Les Misérables

Fight. Dream. Hope. Love. And weep uncontrollably. Actually, it was more of a continual leak out of my right eye, rolling down my cheek. And the odd snuffling intake of breath.

Yes it is wonderful. Not perfect, but truly wonderful. And I have been humming many of the songs since I saw it this weekend. Over and over. It is a family joke that my husband, The Squire, has been whistling the anthem on and off for 20 years since we saw the musical in Toronto. And now he has started up again. Oh, well...

Quick history of Les Mis for those who need it. A French historical novel written by Victor Hugo in 1862, it was turned into a musical in Paris in 1980 where it ran for only 3 months. Translated into English, it opened in the West End of London in 1985 where it originally was panned by critics but immediately embraced by audiences.

Beginning in 1815, Jean Valjean is finishing a lengthy prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his sister's children. He eventually becomes a force for good after an encounter with a kind Bishop, but is continually confronted with his dark past because he is pursued by Inspector Javert over a period of almost 20 years and ending just after the Paris uprising of 1832 .

The rest of the story you all know right? He helps Fantine who has taken to the streets to pay for her daughter Cosette's room and board with the terrible Thénardiers. After Fantine dies, Valjean finds Cosette and adopts her. They lead an itinerant life trying to stay away from Javert but constantly helping those in need. Cosette grows up and falls in love with student activist Marius (who Éponine has her eye on) well...here is the Wikipedia link for the full summary.

What you need to know is that the acting is superb. The singing is mostly wonderful and very surprising considering most of the cast are actors and not singers. The film draws you into the story and the emotion much more than the stage production can. It is long, but it is just so well done, I didn't mind the length.

I will say that extra kudos must go to Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and surprisingly, Eddie Redmayne for both acting and singing. The two children playing young Cosette and Gavroche are also truly brilliant. Samantha Barks played Éponine onstage and is both marvelously talented and in possession of the smallest waist I have ever seen.

So yes, Les Misérables is well worth seeing. Director Tom Hooper is on a run now (The Damned United, The King's Speech and now Les Mis). And might I add that Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are hilarious as the evil Thénardiers. HBC could have used clothes out of her own wardrobe for this role. Actually, I am sure those little round sunglasses were hers. Or did she just lift them from the set?

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing a song of angry men?

It is the music of a people

Who will not be slaves again!

When the beating of your heart

Echoes the beating of the drums

There is a life about to start

When tomorrow comes!

Enjoy!!!

My Week With Marilyn 2011

My Week With Marilyn

I finally just saw My Week With Marilyn and I have to say I enjoyed it thoroughly. Based on two books by Colin Clark they recount his experience as a 23 year old working on the set of the film The Prince and the Showgirl in London England in 1956. The first one was a diary of his time on the set (The Prince, the Showgirl and Me) and the second (My Week With Marilyn) an account of 9 days in the middle of this job when he got a little closer to Marilyn than most people did. Whether you believe his account or not it makes for a captivating film.

Michelle Williams as Marilyn

Michelle Williams is luminous as Marilyn Monroe. I can't imagine any other actress more accurately capturing the essence of the ups and downs that were Marilyn. The still pictures don't do her acting justice.

Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier

Kenneth Branagh is also particularly brilliant in the role of Sir Laurence Olivier. If you look at trailers of the real Olivier in the film The Price and the Showgirl, you realize what a great job he did. He was born to play Olivier. There is a great story about the young Kenneth Branagh writing to Sir Laurence Olivier to ask for some acting advice. The link to the interview is here. It explains the reverence Branagh has always had for SLO.

Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark

Eddie Redmayne was the perfect choice for the star struck young Colin Clark, using his family connections to Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh to break into the film industry. Memory being what it is, Colin Clark had obviously embellished his own importance in this story, however that is what Hollywood does anyway, so just sit back and enjoy this version of what happened on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl.

Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike

I know it is hard to find an English film these days without Judi Dench starring, but in this case it made sense to cast her as Dame Sybil Thorndike. Dench had actually met Dame Sybil many decades ago and has very fond memories of her. This made her peculiarly apropos to have her play the friendly yet feisty elderly actress. I enjoyed her immensely.

There are a plethora of other British actors sprinkled through the film. Michael Kitchen, Emma Watson, Jim Carter, Zoe Wannamaker, Domenic Cooper...the list goes on.

I liked the film and I hope you will too. It is a little peek behind the curtain of film making and it is beautifully filmed in many of the original locations. And to conclude, here is a peek at the trailer of the original film, The Prince and the Showgirl. Very 1950s!