IMDb RATING
6.8/10
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A parole violator in early 19th Century France is relentlessly pursued and persecuted by an obsessive policeman.A parole violator in early 19th Century France is relentlessly pursued and persecuted by an obsessive policeman.A parole violator in early 19th Century France is relentlessly pursued and persecuted by an obsessive policeman.
Robert Adler
- Valjean's Coachman
- (uncredited)
Leon Alton
- Courtroom Spectator
- (uncredited)
Merry Anders
- Cicely
- (uncredited)
Roger Anderson
- Revolutionary
- (uncredited)
Charlotte Austin
- Student
- (uncredited)
Frank Baker
- Judge
- (uncredited)
George Barrows
- Gendarme
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaElsa Lanchester, who plays Madame Magloire, was married to Charles Laughton, the Etienne Javert of the 1935 version of Les Misérables (1935).
- GoofsAs part of his prison sentence, Jean Valjean and his fellow convicts are used as galley rowers aboard a ship. France discontinued this practice in 1748, more than half a century before this story takes place. The use of the term "galley" as slang for prison continued in France, hence its use in the original novel upon which this film is based, which may have led to confusion among English speakers when adapting the story.
- Quotes
Etienne Javert: I pride myself on being a good officer.
Jean Valjean: That's very good. Only I'm afraid you'll get little practice here, Inspector Javert. We're a quiet town.
Etienne Javert: I have heard this, yet there is crime everywhere, monsieur.
Jean Valjean: And filth also if one looks hard enough.
Featured review
LES MISERABLES (Lewis Milestone, 1952) ***
Watchable version of the oft-filmed Victor Hugo tale: made by the same studio (Fox), it emerges as a wholly inferior remake of the superb 1935 version – which I reviewed earlier this month. Despite Milestone’s involvement, this one displays more surface gloss than genuine style – with the script itself being much more prosaic. Still, there’s an intermittent evidence of talent throughout – for instance, in the rather effective final shot which frames the mirror image of the protagonists between the all-important candlesticks; also worth noting is the score by Alex North which, particularly at the climax, feels like a dry run for his Oscar-nominated work on SPARTACUS (1960).
Michael Rennie and Robert Newton are fine actors, but their performances here are no match for Fredric March and Charles Laughton in the earlier film; though Newton is remarkably restrained, his role has been somewhat diminished to accommodate the sappy romance involving Debra Paget and Cameron Mitchell! Besides, it’s compromised by the loss of two small but important scenes from the 1935 version which, in this case, robs the character of essential depth: a) when Javert is humiliated by his peers for his lowly background, and b) when he blackmails newly-appointed Mayor Jean Valjean, a former convict, in his office; unbelievably, it substitutes the first by having Javert’s own father serve a prison sentence on the galley to which he’s himself assigned!
Other conceptual flaws include: Edmund Gwenn’s pivotal role of the Bishop, which comes off as whimsical alongside Cedric Hardwicke’s haunting turn in the earlier film; Valjean is depicted as an illiterate who receives schooling from the intellectual played by Joseph Wiseman (his Method approach feels out of place in a 19th century French setting!); Javert’s conscience-stricken demise here is, disconcertingly, brought about by his brief conversation with James Robertson Justice (as Valjean’s right-hand man); missing from the narrative, though, is the poignant character of Eponine (whose role gave a plausible melancholia to the romantic angle in the 1935 film).
Ultimately, I wouldn’t call the 1952 LES MISERABLES unnecessary, considering that it’s made with undeniable professionalism and the fact that countless other film versions have followed it; perhaps, the late eminent critic Leslie Halliwell summed it best in his claim that it’s “lacking the spark of inspiration”.
Michael Rennie and Robert Newton are fine actors, but their performances here are no match for Fredric March and Charles Laughton in the earlier film; though Newton is remarkably restrained, his role has been somewhat diminished to accommodate the sappy romance involving Debra Paget and Cameron Mitchell! Besides, it’s compromised by the loss of two small but important scenes from the 1935 version which, in this case, robs the character of essential depth: a) when Javert is humiliated by his peers for his lowly background, and b) when he blackmails newly-appointed Mayor Jean Valjean, a former convict, in his office; unbelievably, it substitutes the first by having Javert’s own father serve a prison sentence on the galley to which he’s himself assigned!
Other conceptual flaws include: Edmund Gwenn’s pivotal role of the Bishop, which comes off as whimsical alongside Cedric Hardwicke’s haunting turn in the earlier film; Valjean is depicted as an illiterate who receives schooling from the intellectual played by Joseph Wiseman (his Method approach feels out of place in a 19th century French setting!); Javert’s conscience-stricken demise here is, disconcertingly, brought about by his brief conversation with James Robertson Justice (as Valjean’s right-hand man); missing from the narrative, though, is the poignant character of Eponine (whose role gave a plausible melancholia to the romantic angle in the 1935 film).
Ultimately, I wouldn’t call the 1952 LES MISERABLES unnecessary, considering that it’s made with undeniable professionalism and the fact that countless other film versions have followed it; perhaps, the late eminent critic Leslie Halliwell summed it best in his claim that it’s “lacking the spark of inspiration”.
helpful•199
- Bunuel1976
- May 28, 2007
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Jean Valjean
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $267,787
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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