Les Misérables (2000 miniseries)

Les Misérables (English: "Wretched") is a 2000 French television miniseries based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo and starring Gérard Depardieu, John Malkovich, Christian Clavier and Virginie Ledoyen in main roles. A European co-production, it was broadcast in four ninety-minute parts. As in the novel, the storyline follows the adult life of Jean Valjean (Depardieu), an ex-convict pursued by police inspector Javert (Malkovich) and raising young Cosette (played as an adult by Ledoyen). The adaptation makes large changes to the novel throughout, adding many subplots that were not present in the original story and radically altering characterizations. Some of the changes include adding a subplot where police inspector Javert goes undercover as a student in Marius's law school, and reimagining Cosette's maid Toussaint as a large mute male ex-convict manservant who eventually steals from Jean Valjean.