Les Misérables (1978)

each adaptation is a new lecture of book. and revelation. the revelation of this Les Miserables remains Richard Jordan. at first sigh, he does a great job. at the second , he creates a character who use the traits of Jean Valjean to remind the values of a profound metamorphosis. because the lead character of the novel is the bishop Myriel. he is the maker of the war new rules between Valjean and Javert. and Claude Dauphin has the science to give the precise portrait of the noble priest. Anthony Perkins choose a frozen Javert. not a bad idea but the character remains, in many scenes, only a sketch. the film has the virtue to be a nice introduction before reading of book. and this does it real good.

I saw this television version of the Victor Hugo classic when I was a teen. I was so impressed by it that I then read the book. Years later, I saw the play (second row, center) and have seen several other movie versions--including the very long French version from the 1930s. So, it can be said that I am a HUGE fan of this story. Now, decades later, I wanted to finally re-watch my first experience with "Les Miserables" to see if it was as good as I remembered it.The made for TV movie stars Richard Jordan as Jean Valjean and Anthony Perkins as the incredibly dogged Inspector Javert. Originally, the film was a two-part mini-series but somehow over the years it has been spliced town to about two hours--which is a real shame. The cuts are not terrible but tend to make the film a bit more episodic than it should be--especially since "Les Miserables" was a very lengthy novel. I won't discuss the plot, as most out there are familiar with the story and others have already discussed it in their reviews. Overall, the film is quite good--with exquisite music and acting. My only complaints are minor. There were some changes in the original story (I am a purist and always want stories to stick to the book)--such as having Valjean being an escaped prisoner instead of being a parolee who 'jumped parole' (a minor difference) as well as a few missing subplots. But for a made for TV film, it's exquisite--such as the adaptations of the Dumas novels starring Richard Chamberlain or "The Scarlet Pimpernel" with Anthony Andrews. It's a darn shame that American television isn't making films like this any more. With the abundance of reality TV programming and other mind-rot, we are a poorer society as a result. Well worth seeing--but try to read the book, it is magnificent.

Perhaps more watchable than the better known recent version with Liam Neeson, this made for TV adaptation of Hugo's classic novel makes for interesting viewing. Those familiar with the musical will note that many episodes not used for set pieces in that adaptation are here, with the effect that this plays like a slightly different story. The emphasis here is on forward story momentum rather than moments of high drama, and the cat-and-mouse story of Javert's pursuit of Valjean moves along at a fair clip. The period look is less lush than in the more recent version, but convincing and appropriate on its own, and the performances of Richard Jordan as the harried Valjean who wants only to do good, and of Anthony Perkins as the relentless and uncompromising Javert are spot on. Les Miz is a great story that can be effectively adapted any number of ways and the choices made here were good ones.

This is my favorite version of all the movies. Very good! Anthony Perkins is wonderful as the obsessed policeman and Richard Jordan seems as thought this part were written just for him. This version focuses more on Jean Valjean than his daughter which I personally liked. This version covers most of what the musical just blows through. The Version with Liam Nieson focuses more on the relationship with Jean Valjean and his daughter Cosette. This is a movie worth watching over and over again, however, you need to give it your full attention or you won't like it. It is sad in parts but shows what can happen to a person who is determined to succeed. A great rags to riches story.