Les Misérables is a 2012 British epic romantic musical period drama film produced by Working Title Films and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film is based on the musical of the same name by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg which is in turn based on the 1862 French novel by Victor Hugo. The film is directed by Tom Hooper, scripted by William Nicholson, Boublil, Schönberg, and Herbert Kretzmer, and stars an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne. The title literally translates to The Miserables or The Miserable Ones.
Plot[]
The film tells the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who, inspired by a kindly bishop, decides to turn his life around. He eventually becomes mayor of a town in France and owner of a factory in that town. He is always alert to the risk of being captured again by police inspector Javert, who is ruthless in hunting down law-breakers, believing they cannot change for the better. One of Valjean's factory workers, Fantine, blames him for her being cast into a life of prostitution. When she dies, he feels responsible and agrees to take care of her illegitimate daughter, Cosette — though he must first escape Javert. Later, when Cosette is grown, they are swept up in the political turmoil in Paris, which culminates in the Paris Uprising of 1832.
Cast[]
Main Characters[]
- Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a Frenchman released from Toulon prison after 19 years of imprisonment for stealing bread and four failed attempts for escaping from the prison. He breaks parole to begin a new life and redeem himself.
- Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert, a police inspector who releases Valjean on parole, then later dedicates his life to hunting him down to imprison him again after he breaks parole.
- Anne Hathaway as Fantine, a struggling factory worker and mother of her illegitimate child, Cosette. She is eventually forced to turn to prostitution to pay for her child.
- Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine who has grown into a beautiful teenager under Valjean's care and falls in love with Marius.
- Isabelle Allen as young Cosette.
- Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier, a common thief who is also an innkeeper. He is also the father of Éponine and along with his wife looks after Cosette as a child.
- Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier, the unscrupulous innkeeper's wife who, along with her husband, houses and abuses Cosette until Valjean "buys" her from them after Fantine's death. She is also the mother of Éponine. Hooper collaborated with Bonham Carter in The King's Speech, in which she portrayed Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Bonham Carter and Cohen previously co-starred in the film adaptation of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
- Samantha Barks as Éponine, the destitute daughter of the Thénardiers who is friends with and secretly pines for Marius. Barks previously played the role at the 25th Anniversary concert and in the West End production from 2010–2011. Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Evan Rachel Wood and Lea Michele were reportedly considered for the role.
- Natalya Angel Wallace as young Éponine.
- Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy, a student revolutionary who is friends with the Thenardiers' daughter, Éponine, but falls in love with Cosette. To prepare for the role, Redmayne took singing lessons.
- Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, the passionate leader of a student revolt and a friend of Marius.
- Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche, a streetwise urchin who helps the revolutionaries.
Supporting Characters[]
- Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop of Digne, a man who gives Valjean shelter in his church and becomes Valjean's inspiration to become a good man. Wilkinson was the original Jean Valjean in the West End and Broadway musical productions.
- Frances Ruffelle as a prostitute. Ruffelle portrayed the original Éponine in the West End and Broadway musical productions.
- George Blagden as Grantaire, a student revolutionary who idolises Enjolras. He is constantly drunk, often delivering his own somewhat depressing philosophy to the other students.
- Killian Donnelly as Combeferre, the philosopher of the ABC society.
- Fra Fee as Courfeyrac, the friendly and open student who introduces Marius to the ABC society.
- Alistair Brammer as Jean Prouvaire, the youngest student member of the ABC society. Brammer previously played the role at the 25th Anniversary concert.
- Hugh Skinner as Joly, a student of medicine.
- Gabriel Vick as Feuilly, the only member of the Friends of the ABC who is not a student.
- Stuart Neal as Lesgle, the eldest among the ABC society and is known to have the worst luck.
- Iwan Lewis as Bahorel, a good-humoured member of the Friends of the ABC and the first member of his group to pass away.
- Bertie Carvel as Bamatabois, a young gentleman who tries to buy Fantine's services and is responsible for her arrest.
- Adam Pearce as Brujon, the brutish and cowardly but dissatisfied member of Thénardier's gang.
- Marc Pickering as Montparnasse, a young member of Thénardier's Gang, who appears to be close to Éponine.
- Michael Jibson as Foreman, the foreman of the factory in which Fantine works and is fired from.
- Hadley Fraser as the Army General of the National Guard.
- Actors playing smaller roles: Filippo Delaunay, Gareth Snook, Samuel J Weir, Ashley Artus, Lynne Wilmot, Kelly-Anne Gower, Julia Worsley, Jonny Purchase, John Barr, Nikica Markot, Emmy Misheva, Ryan Laskey, Stevee Davies, Jos Slovick, Mary Cormack, Linzi Hateley, Sara Pelosi, Alice Fearn, Alison Tennant, Josef Altin, Caroline Sheen, Gemma Wardle, Katy Secombe, Gina Beck, Adebaya Bolaji, Alexia Khadime, Hannah Waddingham, Daniel Evans, Katie Hall, Adam Searles, Jamie Muscato, Nancy Sullivan, Tabitha Webb, Jacqui Dankworth, Clare Foster, Adrian Scarborough, Kerry Ellis, Alison Jiear, Mark Donovan, Robyn North, Matt Harrop, Sean Ward, Jackie Marks, Alea Young, Bradley Barnes, Sophie Hutchinson, Matthew Corner, Lily Laight, Olivia Rose Aaron, Kerry Ingram, Phil Vaughan, Iain Wallace, Mike Johnson, Jason Rowley, John Brymer, Victoria Melanie Ryan, and Andy Coxon.
- Cameo appearances: Cameron Mackintosh, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Michael Le Poer Trench and Marie Zamora.
Production[]
Attempts to adapt a Les Misérables film from the stage musical have taken place since the late 1980s. In June 2011, from a screenplay by Nicholson, production of the film officially began with Hooper and Mackintosh serving as director and producer, and the main characters were cast later that year. Principal photography commenced in March 2012, and took place in various English locations, including Greenwich, London, Chatham, Winchester, Bath and Portsmouth; as well as in Gourdon, France.
Release[]
Les Misérables premiered in London 5 December 2012, and was released 25 December 2012 in the United States, 26 December 2012, in Australia, and 11 January 2013 in the United Kingdom.
Reception[]
The film received generally favorable reviews, with many critics praising the cast, and Jackman, Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks being the most often singled out for praise. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Jackman and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Hathaway. It also won four British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), including the Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Hathaway). It received eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture (the first musical nominated since 2002's winner Chicago) and Best Actor for Jackman, and won three, for Best Sound Mixing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Supporting Actress for Hathaway.
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