MovieChat Forums > Les Misérables (1935) Discussion > Interesting interpretation of Javert's c...

Interesting interpretation of Javert's confession

posted 11 years ago by MrDeltoid77
3 replies | jump to latest

In the other versions I have seen, 1952, 1992 and 2012, when Javert confesses to Madelaine that he doubted his background and thought he was Valjean, it seemed that it was a ploy . He told him about the mistaken convict who was going to be sentenced in an effort to spot guilt or set him up.

Laughton seemed genuinely distressed and ashamed when he confronted Madelaine. I found this interpretation much more interesting and definitely excellent acting by Laughton.

I really like this version.

[–] Sid-Blitzen 11 years ago

I would be more inclined to believe that Javert's distress is genuine. He sincerely believes in the letter of the law, and so would presumably be as hard in judging himself as in judging others.

[–] jmarkoff2 10 years ago

For me there has never been any doubt that Javert (in all versions of the story) was sincere in his apology to the Mayor, and that the humiliation of knowing he had deferred to an escaped convict was one of the main reasons for his hatred of Valjean ever afterwards.

[–] greystudies 8 years ago

It was never a ploy but a sincere confession. The only time it was legitimately a ploy was in the 1952 version with Robert Newton. In the novel, sand all other versions I've seen (21 in all) it wasn't a ploy.