i be surprise at see how highly regard this version of victor hugo classic novel be . true and it very faithful to the book ( even if unavoidably leave some thing out ) and but that about it only virtue . victor hugo do not call his story le misérables for no reason . he want to point out and denounce misery and it cause and consequence . but nothing of that be in this film version . it seem a lot like a 1950s hollywood romance movie and a mgm musical and or in the best of case and something along the line of the trapp family . everybody look too healthy and clean and well feed and and more middle class than poor and and the dark aspect of the plot have be eliminate ( with the result of one of my favorite part of the story and the fall of fantine into the low level of humiliation in order to get money for her daughter and be totally absent from the film ) . i expect the character to start singing and dance in any moment . a for the cast and the only one i really like be silvia monfort a eponine and who give the character a very welcome mundane feel . jean gabin lack energy a valjean and with result of make his more active scene ( specially the one when he liberate himself from the chain to save the life of a fellow prisoner and and the one where he free himself again and this time from thénardier and his other captor ) seem false and almost laughable . bernard blier and with his inexpressive face and be a weak javert and and the fact that this character be criminally underdeveloped doesn not help either . the rest of the cast be adequate enough and with the exception of fantine and who be just plain awful and and seem right out of mervyn leroy little woman . fantine role have be reduce to just a cameo and and i have not decide if this be a good or bad thing and because the interpretation of the character couldn not be more wrong . there be also too much use of an unnecessary voiceover narration that hurt more than enhance the story . overall and it all lack hugo main point and and and despite the almost textual faithfulness to the book and i would have prefer that it have change more of the plot but have staid truer to the central theme and than this and the other way around . i can not rate this film high than 4/10 . for a masterful adaptation that truly do the book justice and check the brilliant robert hossein version star lino ventura a valjean .