A solid, serious, and straightforward dramatic adaptation—but not a musical.

The success of any Les Misérables adaptation rests on the shoulders of its Valjean and Javert. In 1998, the casting choices were unconventional yet inspired, steering the film away from the saintly caricatures sometimes found in stage productions.

: The production design and costumes emphasize the squalor of 19th-century France, highlighting the themes of social inequality and the struggles of the lower class.