Les Misérables (1933)
Directed by Raymond Bernard

Film Review

Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables, regarded by many as the most important literary work from France, has provided the source for numerous film, television and theatrical adaptations. Arguably the greatest, most ambitious of these was Raymond Bernard 1933 film, a monumental work which conveys not just the scale of Hugo's epic novel, but also its intimacy and unfaltering humanity.   The spectacular barricade scene in the last third of the film is one of many examples where Bernard skilfully combines his formidable technical and artistic skills.  That sequence includes one of the most effective battle scenes of any film from this era of cinema, yet the sense of tragedy it carries is overwhelming.  The death of Gavroche feels like a knife blow to the heart.

That Bernard was influenced by German expressionism is evident not just in the stark, angular studio sets, but also in the widespread use of shadow and oblique camera angles to add a sense of disorientating, inhuman menace (techniques later adopted by film noir directors).  In terms of technical sophistication and production values, this film was way ahead of its time and it still feels surprisingly modern, particularly the last third of the film, which used extensive location filming to great effect.

The original version of this film ran to just over five hours, although it was most widely distributed in various cut-down versions.  Currently, the film is available in a near-complete form (running to around four and half hours) and a cruelly truncated, two and half hour version.

This film boasts probably the best cast list of any film adaptation of Hugo's novel, with some of the biggest names in French cinema in the early 1930s.  Harry Baur is the definitive Jean Valjean - not only does he have the physical presence, dominating any scene he appears in, but he conveys with extraordinary subtlety the inner turmoil of a man who has his faith in humanity tested time and again.  There's a touching vulnerability to this Valjean, which hits home in the film's most poignant sequence at the very end of the film.  It is not hard to see why some consider Harry Baur to be one of the greatest actors of all time.

Whilst Harry Baur's performance is the thing that most holds our attention, it is worth mentioning the significant contributions from his fellow cast members.  Charles Vanel makes a pretty sinister Javert, an effective metaphor for the system that ruthlessly persecutes men and women for committing minor sins with the compassion and sensibility of a cold piece of machinery (in some scenes, Javert stands in the background, stiff and upright, not unlike a guillotine). As the film's principal bad guys, the notorious Thenardier duo, Charles Dullin and Marguerite Moreno manage both to entertain and provoke sympathy - at first they appear to be there for comic relief, but they end up being as tragically drawn as most of the other secondary characters, sad victims of an unfortunate period in history.  Josseline Gaël is enchanting as the grown-up Cosette, although it is the scenes with the young Cosette (played by Gaby Triquet) that are more memorable. As the ill-fated Fantine, Florelle is spellbinding, even if her performance is more theatrical than cinematic.  From Valjean to Cosette, from Marius to Eponine - every character in this film is richly drawn and beautifully acted.

If you had to watch just one film version of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, a version that is imaginatively photographed, exciting, uplifting, yet charged with pathos and humanity, it would have to be this faultless adaptation by Raymond Bernard,  a superlative example of 1930s Frrench cinema.

Film Synopsis

Jean Valjean leaves jail, having served a 15-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, a hard and bitter man.  The kindness of a bishop sets him on a new course, however, and eight years later he has become Monsieur Madeleine, a respected mayor and industrialist.  His past suddenly catches up with him when he is recognised as the former convict and is nearly arrested for breaking parole by Inspector Javert.   Valjean flees again, in order to keep his promise to one of his factory workers, Fantine, to adopt her young daughter, Cosette, who is currently in the care of the innkeeper Thenardier.  Years later, Cosette has fallen in love with Marius, a student of law who has joined a group of radicals intent on supporting a republican uprising.  Still hunted by Javert, Valjean risks his own life to bring Marius and Cosette together…