Les Misérables (2012 film)

Les Misérables (2012 film)
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Name	Les Misérables
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Tom Hooper
Producer	Cameron Mackintosh, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Based on	Novel by Victor Hugo; musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg
Starring	Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter
Music	Claude-Michel Schönberg (score), Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics), additional by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer
Cinematography	Danny Cohen
Editing	Melanie Oliver
Studio	Working Title Films, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.
Distributor	Universal Pictures
Released	December 25, 2012
Runtime	158 minutes
Country	United Kingdom, United States
Language	English
Budget	$61–79 million
Gross	$441.8 million

Les Misérables (2012 film) is a 2012 epic musical drama directed by Tom Hooper and adapted from the stage musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, itself based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. The ensemble cast includes Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter. Filmed in the United Kingdom and released by Universal Pictures, the production sought to blend theatrical vocal performance with cinematic realism, generating significant box office success and awards attention.

Plot

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, the narrative follows ex-convict Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who breaks parole and seeks redemption while pursued by Inspector Javert. Influenced by the mercy of Bishop Myriel, Valjean assumes a new identity and becomes a factory owner and mayor in Montreuil-sur-Mer, where he encounters Fantine, a young worker driven into destitution and prostitution. After Fantine's death, Valjean vows to care for her daughter Cosette, who is mistreated by innkeepers the Thénardiers. Years later, revolutionary students, including Marius Pontmercy, Grantaire, Enjolras, and others, organize an uprising in Paris; intertwining love, sacrifice, and justice culminate at the barricades where personal destinies converge. Themes trace social inequality, law, mercy, and revolution influenced by events such as the June Rebellion and cultural memory of Napoleonic Wars aftermath.

Cast

The principal cast features established and stage-trained performers. Jean Valjean is portrayed by Hugh Jackman, and Inspector Javert by Russell Crowe. Fantine is played by Anne Hathaway, while Cosette is portrayed by Amanda Seyfried and young Cosette by Isabelle Allen. The student revolutionaries include Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy, Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, Samantha Barks as Éponine, and Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the opportunistic Thénardiers, Monsieur and Madame. Supporting roles and ensemble performers draw from West End and Broadway talent, integrating actors with credits in productions such as Les Misérables (musical), Porgy and Bess, and other major stage works.

Production

Development involved producers Cameron Mackintosh, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner adapting the long-running musical for the screen, collaborating with director Tom Hooper, who had recently directed The King's Speech. Screenplay revisions balanced fidelity to the stage score by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyricist Herbert Kretzmer with cinematic storytelling. Principal photography took place at studios and locations across the United Kingdom, with production design evoking 19th-century Parisian streets and military barracks informed by historical studies of urban layouts and barricade construction. Hooper employed handheld cinematography under director of photography Danny Cohen to create intimacy during musical performances. Notably, actors sang live on set to prerecorded piano tracks coordinated by the music department, diverging from standard post-dubbing; vocal production was overseen by vocal producers and musical directors with experience on West End and Broadway productions.

Music and Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack adapts the original musical score composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg with English lyrics credited to Herbert Kretzmer and contains orchestration and arrangements tailored for film by arrangers associated with major theatrical recordings. Performances feature solos such as "I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home," "On My Own," and ensemble numbers like "One Day More," all presented within cinematic mixing emphasizing diegetic vocal performance. The soundtrack release by Universal Music Group and associated labels included vocal cuts and orchestral suites; commercial reception placed the soundtrack high on international charts and led to certifications in multiple territories.

Release and Box Office

Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film premiered on December 5, 2012, at the Odeon Leicester Square before a wide release in the United States and United Kingdom on December 25, 2012. Marketing campaigns referenced the stage production's legacy and the awards-season momentum established by productions such as The King's Speech and Chicago (2002 film). With a production budget reported between $61 million and $79 million, Les Misérables grossed approximately $441.8 million worldwide, performing strongly in Europe, North America, and Australia, and becoming one of the highest-grossing musical films of the early 21st century.

Reception and Accolades

Critical reception was mixed to positive, praising certain performances and cinematography while debating choices in musical staging and vocal technique. Anne Hathaway received widespread acclaim for her portrayal of Fantine and won multiple awards including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film earned nominations across major ceremonies including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and BAFTA Awards, securing honors for acting, sound mixing, and production design. The adaptation sparked discussions in outlets covering film and theater regarding fidelity to the original Les Misérables (musical) and the translation of stage conventions to cinematic form.

Category:2012 filmsCategory:Musical filmsCategory:Films based on novels