REVIEW LES MISERABLES FILM (2012)
Before reaching its glory as it is today, European countries – in this paper, especially France
– used to have to go through various processes of struggle. Les Misérables (2012) is an adaptation
film of the musical drama by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (1985), based on Victor
Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862). Despite being a historical fiction genre, through Hugo's
personal experience, this film depicts the conditions of life in post-revolutionary France (1789),
precisely during the Bourbon Restoration (1815 – 1830) (Frederick, 1929) and the beginning of the
July Monarchy (1830 – 1848). Weak law enforcement and the lack of freedom for the majority of
the people at that time moved Hugo to write a story, which was partly inspired by a former founder
and detective agent who helped form the Police de Sûreté in France, namely Eugene Francois
Vidocq (Ros, 2017). Furthermore, Les Misérables was directed as a sharp political critique,
especially of the governments of Louis Philippe and Napoleon III.
The storyline of Les Misérables centers on the transformation of the life of Jean Valjean, an
ex-convict who gets a 19 years prison sentence. Initially, his crime, stealing bread for his nephew,
earned him five years sentence, but the remaining years resulted from his escape attempts. Then, he
was released on parole under Inspector Javert's supervision, a man who believes that people like
Valjean do not nor can never change. After his release, Valjean almost gets caught again by the local
police on suspicion of stealing silver. Fortunately, a Bishop protects him and says that Valjean will
use the silver to transform into a moral person. Haunted by his past, Valjean repents and takes on
the name Madeleine, a factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. Valjean's involvement in
Fantine's (factory worker) personal life reveals his past to the point that Javert realizes his true
identity. As an escape attempt, he and Cosette (Fantine's child) migrate to Paris, where Cosette
meets Marius, a Republican and member of "Friends of the ABC." The association plotted an
uprising against Louis Philippe's constitutional monarchy for violating political and civil rights. The
death of General Lamarque, who was identified as a defender of the poor working class, catalyzed
the uprising known as the June Uprising of 1832.
Les Misérables interpret love, courage, dignity, sacrifice, struggle and redemption. To
support her child, Fantine gave up her dream and lost herself by engaging in prostitution; a song
called I Dreamed a Dream reflects the despair well. In addition, the Bishop's protection of Valjean
without judging his past creates hope and a realization of his worth and potential. The Bishop's
actions convey the impression that regardless of the complexity of life, recognition of one's dignity
can encourage one to transform for the better. Even when individuals have received their
punishment, many scenes in Les Misérables still explicitly carve out the denial of human dignity if
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Before reaching its glory as it is today, European countries – in this paper, especially France
– used to have to go through various processes of struggle. Les Misérables (2012) is an adaptation
film of the musical drama by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (1985), based on Victor
Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862). Despite being a historical fiction genre, through Hugo's
personal experience, this film depicts the conditions of life in post-revolutionary France (1789),
precisely during the Bourbon Restoration (1815 – 1830) (Frederick, 1929) and the beginning of the
July Monarchy (1830 – 1848). Weak law enforcement and the lack of freedom for the majority of
the people at that time moved Hugo to write a story, which was partly inspired by a former founder
and detective agent who helped form the Police de Sûreté in France, namely Eugene Francois
Vidocq (Ros, 2017). Furthermore, Les Misérables was directed as a sharp political critique,
especially of the governments of Louis Philippe and Napoleon III.
The storyline of Les Misérables centers on the transformation of the life of Jean Valjean, an
ex-convict who gets a 19 years prison sentence. Initially, his crime, stealing bread for his nephew,
earned him five years sentence, but the remaining years resulted from his escape attempts. Then, he
was released on parole under Inspector Javert's supervision, a man who believes that people like
Valjean do not nor can never change. After his release, Valjean almost gets caught again by the local
police on suspicion of stealing silver. Fortunately, a Bishop protects him and says that Valjean will
use the silver to transform into a moral person. Haunted by his past, Valjean repents and takes on
the name Madeleine, a factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. Valjean's involvement in
Fantine's (factory worker) personal life reveals his past to the point that Javert realizes his true
identity. As an escape attempt, he and Cosette (Fantine's child) migrate to Paris, where Cosette
meets Marius, a Republican and member of "Friends of the ABC." The association plotted an
uprising against Louis Philippe's constitutional monarchy for violating political and civil rights. The
death of General Lamarque, who was identified as a defender of the poor working class, catalyzed
the uprising known as the June Uprising of 1832.
Les Misérables interpret love, courage, dignity, sacrifice, struggle and redemption. To
support her child, Fantine gave up her dream and lost herself by engaging in prostitution; a song
called I Dreamed a Dream reflects the despair well. In addition, the Bishop's protection of Valjean
without judging his past creates hope and a realization of his worth and potential. The Bishop's
actions convey the impression that regardless of the complexity of life, recognition of one's dignity
can encourage one to transform for the better. Even when individuals have received their
punishment, many scenes in Les Misérables still explicitly carve out the denial of human dignity if
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