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Years later Henri has become a champion boxer, after which he retires and moves into the removal business. Although successful, the legacy of his damaged childhood manifests itself in his illiteracy. Under the Vichy government conditions are reasonable for Henri, in contrast to the increasingly constrained existence of Andre (Michel Boujenah) and Elise Ziman (Alessandra Martines). As Jews they feel the full force of the racial segregation laws and have decided to leave Paris, for Vichy. Recognising their tenuous situation, Henri allows the Zimans (including their daughter Salome (Salome)) to ride in his truck and helps them evade Army checkpoints. Since the journey is long Henri asks his passengers to read from Les Miserables, as he is unable to do so himself. The reason for Henri's curiosity is that friends have taken to calling him Valjean, after he lifted a piano off of a fellow worker (in the classic novel Valjean is famed for saving people by lifting things). The parallels between fact and fiction become ever more convincing as the Ziman's narration continues.
Vichy turns out to be no safer than Paris, forcing the Zimans to flee for Switzerland. Henri helps them out further by placing Salome in a Catholic school and taking Andre and Elise to the border, where they have a contact who can smuggle them across. After leaving them, Henri is picked up by the police and tortured for information regarding the Jews, although he reveals nothing. Sadly the Zimans are betrayed to the Germans anyway, by their contact, and ambushed close to freedom. Luckily Andre manages to crawl away, after being shot, while Elise is taken away by the Germans. Andre is sheltered by some farmers, who tend his wounds and keep quiet. However, given the uncertainty of war, it seems unlikely that the Zimans will ever be together again on this Earth. Henri is sent to prison, like his father and Valjean, but manages to escape. If the echoes of Hugo's story continue to work their magic, Henri may turn out to be the hero he never knew existed.
A wonderful and impressive film, the intricate and circular story threads impart a deep resonance to the whole enterprise. Belmondo is simply perfect as the central figure Henri/Valjean who embodies "good" yet is pragmatic enough to deal with the hazards of daily life. In stark contrast, the evil that Man is capable of comes forth both blatantly, with SS officers delighting in their deeds, and subtly in the behaviour of characters who initially appear to be good. There are real depths of emotion here, as the innocent die for no reason and the ties of family are ripped asunder. The acting from all of the major players is excellent, particularly as several cast members play mirror images - characters who inhabit the fiction of Les Miserables as well as the reality of the film. Visually there are many striking scenes, such as an elongated hallway of Catholic schoolgirls playing "It's a long way to Tipperary" on piano, badly, and the giddy camera-work which follows spinning dancers (a theme which neatly bookends the film).
The result is a fine piece of direction by Claude Lelouch. For the majority of the film he keeps a firm hand on a multitude of themes, switching easily between the past and present or between fact and fiction. It's true that occasionally events become a little confusing, which isn't too surprising given the circular nature of much of the film, but by the end everything can be fitted into place. If you haven't read Les Miserables then this movie will surely make you want to; can there be a better recommendation?
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