Les Miserables Review
by Tim Voon (stirling AT netlink DOT com DOT au)October 1st, 1998
LES MISERABLES 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
2 :-) :-) out of 4, for a difficult adaptation
Cast: Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, Claire Danes, Hans Matheson
Director: Bille August Producers: James Gorman, Sarah Radclyffe Screenplay: Rafael Yglesias based on the novel by Victor Hugo
>From the start, I knew that this adaptation of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables was going to be difficult. The 1000 plus English translation of this French novel, which I read several years ago, was not going to be easy to relay to screen.
For someone who has had no prior knowledge of this great accomplishment in modern literature, watching this movie may be confusing. The motives behind why certain characters react/act come across clearly on the written page, but is watered down to basic facts without clear reasoning, in two hours of film footage. For example, why can’t the Inspector Javert stop hunting down the reformed convict, Valjean? Why does Javert commit suicide in the end? These are all unanswered actions that a first time viewer is left lingering with at the end of the movie. For this very reason, it is almost impossible for any film to fully capture the finer intricacies of this expertly woven piece of art.
Other annoying happenings, which fans of Les Miserables may notice, is how the relationship between Valjean and the prostitute, Fantine, is thinned down to a lunch over cheese and wine, a passing touch and connotations that there was something romantic lingering in the air. If this was the case, it left me with as much romantic inclination as a wingless bee attempting to pollinate the flowers. The villainous scoundrels, the Thenardiers, are also quickly brushed aside due to time constraints; most criminal off all, was the total emission of Eponine, the silent heroine who sacrificed herself for love.
Perhaps if they added the music of the theatrical production of Les Miserables, all could be forgiven; without the music, this adaptation of Les Miserables seems empty and lifeless, somehow missing the heartbeat of the revolutionaries – and unfortunately – I don’t hear the ‘people sing, singing the songs of angry men.’
The cast is well chosen. Liam is big and believable enough to be the immensely strong Valjean. Geoffrey Rush, throws all he has to bring out the best and worse in Javert and is very good in the role. The whispy beauty, Uma Thurman, works best when she is dying, looking pale and forlorn. Whilst Clare Danes is charming as the young Cosette. As I alluded to earlier, Les Miserables works best as a musical, pure acting, unfortunately, serves only to keep the story afloat.
Timothy Voon
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