Maybe the darkest and most artistic version. Very sad, very heartbreaking. It is book-faithful as possible, and has a wonderful cinematography. It has a lot of adorable little Brick moments.
Lino Ventura's Valjean is the only one who rivals Jean Gabin's. He's a very good choice for this role. A real actor, not a star. And I cried for him. The end is even more sad than in the book. He dies totally alone, in a ghost-house. The last scene evokes the first - but this time Javert says: "You are free now." (Or something like it, my French is limited.)
Javert is also great. The only thing I miss is the sideburns, but the actor has his personality. He's cold, always calm, always honest. Not your usual "bad guy" interpretation. No, Javert was not a bad guy. His end proves it. (Besides, it was beautifully directed - you see him write the letter and then you only see his hat, his coat and his nightstick at the parapet...)
Thénardier is okay, but he doesn't seem really evil, just misfortunated. Mme Thénardier is book-like, and yay! she dies in jail, and Éponine steals the crucifix from her hand. (Brilliant little scene.) Cosette is so... well... cold. Like she had no feeling. It's not a surprise such a girl forgets Valjean... Marius is quite okay, at least he isn't ugly, but his hair is totally '60s. Enjolras has an EARRING(!) and is black-haired, but pretty. Courfeyrac is win. Combeferre has red beard and glasses, and looks like my ideal Colline (from Puccini's La Bohéme). Grantaire exists, drinks, and dies together with the others. Gavroche is perfect, and sings Little People! in French. Really! Éponine is ugly and miserable, isn't emo, and is pretty book-like. Azelma... exists. Fantine has dark hair, but otherwise she's OK, her transformation is quick, but artfully done. Nuns are OK. Fauchelevent too. (No graveyard scene, however.)
Maybe the most beautiful scene is the first attack. It's a long, silent scene in slow-motion, with a sad music. It seems Peter Jackson stole a LOT from this...
Hossein is a great director. This is the only Les Mis version that is actually an art movie, not just an adaptation.
Absolutely worth watching, but beware, very, very depressing.
Lino Ventura's Valjean is the only one who rivals Jean Gabin's. He's a very good choice for this role. A real actor, not a star. And I cried for him. The end is even more sad than in the book. He dies totally alone, in a ghost-house. The last scene evokes the first - but this time Javert says: "You are free now." (Or something like it, my French is limited.)
Javert is also great. The only thing I miss is the sideburns, but the actor has his personality. He's cold, always calm, always honest. Not your usual "bad guy" interpretation. No, Javert was not a bad guy. His end proves it. (Besides, it was beautifully directed - you see him write the letter and then you only see his hat, his coat and his nightstick at the parapet...)
Thénardier is okay, but he doesn't seem really evil, just misfortunated. Mme Thénardier is book-like, and yay! she dies in jail, and Éponine steals the crucifix from her hand. (Brilliant little scene.) Cosette is so... well... cold. Like she had no feeling. It's not a surprise such a girl forgets Valjean... Marius is quite okay, at least he isn't ugly, but his hair is totally '60s. Enjolras has an EARRING(!) and is black-haired, but pretty. Courfeyrac is win. Combeferre has red beard and glasses, and looks like my ideal Colline (from Puccini's La Bohéme). Grantaire exists, drinks, and dies together with the others. Gavroche is perfect, and sings Little People! in French. Really! Éponine is ugly and miserable, isn't emo, and is pretty book-like. Azelma... exists. Fantine has dark hair, but otherwise she's OK, her transformation is quick, but artfully done. Nuns are OK. Fauchelevent too. (No graveyard scene, however.)
Maybe the most beautiful scene is the first attack. It's a long, silent scene in slow-motion, with a sad music. It seems Peter Jackson stole a LOT from this...
Hossein is a great director. This is the only Les Mis version that is actually an art movie, not just an adaptation.
Absolutely worth watching, but beware, very, very depressing.