Les Misérables (1982 film)

Les Misérables
	Film poster
Directed by	Robert Hossein
Produced by	Dominique Harisparu; Sophie von Uslar
Written by	Alain Decaux; Robert Hossein; Victor Hugo
Starring	Lino Ventura
Music by	André Hossein; Michel Magne
Cinematography	Edmond Richard
Edited by	Martine Barraqué; Sophie Bhaud
Distributed by	GEF-CCFC
Release dates	<templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> 20 October 1982; ; ; ; ;
Running time	200 minutes
Country	France
Language	French

Les Misérables is a 1982 French drama film directed by Robert Hossein. It is one of the numerous screen adaptations of the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. It was entered into the 13th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Special Prize.^[1]

Cast

The film starts with Valjean's release from prison, which is followed by the opening credits and then jumps to the presentation of the bishop, which is beginning of the novel.
Javert is shown (though not named) in the opening scene, the book introduces him in Montreuil.
Fantine is introduced in Montreuil, her former life in Paris is left out.
Fantine dies of her illness before Javert arrives to arrest Valjean. In the book, it is the shock of realizing that Cosette did not arrive and Javert telling her Valjean's real identity that kills her.
Valjean is not sent back to the galleys, he manages to escape Javert after Fantine's death.
Valjean's escape from the convent in a coffin is cut out.
Valjean dies alone and without ever having seen Cosette again, making his death even more tragic. Cosette and Marius arrive the fraction of a second too late.
The last scene is a flashback to Valjean's release from prison, with a minor change in dialogue: The first time, Javert says: "You are free."; the second time, it's: "Now, you are free."

Valjean's arrival in Digne is lengthily depicted, we even see him going into the townhall to have his passport signed.
Petit-Gervais is included
We see Valjean lifting the cart off Fauchelevent and we also learn that he sent him to the convent in Paris afterwards.
One of the few adaptions, that does not change the names of the three convicts who recognize Valjean (Brevet, Chenildieu and Cochepaille) and in which Valjean proves his identity in the same way as he does in the book.
Valjean leaves the convent for the same reason as he does in the book.
The attack in the House Gorbeau is included and takes place in nearly exactly the same way as it does in the book.
The romance between Marius and Cosette takes place nearly the same way as in the book.
Javert's letter to the Prefect is read aloud by Javert as we see him taking the coach towards the bridge.
Valjean confesses his true identity to Marius after the wedding and dies of grief at the end.
Most dialogue is taken word for word from the book.
While some scenes are anachronistic (e.g. the prison), the overall impression is a very dark and sinister one, fitting the book very well.

Robert Hossein also directed the original 1980 Paris production of the musical: this film and the musical are the only adaptations, where Fantine dies before Javert's arrival; the falling of the barricade is depicted in very slow motion as it is in the musical and Gavroche's song "C'est la faute à..." is sung to same melody in this film as it is in the musical.
The actor who plays Chenildieu in this adaption plays Cochepaille in the 2000 miniseries.

v t e Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Characters	Jean Valjean Javert Fantine Cosette Marius Éponine Enjolras Gavroche Thénardiers Bishop Myriel Patron-Minette Friends of the ABC
Film adaptations	1909 1917 1925 1934 1935 1948 1952 1958 1978 1982 1995 1998 2012
Concerts	1995 2010
Other adaptations	Musical Radio Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette Jean Val Jean
Television adaptations	1974 telenovela 2000 miniseries 2014 telenovela
Songs and soundtracks	Songs from Les Misérables "Do You Hear the People Sing?" "I Dreamed a Dream" "On My Own" "One Day More" "Suddenly" Les Misérables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack