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Les Misérables
1925 History / Drama
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Credits
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Director: Henri Fescourt
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Script: Arthur Bernède, Henri Fescourt, Victor Hugo (novel)
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Photo: Raoul Aubourdier, Léon Donnot, Georges Lafont, Karémine Mérobian
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Cast: Gabriel Gabrio (Jean Valjean),
Paul Jorge (Monsigneur Myriel),
Sandra Milovanoff (Fantine),
Andrée Rolane (Cosette,
child),
Jean Toulout (Javert),
François Rozet (Marius),
Paul Guidé (Enjolras),
Charles Badiole (Gavroche),
Maillard (Gillenormand),
Clara Darcey-Roche (Mlle Baptistine)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 359 min; B&W; silent
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Summary
Having served a prison sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean’s attempt to
start a new life is frustrated by his parole officer, Javert. Adopting an assumed
name, Valjean becomes a successful business man and mayor of a town before allowing himself
to be arrested. He escapes from prison and adopts Cosette, the young daughter of
a brutal factory worker, Thénardier. Years later, Cosette falls in love with
a revolutinary, Marius...
Review
Of the numerous film adaptations of Victor Hugo’s celebrated work, Henri Fescourt’s four
and a half hour epic is reputed to be the finest, remaining doggedly faithful to the original
novel in terms of both content and atmosphere. The film is divided into four parts:
(1) L’Évasion de Jean Valjean, (2) Fantine et Cosette, (3) Marius
, and (4) L’Épopée de la rue Saint-Denis. Visually and
dramatically, this is a work of genius, featuring a magnificent performance from Gabriel
Gabrio, arguably the best Jean Valjean in the history of cinema.
© James Travers 2002
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