to the barricade so he and she can die together there. When a soldier aims his weapon at Marius, Eponine grabs its muzzle and directs it at herself. Dying, she gives Marius Cosette's note, and says it was she who lured him to the barricade where she wanted to die with him.
In the novel, Cosette gives Eponine (disguised as a boy) her note to Marius. Eponine does not read it or destroy it. What will she do with it other than deliver it to Marius? But in this film, Cosette sends her note to Marius' room, and Eponine finds it, reads it, and removes it, replacing it with another note telling Marius to join his friends at the barricade. In Hugo's novel, Cosette's note includes her new address, and warns Marius that her father intends to be in England within a week. But in the film, her note reads, "I spoke to my father. He gives his consent. Forget his anger. He's expecting you. Come back quickly." Marius reads the note and says, "It's too late." Just then, Valjean appears and tells Marius, "Come. She sent me." But Marius says, "I can't." Valjean responds, "It will kill her."
When the battle seems inevitably lost, the insurrectionists blow up their barricade. Two of them die before an impromptu firing squad. Valjrean carries wounded Marius through the sewers to the river, where he is intercepted by the police; and Javert, who has softened considerably, provides a carriage for Valjean to take Marius to Gillenormand's mansion. Then Javert allows Valjean to make a brief visit to his own house. While Valjean is inside, Javert walks off wondering out loud why he is not arresting Valjean.
In this film, Gillenormand speaks with Vajlean who has just brought Marius home to his mansion. Presumably, Marius and Cosette learn of Valjean's heroism from Gillenormand, thus this film lacks a dramatic scene in which Marius and Cosette discover the identity of Marius' rescuer. And there is no drama associated with Javert's suicide. All we see of his death are bubbles rising to the surface of the river. Back at headquarters, two police officers discuss his suicide, and one remarks that Javert was "a little blinkered." Meanwhile, Marius and Cosette are married and feted at a large celebration. Valjean avoids the wedding and watches the celebration from outside. On the following day, he reveals his true identity to Marius, and almost immediately succumbs to his final illness. He gives the two candlesticks to Cosette, and says, "I hope he that gave them to me is satisfied with me. I did the best I could." He provides an obiter dictum for the entire story: "God is just. It is man who sometimes is unjust." Asked by Cosette if he wants a priest, he remembers the bishop and tells her, "I have one."
Roughly 30 minutes of the original film have been lost, so current copies cannot be regarded as complete. We do know much of what is missing on the Criterion film-all the approximately eight years from the time Valjean rescued Cosette from the Thenardiers until Cosette's 16th birthday. During these years, Valjean takes Cosette to Paris, where they are driven out of the Gorbeau House by a police raid, escaping to a convent, where Cosette spends the rest of her childhood. Also missing are their move from the convent to Rue Plumet, Cosette's initial meeting with Marius, the activities of Eponine in locating Cosette, guiding Marius to her, and thwarting Thenardier's attempt to rob Valjean and Cosette. Perhaps the missing film would explain how Marius knows Javert, how Cosette knows Marius' address, and how Valjean and Cosette know Eponine.
Harry Baur gives a dominant performance as Valjean. Baur looks like a man who has done hard time and suffered constant fear of discovery, and gives a powerful emotional performance, not only as Valjean, but also as the slow witted Champmathieu. He may be the best of those who have played this role, and deserves the respect he is generally accorded.
Charles Vanel, with bushy sideburns like Hugo's Javert, effectively portrays the French police inspector as unemotional, gruff, unsympathetic, and driven by the law-even when it is directed at him. His suicide is not pictured in this movie, so Vanel is denied that dramatic scene. As Fantine, Florelle delivers some of the most emotional moments in the movie. Unlike many actors who have played Thenardier, Charles Dullin fully captures his shifty and sinister nature in one of the best portrayals of this character. Whereas Hugo's Eponine was thin and tall, Orane Demazis is short and stocky, but her elfish performance seems to fit this character. Her role was limited because the movie omits many of her activities described in the book. Josseline Gael and Jean Servais are effective as Cosette and Marius. Emile Genevois, who was 15 during the filming, but looks younger, has a large and impotant role as Gavroche, He went on to a long film career. Gaby Triquet did not, but she is convincing here as young Cosette.
Subsequent years were unfortunate for two members of the cast. When his wife, suspected of espionage, was arrested in Berlin in 1941, Harry Baur sought her release. The Germans arrested Baur and tortured him. He died mysteriously shortly after his release in 1943. During the war years, Gael broke up with her husband, actor Jules Berry, and kept company with Antonin Saunier, who worked with the French Gestapo. After France was liberated, both Saunier and Gael were arrested. He was convicted and executed. Gael, evidently thanks to the pleas of Berry (who was more loyal to her than she was to him), was fined and barred from French citizenship.
The 1934 movie is noteworthy for its length, its scale, its acting, and its cinematography. Most of the filming was done in specially constructed sets near Nice; these sets are impressive, but they don't look lived in. On the other hand, the Luxembourg Gardens scenes were actually shot in the Luxembourg Gardens. But Bernard's film still contains vestiges of earlier years in which many of these actors had honed their skills on the stage or in silent films. Thus they occasionally overact, exaggerate physical gestures, and register surprise with wide open eyes. Despite these shortcomings, many still regard this movie as the best screen presentation of Les Miserables.
Fantine, an innocent young woman, engages in an abortive affair with a man and the result of their dalliance is a daughter, Cosette, whom she leaves with the Thenardier family, while she works in Valjean's factory. But she is fired when the supervisor discovers that she is an unwed mother. Without a job, she resorts to desperate measures-selling her hair, her teeth, and finally her body-to raise money for Cosette. She is arrested after getting into a fight with a man who has abused her, and faces a prison sentence. But Valjean saves her, and promises to care for her and Cosette.
One day, a man is caught under a large cart, and Valjean releases him by raising the cart. When police inspector Javert witnesses this amazing display of strength, he begins to suspect that the Mayor is actually Valjean. Javert's suspicions are put to rest when an innocent man, Champmathieu, is mistaken for Valjean. Following a long scene in which he anguishes over the fate of Champmathieu and the custody of Cosette, Valjean testifies in court to save Champmathieu, then visits the Thenardiers and rescues Cosette.
There is a gap in the movie at this point. When the story resumes, the action has moved to Paris. Cosette, still living with Valjean, has developed a love interest in Marius, but has yet to tell Valjean. Marius asks his grandfather, M. Gillenormand, for financial support so he can marry Cosette; but Gillenormand says, "Never." When the Thenardiers plan to ambush Valjean, Marius overhears their plan, and unsuccessfully tries to warn him, then warns Javert. The Thenardiers carry out their plan, but Valjean is saved by the arrival of the police.
In the 1934 movie, unlike others, Cosette persuades Valjean not to go to England. He even plans to speak to M. Gillenormand on behalf of Marius and Cosette. But this film does little to show Eponine's feelings for Marius. In the novel, but not in the film, Eponine agrees to find Cosette's house, diverts her father's gang from attacking the house, leads Marius to it, risks her life to protect Cosette and Valjean from the gang, and later warns Valjean of a possible further attack. In short, her actions are never inspired by jealousy. From Hugo's previous narrative, we might expect Marius to go to the barricade, not because of Eponine, but because his previous decision to be poor prevents him from marrying Cosette or following her to England. He has sworn to kill himself if he cannot be with her. Now he is going to the barricade to fulfill that promise, and Eponine follows him, and reflexively grabs the barrel of a gun aimed at him. But, perhaps feeling that Eponine has become too admirable, instead of this logical denouement, Hugo pens a hasty and dubious narrative in which Eponine, driven by jealousy, plots to lure Marius to the barricade so he and she can die together there. When a soldier aims his weapon at Marius, Eponine grabs its muzzle and directs it at herself. Dying, she gives Marius Cosette's note, and says it was she who lured him to the barricade where she wanted to die with him.
In the novel, Cosette gives Eponine (disguised as a boy) her note to Marius. Eponine does not read it or destroy it. What will she do with it other than deliver it to Marius? But in this film, Cosette sends her note to Marius' room, and Eponine finds it, reads it, and removes it, replacing it with another note telling Marius to join his friends at the barricade. In Hugo's novel, Cosette's note includes her new address, and warns Marius that her father intends to be in England within a week. But in the film, her note reads, "I spoke to my father. He gives his consent. Forget his anger. He's expecting you. Come back quickly." Marius reads the note and says, "It's too late." Just then, Valjean appears and tells Marius, "Come. She sent me." But Marius says, "I can't." Valjean responds, "It will kill her."
When the battle seems inevitably lost, the insurrectionists blow up their barricade. Two of them die before an impromptu firing squad. Valjrean carries wounded Marius through the sewers to the river, where he is intercepted by the police; and Javert, who has softened considerably, provides a carriage for Valjean to take Marius to Gillenormand's mansion. Then Javert allows Valjean to make a brief visit to his own house. While Valjean is inside, Javert walks off wondering out loud why he is not arresting Valjean.
In this film, Gillenormand speaks with Vajlean who has just brought Marius home to his mansion. Presumably, Marius and Cosette learn of Valjean's heroism from Gillenormand, thus this film lacks a dramatic scene in which Marius and Cosette discover the identity of Marius' rescuer. And there is no drama associated with Javert's suicide. All we see of his death are bubbles rising to the surface of the river. Back at headquarters, two police officers discuss his suicide, and one remarks that Javert was "a little blinkered." Meanwhile, Marius and Cosette are married and feted at a large celebration. Valjean avoids the wedding and watches the celebration from outside. On the following day, he reveals his true identity to Marius, and almost immediately succumbs to his final illness. He gives the two candlesticks to Cosette, and says, "I hope he that gave them to me is satisfied with me. I did the best I could." He provides an obiter dictum for the entire story: "God is just. It is man who sometimes is unjust." Asked by Cosette if he wants a priest, he remembers the bishop and tells her, "I have one."
Roughly 30 minutes of the original film have been lost, so current copies cannot be regarded as complete. We do know much of what is missing on the Criterion film-all the approximately eight years from the time Valjean rescued Cosette from the Thenardiers until Cosette's 16th birthday. During these years, Valjean takes Cosette to Paris, where they are driven out of the Gorbeau House by a police raid, escaping to a convent, where Cosette spends the rest of her childhood. Also missing are their move from the convent to Rue Plumet, Cosette's initial meeting with Marius, the activities of Eponine in locating Cosette, guiding Marius to her, and thwarting Thenardier's attempt to rob Valjean and Cosette. Perhaps the missing film would explain how Marius knows Javert, how Cosette knows Marius' address, and how Valjean and Cosette know Eponine.
Harry Baur gives a dominant performance as Valjean. Baur looks like a man who has done hard time and suffered constant fear of discovery, and gives a powerful emotional performance, not only as Valjean, but also as the slow witted Champmathieu. He may be the best of those who have played this role, and deserves the respect he is generally accorded.
Charles Vanel, with bushy sideburns like Hugo's Javert, effectively portrays the French police inspector as unemotional, gruff, unsympathetic, and driven by the law-even when it is directed at him. His suicide is not pictured in this movie, so Vanel is denied that dramatic scene. As Fantine, Florelle delivers some of the most emotional moments in the movie. Unlike many actors who have played Thenardier, Charles Dullin fully captures his shifty and sinister nature in one of the best portrayals of this character. Whereas Hugo's Eponine was thin and tall, Orane Demazis is short and stocky, but her elfish performance seems to fit this character. Her role was limited because the movie omits many of her activities described in the book. Josseline Gael and Jean Servais are effective as Cosette and Marius. Emile Genevois, who was 15 during the filming, but looks younger, has a large and impotant role as Gavroche, He went on to a long film career. Gaby Triquet did not, but she is convincing here as young Cosette.
Subsequent years were unfortunate for two members of the cast. When his wife, suspected of espionage, was arrested in Berlin in 1941, Harry Baur sought her release. The Germans arrested Baur and tortured him. He died mysteriously shortly after his release in 1943. During the war years, Gael broke up with her husband, actor Jules Berry, and kept company with Antonin Saunier, who worked with the French Gestapo. After France was liberated, both Saunier and Gael were arrested. He was convicted and executed. Gael, evidently thanks to the pleas of Berry (who was more loyal to her than she was to him), was fined and barred from French citizenship.
The 1934 movie is noteworthy for its length, its scale, its acting, and its cinematography. Most of the filming was done in specially constructed sets near Nice; these sets are impressive, but they don't look lived in. On the other hand, the Luxembourg Gardens scenes were actually shot in the Luxembourg Gardens. But Bernard's film still contains vestiges of earlier years in which many of these actors had honed their skills on the stage or in silent films. Thus they occasionally overact, exaggerate physical gestures, and register surprise with wide open eyes. Despite these shortcomings, many still regard this movie as the best screen presentation of Les Miserables.