Les Miserables: Cinema Studio Classics Collection DVD Review

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Title: Les Miserables: Cinema Studio Classics Collection

Region: One

Genre: Drama

Stars: Fredric March, Charles Laughton, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Rochelle Hudson, Frances Drake, and John Beal/Michael Rennie, Debra Paget, Robert Newton, Edward Gwenn, Sylvia Sydney, Cameron Mitchell, Eliza Lanchester, James Robertson Justice, and Florence Bates

Writers: W.P. Lipscomb/Richard Murphy

Based On The Novel By Victor Hugo

Directors: Richard Boleslawski/Lewis Milestone

Feature length: 104 minutes/106 minutes

Extras: Still Galleries, The Fugitive & The Pursuer Featurette, Theatrical Trailer

Languages: English Stereo and English and Spanish Language Two-Channel Monaural Sound

Subtitles: English Closed Captions and English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles

Packaging: Amaray Keep Case Within A Cardboard Slipcase

Chapter Stops: 20/24

Sound: Stereo and Two-Channel Monaural Sound

Years of Theatrical Release: 1935/1952/DVD Release: 2007

Theatrical Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox

Home Video Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

“ So long as there shall be Ignorance, Poverty and Wretchedness on this Earth, Stories such as this one must be told.” - Victor Hugo

Les Miserables is a beautiful story because it resonates within the soul. The archetypal characters of Valjean (played by Frederic March in the 1935 version and Michael Rennie in the 1952 version), the ex-convict who rises against all odds from galley slave to mayor after being imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread and the character of Javert (Charles Laughton in the 1935 version and Robert Newton in the 1952 version), the fanatical police inspector who dedicates his life to recapturing Valjean, are both victims of the appalling poverty and social strife of 19^th century France where one is “Guilty until proven innocent.” Quite literally Les Miserables is a story of the fight for humanity in an inhumane bureaucracy that has lost touch with it’s own soul. It is not a state that serves the people, it is a state that is rotting away from within, but appears to be following business as usual from uncaring and apathetic representatives. I can only imagine how much this film resonated in depression era America and I’m sorry to state that it still has relevance today all over the world. Valjean and Javert are the doppelgangers of the story and each in their own way is as much a victim as the other and there is plenty of tragedy to around this tale too.

My preference is for the 1935 version. It is more solemn than the 1952 version, but the message of “Life is to give. Not to take” as so eloquently said by Sir Cedric Hardwicke who commits the selfless act of not only vouching for Valjean, but giving him two valuable candlesticks that remind him of this lesson for the rest of the story and ultimately change his character. Laughton makes his role as Javert so potent that I think despite the actors who have done great jobs with the role that include Robert Newton and Geoffrey Rush, I think Laughton own the character. The 1952 version with Michael Rennie and Robert Newton is interesting for comparative purposes and though somewhat less bleak, has a starker contrast than the 1935 version, but while it was wise to include both on this double sided disc, I think the 1935 version is superior and is the one that comes to mind whenever I think about the story.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has released both versions of Les Miserables with newly restored and digitally cleaned up vault masters to create new high definition versions, which were then downconverted for DVD-Video and are both presented in their original black and white (1.33:1) aspect ratios complete with companion restoration comparisons for each (2:06/1:57) and clear English Two-Channel Monaural Soundtracks. The 1935 version also includes an English Stereo mix while the 1952 edition has a Spanish Language Dubbed Two-Channel Monaural Soundtrack. Both also feature English Closed Captions for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options too. The picture quality especially on the 1935 version is far from perfect, but it is a definite improvement over the 1988 VHS tape.

There are still galleries, a featurette about the historical inspiration for the characters of Valjean and Javert (18:37), and the theatrical trailer for the 1952 version is included too (2:40). The menus for both editions are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate. An insert with liner notes for each film is included within the keep case and the case itself comes in a cardboard slip with artwork that reminded me a bit of the kind of artwork The Criterion Collection might have used had this been released by Fox through them. Les Miserables: Cinema Studio Classics Collection is available on DVD-Video now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

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