One Day More: 5 Scenes We Can’t Wait To See In Les Misérables

Tom Hooper's long-awaited adaptation of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's musical Les Misérables isn't far off, and it's safe to say that fans of the production have been looking forward to seeing this thing in theatres for decades. Tom Hooper, of course, garnered a Best Picture Oscar for The King's Speech, leaving audiences with high hopes for this all singin' take on Victor Hugo's classic novel of revolution, class and redemption. Hooper has assured audiences that this adaptation won't be a campy affair, and will instead play things appropriately straight and gritty, something that has been rightfully enforced through having the actors sing their parts live on set (instead of dubbed over in a studio). To celebrate the release of Les Misérables, we've put together a list of 5 scenes we can't wait to see. Note: There are some minor spoilers within for those unfamiliar with the story. Continue reading on the next page... 5. The Work Song Victor Hugo's sprawling epic of a novel should never have worked as a musical, especially one with such a downbeat title (and a title in French, no less). And yet sometimes the most unlikely things will find success in the strangest places, as is the case with Les Misérables, arguably the world's most popular musical show. "The Work Song" opens the show with its ominous overtones, and Hooper has seemingly taken this opportunity to open his movie with visual aplomb. From what we've glimpsed so far from various trailers, teasers and clips, this version begins with Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) and his fellow convicts pulling a gargantuan ship into a dock, a brilliant-realised set-piece which cleverly symbolises the pain that these men have faced for most of their lives, taking on what appears to be an impossible (and never-ending) task. Hearing the prisoners chanting and pulling the ship in rhythm ("Look down/Look down/Don't look them in the eye"), intercut with single cries of despair from the convicts ("I've done no wrong/Sweet Jesus hear my prayer!") will perfectly set up the tone for this gritty adaptation. Hooper's decision to make this sequence so visually astounding will hopefully leave audiences stunned and awed, and ready for a new kind of filmed musical - one that absolutely couldn't be done in a theatre. This is also the point in which Jean Valjean meets his fanatic rival Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), and the point at which both men will lay the foundations for the bitter conflict that will consume both their lives forever more. Continue reading on the next page... 4. At The End of The Day "At The End of The Day" introduces us to the sweeping beauty of the Les Misérables musical leitmotif, as we move to a seaside town in France and the grunt of factory life. This scene promises to be both exciting and visually appealing, given its large use of ensemble and it also being the point at which the story really begins. It's also one of the show's all-out musical numbers, the kind of song you'd expect from a big Broadway show. As we're granted a view of the lives of the nation's poorest people - years after Jean Valjean has made a new name for himself as a Mayor and factory owner - we also meet Fantine (Anne Hathaway), whose tragic story sets the stage for what's to come. Though we haven't really been able to see what Hooper has done with this particular sequence as of yet, we're looking forward to seeing how he juggles all the factory workers at once. Will they sew in time with the music or something? Will he have them up on the tables? Once again, here's where Hooper should prove his movie to be anything but a campy adaptation, though he'd be wise to embue this particular scene with a good amount of fun, given that this scene also acts as a prelude for the musical's most famous song, "I Dreamed A Dream", in which Fantine recounts the story of her lost love - powerful (but very depressing) stuff. Continue reading on the next page... 3. The Confrontation For its sheer musical brilliance and intense over-lapping lyrics, "The Confrontation" remains one of Les Misérables best-loved numbers. After admitting that he's the man Javert has been hunting "across the years", Jean Valjean and the obsessed Inspector engage in a kind of verbal duel, firstly singing their positions to one another individually, and then both at once, as their voices overlap. It's a true highlight of the musical, and something that we're really hoping Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe can pull off. After pleading with Javert to let him take Fantine's daughter into care, Javert promises that he will always be on Jean Valjean's heels - a promise that will entwine the pair for years to come, as the relentless Inspector dedicates his life to tracking down the escaped convict. We're interested to know just how exactly Hooper will stage this scene: will the pair just sing at each other like they do on stage? Will they duel with swords? The possibilities are endless, we suppose, but perhaps in just keeping things simple, "The Confrontation" will emerge as one of Les Misérables' most accomplished scenes - this time, the lyrics alone might just be enough. Continue reading on the next page... 2. One Day More! Everybody's favorite: "One Day More!' takes its place at the end of Act One on stage, and beautifully and skilfully brings together musical themes from various songs over the first act, with all the central character singing their own parts, many of which over-lap. We hear parts of "I Dreamed A Dream", "Who Am I?" and "Master of the House", as more and more characters join in, eagerly (and excitedly) tipped on the brink of revolution. For the film adaptation, "One Day More!" is bound to be a part that Hooper has taken a lot of time and care with, especially given that he's now free to cut to his characters in different places around France, instead of having the lot of them lined up on stage as they must on stage. Granted, we'll see the song in a way we've never seen it done before, and that's a highly exciting prospect. This is also one of the most genuinely hopeful numbers in the entire show, and arguably the biggest number to boot: it's here that every main characters lays out their motives, hopes and dreams for the future. Saying that, it's likely that "One Day More!" will be the crowning achievement of the entire film, should Hooper do it right. Continue reading on the next page... 1. The Barricade Given the fact that the musical version of Les Misérables has always found itself confined to a stage, there has been no real way to portray the true scope of the battle sequences associated with one of its major plot points: the student revolution of 1832. Now, imbued with the possibilities of cinema, audiences will finally be able to see the barricade in all its glory. From the trailers so far, we've been able to glimpse the kind of immense scope that Hooper has assembled for said sequences, what with hundreds of horses, rifles, weapons and costumed extras, and some beautifully cinematic on-location shooting. As for just how gritty and realistic he chooses to go with it all... well, we'll just have to wait for December 20th when Les Misérables finally hits theatres to find out. Agree or disagree with our choices? Which scenes are you looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments section below.