Alyn Smith
I have collected about a dozen versions of Les Miserables on film, and this is by far the best. The production is brilliant, the entire atmosphere created is totally faithful to the book, the characters perfect. And then there is the score - overwhelmingly emotional when called for. I wish a copy of Magnes soundtrack was available, I have to rely on the audio I have taken from my DVD which I had created from video. Can't praise this film highly enough. It's leagues above the next best - the Charles Laughton version. I won't even stop to mention some of the terrible American versions that have appeared in recent years. They are in my collection because I can't stop collecting but that is about the only reason! It took me five years to put myself through the Musical version of Les Miserables, but I was pleasantly surprised - it's good. But compared to re-reading the book or watching this film version it is pale........
Jesús Ibarra
The Robert Hossein's version of Les Miserables is undoubtedly the most faithful adaptation to Victor Hugo's novel. Lino Ventura is great as Jean Valjean as well as Michel Bouquet as Javert and Jean Carmet as Thernardier. All the actors are well characterized and the darkness of the film gives the story the right atmosphere of misery and sadness. The whole story is squeezed into the three hours film, so the events happened quickly, but remaining faithful to the original story. If the film had been two hours longer, it would have been perfect. Other adaptations that I consider good are the 1934 starring Harry Baur, the 1958 starring Jean Gabin and the 2000 version starring Gerard Depardieu.I consider regular the British adaptation starring Richard Jordan and Anthony Perkins. I consider as bad adaptations the 1998 version starring Liam Neeson and the 1935, starring Federich March.
camaretsurmer
I've seen quite a few versions of Les Misérables but this one is for sure one of the best. Maybe the 1958(Jean-Paul Le Chanois) version with Jean Gabin as Jean Valjean gets close to it but Lino is literally awesome! The 1985 TV adaption is about 218 min long - 30 min longer than the 1982 cinema release and split in four parts. So take your time, it's worth it! 9/10
dawnrain
Robert Hossein offered the public a great version of Victor Hugo's novel. I read the book many times and I only regret that the movie (and even the TV version more complete) has to cut some of the action, or the film would have to be at least 6 hours long.The actors are all well chosen. from the always perfect Michel Bouquet to Jean Carmet and Candice Patou, very moving, and Christine Jean, very beautiful. But most of all there is Lino Ventura. He is Jean Valjean, he doesn't only play the part. I guess in his real life, he was a kind of Valjean himself, having a difficult life in his youth. This movie has been made 20 years ago and it's now a classic. No one could tell it's already such an old movie, the message is still the same since Victor Hugo's time. The story is out of time and this movie version is too.
AD
