#les mis commentary

[myxcenterxstage]

Les Mis Commentary - 1935 Film

Okay! So what did I spend my evening doing instead of much-needed draft writing? Watch the 1935 film version of Les Miserables!

Okay, even though I’m nowhere NEAR to even having read a QUARTER of the Brick, from what I know of the plot they were totally inaccurate in a number of places. A lot was glossed over too.

But that’s understandable as it’s probably humanly impossible for anyone to cram 1400+ pages of blood, sweat, & tears into a 105-minute film that isn’t rushed & complete rubbish. 

JVJ & the Bishop were AMAZING, Javert was seriously law-obsessed (he probably said that word 25+ times), Fantine was so pretty, LITTLE COSSETTE IS SO FREAKING CUTE, Thernardiess scared me, Where is Gavroche?, Marius is a dork(but a cute one), E P O N I N E omg her actress is so pretty, Enjoras only got like 5 lines & 15 seconds of screen time - because why??

Fantine spat in JVJ’s face in the confrontation scene! (which sadly wasn't as epic as I’d hoped, & she was still WAY too well dressed if it was supposed to be when she was arrested after the snow incident... but, that’s understandable because this is the 30s)

For a film made in the early cinema... that, in like, 20 years WILL BE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO (feel old yet?)... I AM REALLY AMAZED BY THE CINEMATOGRAPHY!!! The costumes were really great (though historically inaccurate in the 3rd act) & the background sets were really great! 

I especially loved the horse chase scene leaving montreuil sur mer! (I’m yet to confirm if it’s book-accurate, but it was nonetheless entertaining!)

 [spoiler alert] Eponine’s death was so rushed & I’m sorry I laughed at how flat it was. 

The very very ending was a dud but the last 10 minutes before that seriously made my cry. I am still wiping tears from my eyes just typing this and thinking about it.

The actor who played Jean Valjean was really hot okay, gosh am I such trash I now have a slight crush on him??? *flops*

I am now going to bury myself under the blankets and eat ice cream while I cry over the precious loving cinnamon roll Jean Valjean is... JUST SOMEBODY GIVE THIS MAN A BREAK ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!

#Happiness4JeanValjean2k16

Overall, a beautifully filmed adaptation. For real Les Mis fans, I’d give the fair warning for its lack of accuracy - but if you’re into old black & white films, I highly recommend it for the sake of its cinematography & entertainment!

Also if you’re a fangirl I shall also warn you it will leave you crushing on the actor who plays JVJ XD

[hockpock]

He heard nothing more forever. Nothing from them ever reached him again; he never beheld them; he never met them again; and in the continuation of this mournful history they will not be met with any more. - page 73, on Valjean's sister and the nieces/nephews he stole bread for

Re I'm sure this is supposed to be tragic but it reads to me as "Oh them? they were plot devices. don;t worry about them. you get 50 pages of the goodness and foibles of the bishop of digne but these cardboard cutouts are just out of the story. Moving on!"

[hockpock]

'he had never known a 'kind woman friend' in his native parts'

Are these native parts  his hometown or his pants parts? translation is a tricky business.

[elfsongs]

Guys just think of what would have happened if the Les Amis had gone to an ikea for barricade furniture. It would have come with easy to follow directions and there would be such a butt-ton of it the barricade would be nuclear-blast-proof.  I am not kidding guys it's really too bad that there wasn't an ikea next door to the Musain....Could have saved lots of time...And strangers' furniture