About Marius {Les Mis - SPOILER ALERT}

(70 Posts)
kim147 Sat 19-Jan-13 13:28:24

So all his friends have died. He goes back to his rich life, nice grand wedding paid for by Grandad.

AIBU to think his socialist principles have been shattered sad Which you can't blame him for really.

mrsjay Sun 20-Jan-13 10:34:03

I couldn't take my eyes off his great big rubbery lips.

bless his huge lips he was on jonathan ross last night and he commented on the lips he looked horrified when they showed a clip,

Ruprekt Sun 20-Jan-13 10:36:02

I am loving this thread!

mrsjay Sun 20-Jan-13 10:36:27

Still not sure why he committed suicide though.

go on the other Les mis thread all the les mis geeks grin explained to me why he killed himself

Trazzletoes Sun 20-Jan-13 10:39:01

Eddie Redmayne? No thanks. I'm saving my love for Hugh Jackman and the lad who played Enjolras...

SirBoobAlot Sun 20-Jan-13 11:01:52

Javert killed himself because he has always seen the world as good and bad, black and (red...) white. JVJ stole a loaf of bread, so he was 'bad' and deserved the years he served. When JVJ allows him to escape from the barricades, he says this:

Jean Valjean: [to Javert] We meet again.
Javert: You've hungered for this all your life! Take your revenge... How right you should kill with a knife!
Jean Valjean: You talk too much. Your life is safe in my hands!
Javert: Don't understand.
Jean Valjean: Get out of here.
Javert: Valjean, take care, I'm warning you...
Jean Valjean: Clear out of here!
Javert: Once a thief, forever a thief. What you want you always steal. You would trade your life for mine? Yes, Valjean, you want a deal. Shoot me now for all I care. If you let me go beware, you'll still answer to Javert!
Jean Valjean: You are wrong, and always have been wrong. I'm a man, no worse than any man. You are free! And there are no conditions, no bargains or petitions; there's nothing that I blame you for. You've done your duty, nothing more. If I come out of this alive, you'll find me at number fifty-five Rue Plumet. No doubt our paths will cross again. Go.

This starts Javert's internal conflict, he cannot process that a man he has hunted for so long can let him go when he is 'bad'.

So then when they meet and JVJ is rescuing Marius, and Javert allows him to leave, he throws all his own morals into question - he let a 'bad' man go free. He trusted a bad man to return. He broke the law. But was the law right in the first place?

Javert was born to a woman in jail, and so from an early age has hated the 'cons' for breaking the law. And now he is faced with the possibility that sometimes not only is the law wrong, but that it is the right thing to do to break the law.

Unable to live with the conflict in his mind, and the fact that he may have wronged so many people throughout the years, he throws himself into the river.

I hated Crowe's portrayal of Javert (firstly because he can't FUCKING SING and 'Stars' is one of the best songs from any musical) because he played him so flat. Had the same issue with Norm Lewis in the 25th anniversary concert. Javert is a complex character, who has lived his life as much to escape from his own demons as he has to enforce the law. In the book he is shown to be a very impassioned character, and seeing him played to bland is frankly painful.

Here is the 10th anniversary concert version of Javert's suicide, I think it is the most accurate portrayal of this moment for the man.


And yes, Marius is ridiculous. Though Eddie Redmayne.... Mmm...

TandB Sun 20-Jan-13 11:07:53

I agree about Stars, SirBoobAlot. I was torn between looking forward to it because I love it so much, and dreading it because you just knew you weren't going to get that massive "and those who falter and those who faaaaaaall" note.

TandB Sun 20-Jan-13 11:13:24

Sorry - just sang it in my head and obviously I mean "and those who falter and thoooooose who fall..." grin

But on the subject of Javert - anyone else cringe into a little ball and go "oooourgh" when he hit the edge of the weir?

Our whole cinema did a co-ordinated flinch!

SirBoobAlot Sun 20-Jan-13 11:13:30

DP has never seen the musical, and didn't understand why I was wincing. Had to show him the above clip when we got home to explain.

I know they wanted big stars in it, and as an actor Crowe has the persona to pull off an acceptable Javert (said grudgingly) but as a singer, he is hopeless.

TandB Sun 20-Jan-13 11:54:09

I meant to say that I think my favourite part of the whole film was the bit at the end of the revolution when Enjolras is cornered by the soldiers and then Grantaire walks in, gives him that little wry smile and pushes through the soldiers to join him.

I had a little gulp at that point. I think that sort of thing was on of the places where the film won out over the musical - you had a much better sense of the students and the revolution because you could see the detail of what was going on, and the expressions of the actors.

NoelHeadbands Sun 20-Jan-13 11:56:43

I do think its about time that flouncy shirts and britches had a revival



TandB Sun 20-Jan-13 12:11:38

Yes, yes.

When I figure out a way to shrink Eddie Redmayne so that he can live in my pocket, I will certainly be making sure he is properly clad in britches and flouncy shirt pre-shrinking.

Although his clothes might not shrink and then I'd have a nakey pocket Marius. shock

Isildur Sun 20-Jan-13 12:17:06

Marius and Cosette are very blah in evey production.

I think Eddie Izzard would have made a fabulous Javert grin. He has the eyes.

kim147 Sun 20-Jan-13 12:18:57

Javert's suicide - agree Phillip Quast was perfect in the 10th anniversary. And yes - when he hit that wier.

Bit surprised when Valjean tells Javert that "Marius has done no wrong" - technically not true.

Javert is such a complex character - everytime Valjean and Javert meet, you can feel the complexity.


I was born with scum like you
Men like you can never change
Believe of me what you will
All I did was steal some bread

Every man was born in sin, every man must choose his way

So many issues

TandB Sun 20-Jan-13 12:38:54

So, assuming everyone in question could sing, what would your dream cast be?

I think Alan Rickman might do well with the innkeeper.

ALittleScatterOfRain Sun 20-Jan-13 12:53:18

But when it came to it, Eponine couldn't stand to see Marius hurt could she? That's why she put herself in the way of the bullet, giving him at least a chance to live.

That bit in the book where she says "And by the way, Monsieur Marius, I believe that I was a little bit in love with you." as she's dying makes me well up every time I read it. Poor Eponine sad

I think also that Marius gives up on the revolutionary ideas as he has Cosette. He was wavering between her and the other students before, and now they're not there he can just be with her without feeling guilty for abandoning them.

Sprite21 Sun 20-Jan-13 13:42:47

I have a major crush on Eddie Redmyne ATM, to the point I go all schoolgirl when his name is mentioned. I haven't seen Led Mission yet but can't wait.

Sprite21 Sun 20-Jan-13 13:43:47

Bloody spell check. Les Miserables not Led Mission.

simplesusan Sun 20-Jan-13 14:14:39

I really enjoyed watching Eddie as Marius.
Loved Anne Hathaway's performance too.

SirBoobAlot Sun 20-Jan-13 15:31:48

LOL at "Led Mission".

Arf at Led Mission grin

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