DVD Review: Les Miserables (2018)

Les Miserables
(DVD Les)

I consider Les Miserables to be one of the greatest books ever written. Set in France after Napoleon has been exiled, this is the story of ex-convict Jean Valjean who had been imprisoned for 19 years and sentenced to hard labor for a minor theft. When released, Jean Valjean is met with distrust and hatred wherever he goes until he happens to meet the good Bishop Monseigneur Bienvenu. The Bishop treats Jean Valjean with kindness and mercy, showing him the path to redemption through love and forgiveness. Even after Jean Valjean repays the good Bishop by stealing from him, the bishop shows him mercy when brought back by the police, then gives him his costly silver candlesticks, telling Jean Valjean “You belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from the spirit of perdition and I give it to God!” From that moment on, Jean Valjean is a changed man. He learns to repent, to show mercy to others and to love his fellow man. The story follows Jean Valjean through his life as he is pursued by one of the police (Javert) who knew him when he was a prisoner. This 2018 BBC production of Les Miserables was shown on Masterpiece Theatre in 2019. It is one of the best productions I have ever seen of this book with a fine cast and stunning visuals. I have seen many productions of this over the years, but this one is by far the best and truest to Hugo’s classic story of love, repentance and redemption. This deserves to be seen.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the novel Les Miserables (I previously reviewed it for BookGuide), the soundtrack to the Les Miserables musical, or The Hunchback of Notre Dame (also by Victor Hugo).] [Also available in traditional print format.] [ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official BBC 2018 Les Miserables web site ]

See Kim J.’s review of the novel Les Miserables, on BookGuide in November 2005

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!