MovieChat Forums > Les Miserables (1978) Discussion > The classic versions made in the 30's we...

The classic versions made in the 30's were better

posted 16 years ago by pbrushb
2 replies | jump to latest

I enjoyed this movie. I think it is a colorful reproduction of the epoch (early XIXth century France) and the acting was very good. However, I feel the time devoted at the beginning of the movie to Jean Valjean at the Toulon jail is a bit long. Valjean in the book is duly freed after spending 19 years in jail and Javert starts tracking him down not because he escaped but because of the theft of a coin from Little Gervais, an itinerant chimney sweeper which happened just after the encounter with the bishop. I can understand however why the shorter modern versions aren 't always entirely faithful to the original story. I still prefer the two versions made in the 30's in black and white.

[–] OmegaWolf747 15 years ago

Did the 30s versions follow the book more faithfully?

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"House. My room. Can't walk. My medal. My father. Father, don't!"

[–] fiwen1 14 years ago

The 1935 English version strayed further from the book, but the 1933 French version is the best version of Les Mis on film, and is possibly the most faithful. However, even with the latter half being rather abridged this is still the best English language adaptation. Maybe not the best film, but a better adaptation than 1935/1998.