C'est mardi, le quinze novembre (I miss you!)

**I am SO sorry I am not here! I am currently serving JURY DUTY, which is every American's responsibility. It means you have to decide if someone is innocent or guilty when they have been accused of a crime.

I can't wait to see you when I get back. I am officially released on Friday, but I hope to be back before then.

Les Misérables

The movie you are about to watch today is one of my favorite French stories. LES MISÉRABLES (The Miserable Ones), is an American adaptation of French author, Victor Hugo's 1862 novel. It is meant to show the real differences between the rich and the poor or the 'haves' and 'have nots' in 1860's France.

There are a few mature themes in this movie. The desperate character, Fantine, turns to a terrible job in order to support her little girl, Cosette. She is unmarried and Cosette has to be hidden from her job since back then, it was unacceptable to have a child without a father. There is some language used to describe Cosette that is considered inappropriate today, but was used to describe a fatherless child in 1862.

Summary of first part of the film

Les Misérables is a 1998 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, directed by Bille August. It stars Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush,Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes.

As in the original novel, the storyline follows the adult life of Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), an ex-convict (paroled following 19 years of hard labor, for stealing bread) pursued by police Inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush). 

Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), a man arrested for stealing bread nineteen years previously, is released on parole. Since no one else is willing to allow a convict to stay the night, Valjean is kindly welcomed by Bishop Myriel to spend the night in his home. Valjean explains to Myriel that he is going to become a new man the following day. However, that night, Valjean steals Myriel's silverware and flees. Valjean is later arrested and brought back to Myriel, but Myriel tells the police that Valjean did not steal his silverware, but that he, in fact, actually gave it to him and also gives him his expensive candlesticks. Myriel then reminds Valjean of his promise that he was to become a new man that day.

Nine years later, Valjean is now a wealthy industrialist and a mayor. He eventually befriends Fantine (Uma Thurman), a single mother-turned-prostitute, after he rescues her when she was nearly arrested by the police officer Javert (Geoffrey Rush), who previously served as a guard at the prison Valjean was held in. Javert starts to become suspicious that the Mayor and Valjean are the same person. Later, Valjean receives word that another man (John McGlynn) is mistaken as being him and is about to be rearrested.