Scripted and directed by Raymond Bernard, it stars Harry Baur as Jean Valjean, Charles Vanel as Javert, and Josseline Gaël as Fantine.

Javert is a cruel, ruthless police inspector who has dedicated his life to pursuing Valjean, whose only crime was stealing a loaf of bread, for which he received 5 years in jail.

[citation needed] A contemporary review in The Spectator was exceptionally positive, calling the film "the best French picture seen here for many months."

In particular, it praised Harry Baur's "remarkable performance" and lauded the film for managing to distill such a lengthy novel into its key components without coming across as disjointed.

[4] Raymond Bernard's version of Les Misérables, along with various other films about 18th and 19th century France, supported an exhibition of French drawings held in 2010 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.