Les Misérables (1934)
"Les misérables" (original title)

The lives of numerous people over the course of 20 years in 19th century France, weaved together by the story of an ex-convict named Jean Valjean on the run from an obsessive police inspector, who pursues him for only a minor offense.

Director:

Raymond Bernard

Writers:

Victor Hugo (novel), Raymond Bernard,

Stars:

Harry Baur, Charles Vanel, Paul Azaïs

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harry Baur	...	Jean Valjean / Champmathieu
Charles Vanel	...	Inspecteur Javert
Paul Azaïs	...	Grantaire
Max Dearly	...	M. Gillenormand
Charles Dullin	...	Thénardier
Émile Genevois	...	Gavroche
Henry Krauss	...	Monseigneur Myriel
Georges Mauloy	...	Le président des Assises
Lucien Nat	...	Montparnasse
Jean Servais	...	Marius Pontmercy
Robert Vidalin	...	Enjolras
Orane Demazis	...	Eponine
Florelle	...	Fantine
Josseline Gaël	...	Cosette
Marguerite Moreno	...	La Thénardier

Storyline

The lives of numerous people over the course of 20 years in 19th century France, weaved together by the story of an ex-convict named Jean Valjean on the run from an obsessive police inspector, who pursues him for only a minor offense.

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Plot Keywords:

ex convict | 19th century | inspection | cosette | convict | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

27 October 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Os Miseráveis

Filming Locations:

Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé-Natan

Technical Specs

Runtime:

281 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was presented in three parts respectively called: "Une tempête sous un crâne" (Tempest in a skull), "Les Thénardier" (The Thenardiers - the names of the couple of villains) and "Liberté, liberté chérie" (Freedom, dear Freedom).

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Goofs

In the second part, Les Thenardier, when Jean Servais overhears the pair plotting to rob Valjean, Raymond Bernard can be heard softly directing him to leave the room ("Vite!").

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Quotes

Courfayrax: Aiming at that sergeant whose face you can't see? These young artillery officers are well educated. He has a father and mother. He can't be more than 25. He could be your brother.
Enjolras: He is.
Courfayrax: And mine too. Let him live.
Enjolras: Leave me alone! We have to!
[shoots the sergeant]

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Connections

Version of Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary (2010)

User Reviews

A masterpiece!

TFO (la Télévision Française en Ontario), the French Ontario TV channel has started showing the complete version of this 5 hours and 15 minutes piece (3 x 1 hour and 47 minutes) in three parts, on three consecutive Sundays, starting yesterday. This is a major event as this film is almost never shown, is not available on DVD and is usually cut down, when shown at all, to three hours. It is an amazing accomplishment for 1934 because of the following elements: the mobility of the camera, the sound effects, the music by Arthur Honegger, the witty, almost literary, visual ellipses, the interpretation of Baur and Vanel, the editing and eerie expressionistic camera angles, and the production values in general (sets and costumes cannot be topped). The only drawback of the TV showing is that the film is cropped vertically (the old "tops of the heads are missing" syndrome), which comes from cropping a 1.30:1 narrow ratio early-talkie film onto a 1.37:1 TV screen without pillar-boxing. It's still worth the watch. Needless to say: This is long overdue on DVD!

Historical note: The creepy night scene where Cosette is sent, despite her fears, to fetch water a long way from home at the request of her heartless keepers, is a direct inspiration for Walt Disney's Snow White's panicky flight through the forest scene of three years later (1937).

May 2008 update: As most of you probably know, the whole film is now available on DVD from Criterion's Eclipse series in Region 1.