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

Enjolras: [referring to Pop Mabeuf, who has just been shot down] Now, citizens, may each of you fight for this dead old man as he would for his own living father.

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Connections

Version of Les Misérables (1917)

User Reviews

Most original adaptation, unlike anything Hollywood produced

I am a huge fan of those lavish Hollywood productions of the same period and genre and its strict codes of plot, camera angles and montage, where even the poor have to look glamorous. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Marie Antoinette (1938), A Tale of Two Cities (1935) and 20th Century Pictures' own version of Les Misérables (1935) come to mind. But this is something different. Starting with the fantastic soundtrack by Arthur Honneger and the expressionist camera and lighting, you enter another world. Of course it helps the authenticity by being a French film with French actors. Here you can see the real French working classes, the homeless and the criminals. By the way, the English subtitles of the Eclipse DVD are good and idiomatic. Also, this monumental and epic film (DVD version 281 min, and a 315 min version seems to exist) has none of the poor production values one is accustomed to with such films from Europe of the 30s. It makes you wonder what might have been possible at, say, MGM if Stroheim or Welles had been given free reign. Let's be glad to have both visions as created in very different studios on both sides of the Atlantic.