Les Mis?rables: So, what did you think?

[Jordan Catalano]

Does anyone know what Fantine and Valjean die from? I've always wondered.

[best12bars]

Fantine has consumption (aka tuberculosis). I can't remember what Valjean has.

[Jordan Catalano]

I figured it was TB. Valjean just seems to die for no reason all of a sudden.

[ashley77]

Fantine dies from tuberculosis.

I always figured that Valjean's death was more symbolic--he finally has someone to take care of Cosette, and he can finally die and be at rest. The practical thought is that he got an infection from dragging Marius through the **** in the sewers and died from it lol

[Jordan Catalano]

Ah yes. The symbolic shlt death.

[best12bars]

I think Valjean is just old, or at least old enough to die from natural causes back then, especially after spending 19 years in prison.

[Jane2]

I think Wikipedia said Fantine died from unnamed disease.

[Jordan Catalano]

He symbolically ate one of Minnie's pies.

[best12bars]

I noticed Ann Hathaway's hospital gown had bloodstains near the neckline when she was in bed, as if she had been coughing up blood.

(What a horrible disease to die from.)

[PapaGe]

In the novel Jean Valjean dies of starvation after Marius evicts him once Valjean confesses to having been a convict. I think in the movie they tried to show him suffering a heart attack just after leaving Marius's house. On stage it's usually just attributed to old age, maybe following the trauma of carrying a young man through the sewers (since he's played as older on stage than he was in the movie).

[GatorNY]

If there had been universal health care in Paris, Fantine could have met Satine from Moulin Rouge at the TB clinic.

[Jordan Catalano]

I just wish they had pulled her front teeth out so that she would have looked like a jack-o-lantern, just to add some humor to the film.

[ashley77]

Saw the movie this afternoon and loved it immensely. Agree with everyone about Anne (she deserves every single bit of hype) and that most of the supporting cast were excellent (the children especially were perfectly cast. Gavroche stole his scenes). Russell Crowe worked for me ultimately, mainly because of his acting choices, and I felt sympathetic towards him. I think Javert can easily be played like a Disney villain, but I thought Crowe brought subtlety to the role. Amanda's voice was far more offensive to my ears, but she did look beautiful, so there is that.

I thought Hugh Jackman was utterly committed and convincing, even if his voice wasn't perfect. I hope he gets an Oscar nomination, and I don't think anyone else of his fame level could have done that role any more justice.

Colm was perfect. I loved the addition of the Bishop at the end, bringing things full circle.

The person that struck me the most (besides Anne) was Eddie Redmayne. I've never seen him in anything before and came out a true believer. Also, the close-ups did wonders for him, and his face was absolutely striking. My brother-in-law summed it up in the car: "you look at him and think 'what a weird looking guy', but by the end of the movie you think he's the most attractive fellow in the world." LOL the power of freckles, I suppose.

[GatorNY]

I didn't remember the teeth pulling in the stage version. Is it in there? Anne's teeth were crazy during Fantine's Death.

[SporkGoddess]

Valjean dies of a broken heart. He just loses his will to live after Marius forbids him to see Cosette. He stops eating and taking care of himself.

Fantine sells her two front teeth in the novel but not the stage version.

[sabrelady]

I *think* Fantine's COD is TB. Many literary characters died from it. ;D9

I checked the novel and ValJean just stops eating and gets weaker after Cosette marries. Kinda a passive suicide to hide his convict status from her and prevent her from the stain of association w a convicted felon. ( is there such a thing as an unconvicted felon?)

this is on the final page of the novel

He sleeps. Although so much he was denied
He lived; and when his dear love left him, died.
It happened of itself, in the calm way
That in the evening night-time follows day.

[SporkGoddess]

Oh, and Fantine dies from what is most likely TB. They call it a "lung disease" in the novel. They say that it was incubating in her and the snowball down her dress (right before she gets arrested) caused her to stop perspiring, which caused the disease to manifest in full force.

[Jane2]

'Also, the close-ups did wonders for him, and his face was absolutely striking. '

During his closeups I was wishing the camera would pull back, lol. From a distance, I thought he was much better looking . (I had never seen him before).

[ashley77]

Ha, he does have an odd face, but I thought by the end of it that it was quite interesting and strangely beautiful. It could be because I thought he was wonderful in the role, and I love freckles.

[ACL2006]

well, on RottenTomatoes.com, the audience rating is at 83% with over 66,000 people summitting some kind of review. That's pretty solid so far.

[Jane2]

I agree. And I believe he modeled also.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

He symbolically ate one of Minnie's pies.


HAHAHA I can't...

[Idiot]

Saw it this afternoon and loved it. Pretty much everything I've heard people bitching about didn't bother me.

Of note: an audience member brought a tattered flag and waved it at the 'act break' and during the finale. Though horribly obnoxious, the audience seemed to appreciate it. Made me smile.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

^ That's aggressive.

[GatorNY]

Anybody else have audience members clapping after iconic scenes? There was enthusiastic applause after several of the numbers...but no overall standing ovation at the end...which I have never seen at a film. I myself clapped at the end if I Dreamed a Dream, just like if I was at the Imperial or at the Broadhust *The Broadway Theater for this show was before me time!"

[My Oh My]

^ That's awesome and funny at the same time. XD

It's wonderful that people could lose themselves in the film like that. It's funny that they're clapping for actors that can't hear them, hehe!