In the musical film, because of the use of close ups, we are given the chance to be fully immersed in the story and be swept away by the performances of the actors. Tom Hooperâs Les MisĂ©rables gives us a view that the actual musical cannot, regardless of whether you are sitting in the front row of the musical or not. That is the first thing that struck me when I was comparing Tom Hooperâs film with the musical I watched years ago. And this suited me just fine because Iâve watched the musical before, twice in fact, so I know the plot and donât need any wide shots or sweeping views to understand the setting of the story.
A scene from the musical Les Misérables.
Now in order to explain the other differences between the film and the musical, I cannot avoid going into specifics and details, so if you have not seen the film and donât like spoilers, well, you have been warned.
New Song
In the musical adaptation, Hugh Jackmanâs Jean Valjean sings a new song titled âSuddenlyâ. The song is sung when Jean Valjean successfully rescues Cosette from the ThĂ©nardiers played by Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. And the song is about Jean Valjean discovering a new meaning to his life now that he has Cosette by his side. While I am not really a fan of this new song, I do understand why it was introduced to the film. The song gives the audience another chance to get to know Jean Valjean, especially since heâs supposedly a changed man. It also serves to inform the audience of Cosetteâs importance to him.
Missing Song
The other songs sung in the film remain mostly the same. But the song âDog Eats Dogâ sung by ThĂ©nardier does not appear in the film at all. Although, when ThĂ©nardier is searching dead bodies for valuables in the sewers, the tune of âDog Eats Dogâ is still used. In fact, Sacha Baron Cohenâs ThĂ©nardier actually says the line â âHereâs a pretty ringâ. And when he does, it sounds awfully similar to the version sung in the musical which goes âHereâs a tasty ring, pretty little thingâŠâ.
Edited Songs
Some of the music is tweaked, with new lyrics added, to help advance the narrative. But the edited songs follow the same tunes used in the musical. So if you donât closely examine both the musical and the film, you will not likely be able to tell the difference. For example when Gavroche introduces himself, singing to the tune of âLook Downâ in the film, his lyrics are slightly different from the one sung in the musical. In the musical he sings about the ThĂ©nardiers and Ăponine. But in the film, he explains the situation in France instead.
The first interaction we see between Ăponine and Marius in the film is also different from the one they have in the musical. In the musical, Ăponine warns Marius to stay away as her parents and their gang get ready to con people of their money. But in the film, Ăponine reveals in song that she knows Marius is only pretending to be poor and that his grandfather is rich. And in turn, Marius tells her that he has walked away from that life and the association with his grandfather. In my opinion, this change is for the better; it reveals more about Marius and of the relationship between Marius and Ăponine to the audience than it does in the musical. It also makes our heart go out to Ăponine even more when she sings the song âOn My Ownâ later in the film.
Song Sequence
Another difference is that a few songs in the film are shortened and appears at a different part of the plot as it does in the musical. In the musical, the song âLittle Peopleâ, which is sung by Gavroche, lasts for nearly 2 minutes and 30 seconds. However, in the film, the song is greatly shortened and split into two parts. First when he exposes Javert, and later again when he goes out to get gunpowder. The song âOn My Ownâ also appears out of sequence. In the film, Ăponine sings it after she warns Jean Valjean and Cosette about her fatherâs presence. In the musical, Ăponine sings it after she delivers Mariusâ letter to Cosetteâs house.
Notable Differences
In the musical, it is Ăponine who delivers Mariusâ letter to Cosette. But in the film, Marius gets Gavroche to deliver the letter. The difference doesnât just end there. In the musical, Ăponine is offered money for delivering the letter and she later sings âI did not want your money Sir, I came out here cos I was told toâŠâ. However, in the film, before Gavroche hands over the letter to Jean Valjean, he demands money from him. But this difference serves another purpose in the film. When Jean Valjean goes to the barricade, because it was Gavroche who delivered Mariusâ letter, he recognises Jean Valjean and stops the revolutionaries from harming him.
The circumstances that resulted in Ăponine getting shot is also different. In the musical, she is shot when she returns to the barricade after delivering Mariusâ letter. But in the film, she saves Marius and takes a bullet meant for him.