Les Miserables (1952)

In the desperate grip of poverty, Jean Valjean, a man of inherent goodness, succumbs to survival instincts and steals a loaf of bread to feed a starving family. This minor misstep, however, leads to a heavy sentence of ten grueling years of hard labor as a galley slave. Amidst the harsh realities of his punishment, Valjean finds unexpected mentorship from a fellow prisoner who teaches him to read and write, and encounters Javert, an unyielding policeman born of convict parents. Upon his release, Valjean struggles with the societal stigma of being an ex-convict, finding refuge only in the home of a compassionate bishop. In a misguided act of repayment, Valjean steals the bishop's silver plate, leading to his capture by the authorities. The unexpected forgiveness and kindness of the bishop, who claims the stolen plates were a gift, triggers a profound transformation in Valjean. He assumes a new identity, becoming a respected factory manager and eventually the mayor of a small village. However, fate brings him face-to-face with his past in the form of the newly-promoted Javert, who has been assigned as the village's chief inspector. Oblivious to Valjean's true identity at first, Javert's strict adherence to the letter of the law brings them into conflict. When a vulnerable homeless man is wrongfully accused of being Valjean, the guilt-ridden ex-convict reveals his true self to the court and the suspicious Javert. This sets the stage for a relentless chase, as Valjean is forced to abandon everything he has built and once again flee with his adopted daughter, pursued by the dogged Javert. This consuming pursuit of justice, stretching over several years, becomes the central battle of their lives, painting a poignant picture of moral ambiguity and human resilience.

Les Miserables is an adventure movie featuring Michael Rennie and directed by Lewis Milestone.

It is possible to buy Les Miserables on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.