Victor Hugo’s classic tale of relentless persecution and redemption has had many big screen, small screen and theaters adaptations, the most recent being the Broadway smash musical “Les Mis” and the 1998 feature film, “Les Miserables,” starring Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush.
Now French director Josee Dayan gives us an original TV mini-series version of “Les Miserables,” airing on The Fox Family Channel, Sunday, Jan 7, at 7 p.m. ET.
The difference this time is in the casting and the tremendous performances of Gerard Depardieu as Jean Valjean, the petty thief-turned-respected citizen and John Malkovich as Javert, the police inspector who pursues Valjean.
The action begins when Valjean, a poor hungry French peasant, steals a loaf of bread to feed himself. Valjean is caught and jailed for a lengthy time. In prison, he endures Javert’s continuous beratement, who believes Valjean can never be cured of his criminal ways. Still, the ex-convict tries to rebuild his life and reclaim his dignity despite the relentless pursuit of the merciless police inspector.
As the years pass, Valjean becomes a successful businessman and dedicates his life to helping the poor. At this point, he finds himself helping one of his employees, Fantine. He discovers that she has left her daughter, Cosette (Virginie Leydoyen), in the care of a cruel innkeeper. As Fantine is dying, Valjean promises her that he will find and look after Cosette.
However, once he finds Cosette, Valjean breaks his parole and must run from Javert with Cosette. As she grows, Cosette longs for a normal life, especially after she falls in love with a young baron, Marius (Enrico LoVerso).
Gerard Depardieu (“102 Dalmatians“) leads the cast as the bitter Jean Valjean, on the run from the pain of his past. As Valjean strives to create a new life under a new name, he discovers a newfound humanity and develops an overwhelming sense of justice. Depardieu is perfectly suited for this role because he captures Valjean’s fierce nature with his powerful presence, yet he is able to soften his style to express the humanitarian transformation the character experiences.
John Malkovich (“Being John Malkovich“) flawlessly plays Javert. There’s something mesmerizing about Malkovich and the way he captures the true essence of every character he portrays. His electrifying performance draws you into the action and keeps you immersed in the malevolence of his character. His moments on the screen are truly what make this miniseries worth watching.
Leydoyen’s (“The Beach“) lends fine support as Cosette. Her scenes with Depardieu have a touching father-daughter quality and seem especially true-to-life as she develops a sense of independence and longs for a life of her own.
While other adaptations may have been better, the essence and beauty of Hugo’s story comes alive in this miniseries. The hands of fate take the story from rags to redemption and from romance to rescue as the action comes to a climax with a series of encounters that capture the essence of mercy and honor. It is certainly worth the four hours, if you can spare it.
