Jean Valjean, a Frenchman imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a police officer named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France. Summary written by Tim Kearns {tskearns@aol.com} Jean Valjean is paroled from prison after serving 19 years at hard labor for stealing food. He is taken in for the night by a kindly Bishop, whose silverware he steals on his departure. When he is caught with the silverware, the bishop not only does not press charges, he also gives Valjean his silver candlesticks. With this start, Valjean reforms and becomes the mayor and head businessman in a small town. But when former prison guard Javert is transferred to become police captain and recognizes Valjean, his past life comes back to haunt him. Meanwhile, Fantine, one of Valjean's employees, has had a baby (Cosette) out of wedlock and is dismissed from her job while Valjean is away; when he finds this out (far too late), he takes responsibility for them. Summary written by Jon Reeves {jreeves@imdb.com} In France, the poor are planning a revolution. Jean Valjean is an ex-convict who tore up his prison papers confirming him a free man. Several years after his parole, he is a mayor. He is forced to fire the over-stressed Fauntine, who is forced to become a prostitute to support her waif-like daughter. After a rough beating in the streets, Fauntine is almost sent to prison but Jean bails her out and supports her. Inspector Javert is catching up with his, discovers his identity and tries to follow him. Fauntine dies traumitically, she writes a note agreeing that Jean takes her child. He rescues young Cosette from the evil, theiving landlord and his wife and they sneak into Paris. For years they lived in the church and finally ten years later they spend Valjean's hard earned money from his past. Cosette soon falls in love with a revolutionary in the streets, they all soon get wrapped up in a battle between the rich and the starving, which, sadly, has faulty results.

release year: 1998

star(s): Claire Danes    Uma Thurman