Jean Valjean (March) is a convicted thief on the run from a merciless police officer (Laughton). The thief has managed to build himself a new life, which the officer threatens to bring tumbling down. Then the French Revolution occurs. The movie is beautifully filmed on old-fashioned Hollywood stage sets. March, a great actor, unfortunately at times seems as if he is in a silent movie, which this film was only a few years away from. Laughton is at his most sadistic as Inspector Javert. Most of the rest of the cast acts in a a very dated manner. Fortunately, the focus is almost completely on March and Laughton, whose constant cat and mouse game still works its magic today. For film buffs. All others can watch one of the more recent film adaptations.
Review of Les Misérables
