I don't know if Hollywood is running out of comic book heroes, but hopefully they will follow this for awhile and make more movies of classic novels with stellar content. Who knows, maybe A Tale of Two Cities could be next?

Lee, about the book: Normally I loathe abridgments, but this is the one exception to the rule. This is the ONE book of which I would say, get an abridged version.

(I said that to someone the other day, and she asked about "Moby Dick." But I can't get into "Moby Dick" at ALL, so that's moot. Though if I could get into it, maybe that's the other book I would recommend in abridgment.)

Victor Hugo told a magnificent story, but unfortunately, he was also the king of the digression. The mammoth, mindblowing, literally-hundreds-of-pages-long digression. And when you get right down to it, there's only so much one needs to know about the Paris sewer system in the 19th century.

Your tears kept me awake last night, Gina. (I'm not *always* an insensitive jerk.)

I read Chuck's commentary at the link. It's obvious that he identified with Jean Valjean because both were prisoners who, no matter how much they reformed or how much good they did, in the eyes of the Javerts (of the media, in Chuck's case) they would always be criminals. ("Convicted Watergate Felon Dies", etc.) And indeed, it's an incredibly powerful story of how sin has lifelong consequences, but with God's intervention those consequences can be not only overcome, but transformed from evil to good.

But what about Fantine?

The trailer above brings you tears because, well, it should. Her life is tragic apparently from its beginning, and certainly at its end. The one joy she has, Cosette, is cruelly taken from her, and her one opportunity to have some comfort by seeing the child before dying is thwarted. All along she tries desperately to make her life better, but each attempt only makes it much worse.

The Bill Mahers of the world could - and this Christmas, probably will - point out that her life isn't exactly a ringing endorsement for the existence of a gracious, merciful and loving Almighty. It's been a while since I saw Uma Thurman's portrayal, so I might be confusing her character with that of Mercedes in "The Count of Monte Cristo", but I think Fantine maintains her belief in God in spite of the events of her life. Is it just "Hey, she's French Catholic; that's what they *do*," or is it the Book of Job without the divine interrogation and happy ending?

Fortunately, I have seven months to find out, and to prepare a response to the Bill Mahers in my life. Any suggestions, from anyone, would be greatly appreciated. Good grief - the hardcover edition of the original novel is almost 1500 pages; I might possibly be able to wade through that in several months. But if anyone has a "Cliff Notes" link explaining "The Theology of the Suffering of Fantine", that would be fantastic - even if it's inconclusive.

Otherwise, perhaps our Beloved Editor will indulge us one more time, and we can discuss it at length amongst ourselves, here. Assuming, of course, that anyone other than me is interested.

She looks a little like River Tam. Maybe it's just being so, well, miserable.

Your high cheekbones should have clued us in, Weeps At Movie Trailers. ;-) (Is that your lasagna recipe in the Pow Wow Chow cookbook?)

I'll be very curious to see how this compares to the Broadway and Neeson/Thurman/Rush versions. It's one thing to hear a fulltime singer belt out the showstopper, and another thing entirely to hear it sung with deeply emotional acting. "Bring Him Home", for example - Hugh vs. Alfie.

And you're right, Alan - it is easy to see oneself, or wish you could, in many of the characters.

But doggone it, now "Master of the House" is stuck in my head . . .

Incredible the legs this story has on it. I think I saw the 1998 version 3 times. Grace and Redemption in the face of Law and Anger never grows old. I checked the Wikipedia article on the novel. Almost every other year since movies were invented, someone, somewhere in the world, has done a new film, video or filmed play adaptation of this story. We can learn from this. When Jesus talked of God's love, "the people heard Him gladly." When a bishop, acting like Christ, forgives and gives his silver candlesticks to the man who stole them, the world is changed.

I can't wait to see the new film.

Cannot. Wait.

If YouTube keeps removing it, it could be that it's being posted in violation of the law. (Which would also mean it shouldn't be embedded.)

I love this story and can't wait for this to come out.