I accept the generous reviews below, but in my view this is hardly a masterpiece. Many vital elements of the novel are left out (e.g., the late appearances of Thenardiers), which considerably lessen the emotional impact of the story. Yet the film lavishes attention on minor scenes in the novel, such as the Marius-Cosette wedding.
The movie is interesting for historical reasons however. France was deep in the depression in 1934, and the French film industry must have been very short on funds, yet it mounted a costly and beautiful expressionist production. (The threat from Nazi Germany must have also drawn government funds from the arts to armaments.)
I also found some of the acting melodramatic, in the silent-film era style. Young Cosette seems to be looking off-camera for direction about what to do. Yet I also found Baur occasionally wooden as Valjean.
I am not enamored of the novel because the unabridged original is vastly long-winded, redundant, and needing an editor. Still, it packs a huge emotional impact several times over 1450 pages. The only similar emotional release in this movie is when Valjean embraces Cosette at the very end, which is a cheap, largely unearned way to engage the audience.
The movie is interesting for historical reasons however. France was deep in the depression in 1934, and the French film industry must have been very short on funds, yet it mounted a costly and beautiful expressionist production. (The threat from Nazi Germany must have also drawn government funds from the arts to armaments.)
I also found some of the acting melodramatic, in the silent-film era style. Young Cosette seems to be looking off-camera for direction about what to do. Yet I also found Baur occasionally wooden as Valjean.
I am not enamored of the novel because the unabridged original is vastly long-winded, redundant, and needing an editor. Still, it packs a huge emotional impact several times over 1450 pages. The only similar emotional release in this movie is when Valjean embraces Cosette at the very end, which is a cheap, largely unearned way to engage the audience.