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. It was broadcast in four ninety-minute parts. 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 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.

The original French language broadcast was critically acclaimed and is considered one of the best television adaptations, especially in its home country of France. However, the truncated three-hour English version was derided for bad acting and is considered very poor. The producers opted to co-film entire scenes in English, instead of using dubbing. The largely French ensemble struggled to deliver solid performances in English. The Italian dub, while considered great for the other characters, was strongly criticized for the very low quality dub of the character Marius, who was not dubbed by a professional dubber or voice-actor but by the same actor who, ironically, portrayed the character in the original version, and was never redubbed since then (what makes it even more ironic is the fact that the supposed actor, Enrico Lo Verso, not only was Italian but failed to dub even himself).

Cast
• Gérard Depardieu as Jean Valjean

• Christian Clavier as Thénardier

• John Malkovich as Javert

• Virginie Ledoyen as Cosette

• * Léopoldine Serre as Cosette enfant (child)

• Enrico Lo Verso as Marius Pontmercy

• Charlotte Gainsbourg as Fantine

• Asia Argento as Éponine Thénardier

• * Julia Portoghese as Éponine (age 9–11)

• Veronica Ferres as Madame Thénardier

• Jeanne Moreau as Mère Innocente

• Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Soeur Simplice

• Vadim Glowna as Fauchelevent

• Steffen Wink as Enjolras

• Jérôme Hardelay as Gavroche

• Michel Duchaussoy as Gillenormand

• Otto Sander as Monseigneur Bienvenu

• Christopher Thompson as Courfeyrac

• Franck Tordjman as Prouvaire

• Jérome Rebbot as Bahorel

• David Podracky as Grantaire

• François Hadji-Lazaro as Toussaint

• Sophie Milleron as Azelma Thénardier

• Maxime Leroux as Champmathieu

• François Négret as Claquesous

• Dominique Besnehard as Gueulemer

• Yves Penay as Babet

• Stephan Midaven as Montparnasse

• Patrick Bordier as Brujon

• Artus de Penguern as Chabouillet

• Dominique Zardi as Cochepaille

• Patrick Lambert as Chenildieu

• Vincent Schmitt as Bamatabois

• Enguerran Demeulenaere as Petit Gervais

• Denis Podalydès as Scaufflaire

• Babsie Steger as Fantine's friend

Home media
• ; France

• DVD release: November 8, 2000

• Feature length: 360 minutes

• Language: French, no subtitles

• Discs: 2

• ; United Kingdom

• DVD release: September 20, 2004

• Feature length: 171 minutes

• Language: English

• Discs: 1

• ; United States

• DVD release: June 29, 2011

• Feature length: 180 minutes

• Language: English

• Discs: 1