Following Jean Valjean's story:
After 19 years in prison for stealing bread, Jean Valjean gets out of prison and goes to live with the bishop of Digne, Monsieur Myriel. Myriel helps Valjean, only to have Valjean steal his silverware. When the police go to arrest Valjean, Myriel covers for him and says the silverware was a gift. Then and there, Myriel has Jean promise to live an honest and good life. Jean Valjean's redemption starts here. He then goes to the town of Montreuil-sur-mer under the name Madeleine and ends up that town's mayor through bringing it great wealth.
In Valjean's factory, a woman named Fantine is fired when people find out about her illigitimate child. Needing more money to pay the people raising her child, Fantine resorts to prostituting herself. Javert, a police inspector, is going to arrest her one night when Valjean steps in and saves her from being arrested. Javert discovers Valjean's criminal past then, and is arrested. Fantine, already sick, dies.
After 3 years in prison, Valjean escapes from prison and finds Cosette, Fantine's illegitimate child. She is currently owned by the Thenardiers, who are brutal to her and treat her like a slave. Jean buys her off of them and they move to a convent, but not before being caught in a different hideout by Javert. While living at the convent, Cosette meets Marius. After not too long, they declare their love for one another. Jean Valjean, scared of losing his Cosette, decided to move with her to England. After discovering this news, Marius becomes depressed and decides to join the failing political revolt in France.
At the revolt, Marius receives a letter from Cosette, and writes back. Jean Valjean intercepts this letter and learns of their love. Caring too much for Cosette to let her love die, he goes to find this Marius. When Valjean gets there, he finds a tied up Javert. When the topic of his execution is brought up, Valjean volunteers. Though, when the time comes for Javert to be killed, Jean Valjean lets him go.
When the revolt and Marius are both close to their death, Valjean grabs Marius and brings him into the sewers. They stay in there for many hours, nearly drowning in quicksand. When Jean finally finds an exit, it is locked. Then, when hope for Marius is almost lost, Thenardier, also in the sewers at the time, sees them. Believing that Jean has killed this man on his back and wants to throw him in the river, Thenardier offers to unlock the small door in exchange for whatever was in Marius's pockets. Jean Valjean gives Thenardier money, and is let out of the sewer, only to be arrested by Javert. Jean Valjean does not resist arrest, but does ask to atleast take Marius to safety. Javert agrees and takes him there. Then, Valjean asks to say goodbye to his Cosette, and Javert agrees again. Javert says he will be waiting, but when Valjean looks out the window, he is gone. Javert, torn between this belief that the technicalities of law and his job are the only things that matter when it comes to convicts, and what this so-called convict has made him realize, kills himself by throwing himself into the river.
A free man, Valjean watches his daughter marry Marius and gives them the fortune he made in Montreuil-sur-mer. Jean Valjean, in an act of honesty, tells Marius everything, and how he is a convict. Marius, stunned by the news, decides to try to keep Cosette away from this criminal. Jean, depressed, keeps to his bed and awaits the inevitable.
Thenardier, always looking for money, decides to tell Marius the truth about the convict Jean Valjean. He tells him about Jean's thief status and Marius just says, "I know". Then, when Thenardier is losing hope for money, he tells Marius about the man Valjean murdered in the sewers. Not realizing that Marius was the man on Jean's back, he pulls out a strip of cloth that he ripped off Marius's jacket in the sewer as evidence. Marius, stunned, takes out the ripped jacket and fits the strip in place. Finally Marius realizes that Valjean is the man who saved him and actually a very good and honest person. Thenardier is ordered to leave and Marius takes Cosette to a nearly dead Jean Valjean. He is told to come back and live with Cosette and Marius as a family, but Valjean is too far gone to be helped. Happy that he has made Cosette happy and has finally redeemed himself by following through with his promise to Myriel, Jean Valjean dies.
In Valjean's factory, a woman named Fantine is fired when people find out about her illigitimate child. Needing more money to pay the people raising her child, Fantine resorts to prostituting herself. Javert, a police inspector, is going to arrest her one night when Valjean steps in and saves her from being arrested. Javert discovers Valjean's criminal past then, and is arrested. Fantine, already sick, dies.
After 3 years in prison, Valjean escapes from prison and finds Cosette, Fantine's illegitimate child. She is currently owned by the Thenardiers, who are brutal to her and treat her like a slave. Jean buys her off of them and they move to a convent, but not before being caught in a different hideout by Javert. While living at the convent, Cosette meets Marius. After not too long, they declare their love for one another. Jean Valjean, scared of losing his Cosette, decided to move with her to England. After discovering this news, Marius becomes depressed and decides to join the failing political revolt in France.
At the revolt, Marius receives a letter from Cosette, and writes back. Jean Valjean intercepts this letter and learns of their love. Caring too much for Cosette to let her love die, he goes to find this Marius. When Valjean gets there, he finds a tied up Javert. When the topic of his execution is brought up, Valjean volunteers. Though, when the time comes for Javert to be killed, Jean Valjean lets him go.
When the revolt and Marius are both close to their death, Valjean grabs Marius and brings him into the sewers. They stay in there for many hours, nearly drowning in quicksand. When Jean finally finds an exit, it is locked. Then, when hope for Marius is almost lost, Thenardier, also in the sewers at the time, sees them. Believing that Jean has killed this man on his back and wants to throw him in the river, Thenardier offers to unlock the small door in exchange for whatever was in Marius's pockets. Jean Valjean gives Thenardier money, and is let out of the sewer, only to be arrested by Javert. Jean Valjean does not resist arrest, but does ask to atleast take Marius to safety. Javert agrees and takes him there. Then, Valjean asks to say goodbye to his Cosette, and Javert agrees again. Javert says he will be waiting, but when Valjean looks out the window, he is gone. Javert, torn between this belief that the technicalities of law and his job are the only things that matter when it comes to convicts, and what this so-called convict has made him realize, kills himself by throwing himself into the river.
A free man, Valjean watches his daughter marry Marius and gives them the fortune he made in Montreuil-sur-mer. Jean Valjean, in an act of honesty, tells Marius everything, and how he is a convict. Marius, stunned by the news, decides to try to keep Cosette away from this criminal. Jean, depressed, keeps to his bed and awaits the inevitable.
Thenardier, always looking for money, decides to tell Marius the truth about the convict Jean Valjean. He tells him about Jean's thief status and Marius just says, "I know". Then, when Thenardier is losing hope for money, he tells Marius about the man Valjean murdered in the sewers. Not realizing that Marius was the man on Jean's back, he pulls out a strip of cloth that he ripped off Marius's jacket in the sewer as evidence. Marius, stunned, takes out the ripped jacket and fits the strip in place. Finally Marius realizes that Valjean is the man who saved him and actually a very good and honest person. Thenardier is ordered to leave and Marius takes Cosette to a nearly dead Jean Valjean. He is told to come back and live with Cosette and Marius as a family, but Valjean is too far gone to be helped. Happy that he has made Cosette happy and has finally redeemed himself by following through with his promise to Myriel, Jean Valjean dies.