Darlings, This Is "The Anne Hathaway/Fantine Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 
                              As was planned for yesterday, Monsieur and I saw "Les Miserables."  We saw it under the best conditions, at Manhattan's premier show place, the Ziegfeld Theatre, whose gigantic screen and sound system, plus my propensity for always (at the Ziegfeld!!!!) sitting fifth row on the aisle, made us feel we were part of the action.  Though the theater was full, it was not packed, being the biggest movie theater in Manhattan, (a former legit house, seating 1500!!!) so no one sat in front of us, the result being like a private screening.  Which is how it should be.

                              But I know what you want to hear, girls, so let's go!!!!!!!!!!

                              When the musical version of "Les Miserables" opened on Broadway, at the Broadway Theatre, on March 12, 1987 (and I saw it the following night, March 13!!!!!!!!!!!) a quote from Frank Rich's review stuck (and sticks today still!!!!!) in my head.  He said, "Randy Graff....delivers Fantine's go-for-the-throat ballad, "I Dreamed A Dream," like an actress being handed a show stopper, rather than a pathetic woman in ruin."

                              Well, forget that now, honeys!!!!!!!!!!  Because, with Anne Hathaway as Fantine, you get the pathetic woman in ruin, and then some!!!!!!!!!!  I never thought I would be defending a change of song placement in a movie, but the decision to move "I Dreamed A Dream," from where it is in the stage show (Fantine being fired from the factory!!!!) to where it is here (after she has experienced the degradation of being a prostitute) is brilliant.  She starts the song softly, a cappella, which is arresting, but, I am telling you, when she went into "I dreamed a dream in time gone by," the tears started pouring down my cheeks.  They are, just writing this now!!!!  And when she got to "As they turn your dream to shame," the phrase, her voice, the look of naked emotion on her face was so palpable, I WAS Fantine myself, and began sobbing outright!!!!!  Good thing no one was sitting near me!!!!!!!!!

                                Anne Hathaway does not just play Fantine, darlings, she IS Fantine!!!!!!!!  On her career trajectory, when it comes to remembrance, Fantine will be for her what Bernadette was for Jennifer Jones!!!!!!!!!!  Two performances where the actresses inhabit, not just enact, their roles!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                There is  more at work here. Because, in all versions of this story--musical and non--this is the grittiest telling of Fantine's story.  Not only are no bones made about prostitution here, but this may be the only version of the story (unlike onstage) that depicts Fantine selling her teeth!!!!!!!!!

                                 Throughout the film (which I will get to) there is more Victor Hugo on screen here than there was in the stage musical. I mean, Marius' grandfather is here!!!   And like the Hugo novel, the first section, from the Opening, and concluding with Fantine's Death, is the most powerful and lyrical.  Nothing else matches it.  I know if I eventually buy the DVD, I will watch this section again and again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So, yes, darlings, this IS "The Anne Hathaway/Fantine Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                  That does not mean, however, that the rest of the film is not good--it is. Overall, it is a remarkable achievement, with so many surprises along the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Save for what I have just written about, I expected to be disappointed. Having seen Colm Wilkinson on Broadway in the Original Cast, and with his performance available to one and all on DVD and You Tube in the Tenth Anniversary Concert, his performance and his voice are firmly fixed in my head.  So I was not expecting much from Hugh Jackman.  But, I am telling you, from the visually sweeping opening shots, to an almost unrecognizable Jackman, I was pulled in.  And when Jackman got to "My sister's child was close to death! And we were starving," the tears started, not letting up for most of the rest of the film, and I knew Jackman was going to be fine.  Sure, they had to transpose down "Bring Him Home" for him, but he gets the emotional level of the song.  Like Anne, his performance is impassioned, and truly award calibre!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Speaking of Mr. Colm Wilkinson, I am showing my age; (and so is he, though his vocal prowess remains!!!!) you could tell I was old by my being the only one to applaud, when he came onscreen as the Bishop of Digne!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     There was no applause during Anne's "I Dreamed A Dream," more I think due to people being moved, and not wanting to disturb the mood or that moment!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       But there are so many other surprises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       The cinematography and editing, which make the transitions seamless!!!!!!

                                        Daniel Huttlestone as Little Gavroche!!!!!!!!!  Who is this kid?  He is terrific!  On stage, Gavroche was just a prancing Broadway babe, because onstage most of the soloists stand still.  Gavroche here moves about so naturally that his songs flow organically out of him.  And Huttlestone is a natural in the role.  I had forgotten how effective this part can be.

                                         Isabelle Allen  as Young Coette. Just perfect. Too bad they cut out the middle verse of "Castle On A Cloud!!!!!!!!!"

                                         Who the hell is Samantha Barks????????  Because I was absolutely blown away by her performance as Eponine!  Again, Frances Ruffelle was always locked in this role for me, but Barks brings a naked emotional freshness to it.  I am not surprised that there was applause after her crystal clear rendition of "On My Own."  We want to hear more from Samantha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Mr. Cohen and Ms. Carter were unbeatable choices for the Thernardiers, and they do come across as the monstrous and evil couple that they are.  Yes, there is that dollop of humor, but it does not override them, as sometimes happens on stage.  Even if, on some level, they still seem to be channeling their work in "Sweeney Todd," and even if Ms. Carter looks like she came to the set, straight out of bed, dressed in character, they work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Even Amanda Seyfried is good--lovely and virginal as the grown Cosette, and when she puts her voice to the 'Heart Full Of Love' triplet, it melts the heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              As for Russell Crowe, I honestly did not think him as bad as expected.  He has a voice, but it is very limited.  Almost monotone, no adeptness at vocal phrasing, and yet his effort, and acting skill almost make his Javert work, except in one glaring instance--he does NOT have the voice for "Stars."  That song, Javert's showpiece, should soar, and here it doesn't.  Mr. Crowe cannot even  hold the notes!!!!!!!!!

                                              Was there anything I did not like?  There were lyrics I wanted to hear, but didn't--that middle verse of "Castle On A Cloud," Anne singing "Look, Monsieur, where all the children play!," and Eponine's final line on "A Little Fall Of Rain," the heartbreaking, "I'll sleep in your embrace, at last!"

                                                But these are quibbles. "Les Miserables" works, and it stands, and will continue to, as a fine example of a film version of a Broadway show. Kudos to Tom Hooper.

                                                  I warn you, darlings, at 157 minutes, and with no Intermission (which it could have used, after, of course, "One Day More!"), it is an EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTING experience. I came home, took a Tylenol, and went to bed.  If you plan to see this film, make it your ONLY plan that day.  In my younger years, I would have seen this multiple times.  I am not sure now, at my age, I have the emotional strength to see it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  The Finale, and how it is handled, is beautiful.  And the return of Anne/Fantine is moving--Fantine is now what she was always capable of being, and when she leads Valjean to the Beyond, walking towards Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop, I thought, we should all be so lucky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Overall, a remarkable achievement!  But it is still "The Anne Hathaway/Fantine Show!"  Not only is Fantine her best performance, she is the best Fantine portrayed on film, and the greatest one I have seen, since the great Ruthie Henshall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Dream the dream, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!