Sick Product of a Sick System

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Will read the whole novel soon, but after checking more than 1 movie adaptation of les miserables, I dare say 1978 succeeded to draw the characters in the way meant by the director and created an aura of heroism, integrity and sweetness around the main character (Jean Valjean). On the other hand, this movie demonized Javert as a contrary to the goodness of Valjean, but it wasn't just that, he was pictured as someone who was destroyed from inside and deeply wounded from his past and how he was born and lived as a child; although he haunted Valjean's life all along the movie, he was shocked by how good and chivalrous Valjean was when he could have killed him but decided to set him free instead, he probably felt too small and trivial in front of Valjean's strength. The scene of Valjean carrying Marius fainting on his shoulder after fighting against the troops is just amazing, a man as old as Valjean at this point of the plot carrying a young man on his shoulder all along a ditch to keep him safe, a memorable scene!

The piece was very nicely done in comparison to other book adaptations that I have seen. However, while the film included many scenes that are usually not covered (e.g., Marius' conflict with his grandfather), they left out many other crucial details and key scenes. The character of Jean Valjean was covered so entirely that the other characters severely lacked in development. For example, the writing staff completely left out Eponine, who is quite possibly the most complex and most piteous (and captivating) character in the story. The Thernadiers' connection to Cosette and Gavoroche is never fully established.Overall, I would definitely recommend you watch this adaptation, whether you've read Les Miserables or not.

This is a very good adaption of Les Miserables, but only as a stand alone. I have both read the novel and am a great fan of the Schonberg stage musical. And while watching this I could not help but search for the missing Thenardiers, who appear for one measly minute, the tragic Eponine, the evil and yet wonderful Patron-Minette, the story of Monsieur Tholomyes and Fantine. All of this was left out and though this was fabulous by itself, I could not help but notice the absence. However, Perkins' Javert was truly amazing; he embodied the character and his principles perfectly, the way you could sense his feeling of duty but the scrupulous way he watched Valjean/Madeline and noted the similarities between prisoner and mayor. You could sense his utter confusion after running off in the sewers, and you knew what he was thinking though he did not say another word, throwing himself into the Seine. You understood his character perfectly without him having to necessarily voice his thoughts; his ideal that he was put on earth to serve the law was characterised perfectly. Valjean was portrayed well by Richard Jordan, but the character simply wasn't likable, you sympathised with him in prison, you smiled at his triumphs as Mayor, you understood the various predicaments he faces, but you couldn't bring yourself to like him. The character of Fantine, originally a character of pure tragedy, a symbol of the les Miserables, was reduced significantly. You knew nothing of her past life, her former beauty, her former purity, all you knew was the basics about her and Cosette. This simply was not enough. Marius and Cosette were quite true to the book, their meeting different but with the same meaning behind it. Marius was not explained enough, probably why I liked him (the Original Novel Marius needs to be killed with spoons) and Cosette was sweet enough. The merely was too much of Valjean and Javert (there was more detail of their past than Hugo included-that is truly saying something) and not enough of the rest of Hugo's masterpiece. As a stand alone? 9/10. But in comparison to the original novel? 5/10. So I'll go 50/50 and give it a 7 cause I'm nice.

i first saw this in about 1999 and i thought i was brilliant. i have never read the novel and i haven't seen any other film adaptations but this one is good enough for me. i might watch some other film versions of this in the future just to see how they compare but i think this is really good.FIRST - it doesn't rush into things. it takes it's time to explain why valjean was placed in prison and leads us up to the events to follow TWO - all of the actors are very good, especially the leads, Richard Jordan is superb as Valjean and Anthony Perkins is excellent as Inspector Javert, a very tenacious character who has nothing on his mind but the apprehension of Vajean, so much so he even argues with officers above him to stay on his case.THREE - it's a good chase movie. Every now and then through the film Valjean's freedom is threatened and the viewer has the sense that he may be captured at any time. this effect tends to wear off on repeat viewings but when you see this for the first time it is very suspenseful. this film may be nearly two and a half hours but it isn't boring at all.FOUR - very realistic. i like the way this handles the time periods, not only can you watch the main story and enjoy it but you can get a sense of how things were in the late 18th and early 19th century. in today's terms there was nothing, no cars, no TV or radio, no computers and you get a sense that if you were living in that time period it would be very boring indeed.FIVE - this is so good you don't want it to end. this may sound weird to some but the first time i watched it and i saw the credits coming up i thought, 'is that it?' i didn't realise that it's two hour and 17 minute running time was up, i was so engrossed with it, i realise that javert was dead and so valjean's apprehension was no longer imminent, however, i just feel that it could have gone on a few more years and have him into a few other adventures, perhaps until his death almost.if you haven't seen this, then do so. this gets 10/10