Les Misérables 1978

Jean Valjean Richard Jordan is introduced through a harsh, unforgiving start in Toulon Prison, where his strength under pressure—demonstrated when he helps free a man crushed under a boulder—sparks the attention of Javert Anthony Perkins. The escape that follows comes after Valjean saves another convict from danger, and the film keeps a tight, linear pace as it traces the arc of a man shaped by cruelty and survival. A pivotal encounter with a kindly Bishop Myriel Claude Dauphin changes everything: the bishop provides shelter and forgiveness after Valjean steals silver, and his subsequent kindness convinces Valjean to choose a different path. The moment is framed as a moral turning point, with the bishop’s quiet declaration about redemption echoing as a instruction and a vow.

Valjean’s transformation unfolds quickly into a new identity. He becomes a successful businessman, leveraging the Toulon-bead manufacturing technique to build a fortune and later assuming the name Madeleine to serve as the town’s mayor. Javert rises to lead the local police and remains fixated on the possibility that Madeleine is the escaped convict Valjean, even as Madeleine’s public success seems to contradict his past. The story’s empathetic thread deepens when Fantine [Angela Pleasence] is brought into relief; Valjean intervenes to shield her from punishment, and Javert witnesses another remarkable act of strength as Valjean saves a man trapped beneath a cart. The tension between mercy and the insistence on justice drives the conflict, culminating in Javert’s bitter denunciation, and then a dramatic misidentification that temporarily sends another man to prison in Valjean’s stead. Valjean must reveal himself in Arras to secure the release of the innocent, an act that redefines his obligation and his fate.

Upon returning home, Valjean faces the consequences of his dual life. He strives to comfort Fantine as she dies, while learning that the Thénardiers have been exploiting Cosette. Javert presses for his arrest, and Valjean escapes once again, though the price of mercy weighs heavily. He secures Cosette’s freedom by ransoming her from the Thénardiers, offering not only money but a sense of safety and a doll that becomes a symbol of care. The pair flee to Paris, where the gardener—an ally Valjean rescued earlier—arranges a discreet life for them in a convent, and Cosette begins a life of schooling and growth under the care of the community.

As Cosette grows into a young woman, a new romance emerges that will shape the film’s second act: she and Marius fall in love at first sight. Marius [Christopher Guard] enters quietly, drawn to Cosette through a shared moment in a public garden, and their connection is confirmed by the aftermath of encounter as the couple’s future becomes a focal point for both their families and the broader political tensions of the era. Marius seeks support from his grandfather Gillenormand [John Gielgud], who proves wary of radical ideas and the relationship that could bind Cosette to Marius. The radicals’ banner rises in Paris, and a barricade is erected, pitting the insurgents against the established authorities. Gavroche [Dexter Fletcher], the streetwise urchin, becomes a crucial courier, and the hidden role of Javert is exposed by Enjolras, who orders Javert to be arrested if the barricade holds against the government’s assault.

Valjean’s choice to intervene at the barricade marks a turning point of mercy over vengeance. He pleads with Marius to abandon the militants, while Gavroche, faithful to the cause, carries messages and ultimately falls to gunfire. Enjolras grants Valjean permission to kill Javert, but the mayor chooses mercy instead, echoing the bishop’s creed about the purchase of a soul for God. The rescue effort continues as Marius is wounded, and Valjean carries him through the sewers to escape the pursuing soldiers. Javert, confronted with Valjean’s act of mercy, faces a crisis of conscience and, unable to reconcile the day’s events, ends his life by leaping into the Seine.

The film closes on a quieter note than the barricades would suggest: Cosette and Marius marry, and the wedding is held with a small circle present—Valjean and Gillenormand among the few who attend. The story’s emotional heart is Valjean’s unwavering fidelity to Cosette and his ongoing commitment to living a life of mercy, even as the world around him trembles with revolution and upheaval. The cast—led by the enduring performances of John Gielgud as Gillenormand, Ian Holm as the Thénardier, and Claude Dauphin as the Bishop—provides a streamlined, character-driven incarnation of a vast, complex saga. The result is a narrative that remains faithful to its core themes—redemption, love, sacrifice, and the moral cost of a life lived for others—while presenting them through a concise, chronological lens that emphasizes human resilience and compassion.