I Dreamed a Dream
from Les Miserables
Possibly my single favorite movie moment of 2012, this could also be the best movie musical scene of all time, as it manages to meld the mediums of cinema and stage musical more naturally, forcefully, and powerfully than most adaptations ever dream of. This is not a stage performance Anne Hathaway gives, nor even a conventional musical singing performance, but a true piece of cinematic acting, where the lyrics seem to stem naturally from her character and disposition. “I Dreamed a Dream” is obviously a beautifully written song, but it does not sound written or rehearsed when sung by Hathaway. Like good dialogue, the words seem to flow instinctually from Fantine, an extension of the despair she feels in the moment, feelings that could not be expressed any other way.
Most importantly, Hathaway allows herself to truly act through the singing; at times, it appears that Fantine can barely get the words out, each lyric harder to come up with than the last. There is a constant sense of improvisation, of searching for each lyric and finding the perfect words just when they are needed, while the facial expressions Hathaway delivers – arguably even more important than the singing – illustrates Fantine as a broken soul just moments from shaking apart, barely able to hold it together. One of the most powerful moments comes near the end, when Hathaway breaks from singing and begins hyperventilating, just barely squeezing out the next line as if she is on the verge of passing out from the stress. It is such a natural and immediate reaction, a gesture I find absolutely, unrelentingly haunting.
“I Dreamed a Dream” is so famous and beloved that people forget its dark context, but Hathaway reestablishes the piece as a tremendously depressing antithesis of hope, and leaves a major impression in her wake. Tom Hooper, of course, deserves credit for the way he shoots the scene, all in one long take with Hathaway dynamically positioned in the frame. It is a gorgeous piece of composition, one that allows Hathaway to not just steal the show, but run away with it wholesale.
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