Introduction - I wrote this script after my high school production of the musical Les Miserables. It seemed a shame that musicals like Hairspray or Grease got their own movies while this one didn't (nothing against Hairspray or Grease, mind you). As I was on a screenplay-writing kick, I decided to write my own movie script for a an adaptation of the Les Miserables musical. I sincerely hope that you all enjoy it and are kind enough to post CONSTRUCTIVE criticism in my reviews (if you think it sucked, at least be kind enough to tell me why, so I can try to fix it).

Seeing as the documents were all weirdly formated after uploading, I recently got around to fixing/reuploading things. Hopefully, this will be easier to read. I also made several tweaks (yes, I did look back after reading suggestions).

And no, this script is not anything official. I do not work for Paramount or any other film company and this will not actually be made into a movie. Though if I had my way, it would be. So if you ever see a trailer for Les Miserables: The Movie, well...he he he...

Anyway, enjoy!


Les Miserables

Scene 1

The scene opens to a grey and dismal setting. The sky is cloudy, blocking out the sun. The camera slowly moves in on the bagne of Toulon. The screen displays the caption "1812 Toulon, France" As the caption fades off, the camera continues to slowly move into the prison. The music for the Prologue starts. The camera now shows us inside the prison, as we see the prisoners working. Several hardened guards patrol the prisoners.

Prologue

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down
Don't look 'em in the eye
Look down, look down,
You're here until you die

Convict #1
Sung
The sun is strong
It's hot as hell below

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down,
There's twenty years to go

Convict #2
Sung
I've done no wrong!
Sweet Jesus hear my prayer!

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down,
Sweet Jesus doesn't care

Convict #3
Sung
I know she'll wait,
I know that she'll be true!

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down,
They've all forgotten you

Convict #4
Sung
When I get free ya won't see me
Here for dust!

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down
Don't look 'em in the eye

Convict #5
Sung
How long O Lord
Before you let me die?

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down,
You'll always be a slave
Look down, look down,
You're standing in your grave

JAVERT enters.

Javert
Sung
Now bring me prisoner 24601

The guards drag VALJEAN to JAVERT

Your time is up and your parole's begun. Do you know what that means?

Valjean
Sung
Yes, it means I'm freeJavert
Sung
No! It means you get your yellow ticket of leave

He hands VALJEAN the ticket

You are a thiefValjean
Sung
I stole a loaf of bread!Javert
Sung
You robbed a house.Valjean
Sung
I broke a window pane. My sister's child was close to death! We were starving!Javert
Sung
You will starve again unless you learn the meaning of the law.

Valjean
Sung
I know the meaning of those nineteen years. A slave of the law!

Javert
Sung
Five years for what you did. The rest because you tried to run. Yes, 24601.

Valjean
Sung
My name is Jean Valjean!


Javert
Sung
And I am Javert. Do not forget my name. Do not forget me, 24601.

Convicts
Sung
Look down, look down
You will always be a slave
Look down, look down
You're standing in your grave.

Scene 2

Valjean is standing at the door of an inn, knocking. There is no answer. Finally…

Innkeeper's Wife
Go on! There're no rooms left! Try somewhere else.I'll sleep in a barn if I must, but give me a place to stay! No other inn will let me spend the night.

Valjean

Innkeeper
Small wonder, you crook! Leave now, before I call the constable on you. If you stayed here, you'd make off with all our money I wouldn't wonder.

Valjean leaves the door bitterly and begins to wander the streets of Toulon with only a bag of clothes.


Valjean
Sung
And now I know how freedom feels
The jailer always at your heels
It is the law!
This piece of paper in my hand
That makes me cursed throughout the land
It is the law!
Like a cur
I walk the street
The dirt beneath my feet.

Valjean wanders past a church. A bishop steps outside and speaks to him

Bishop
Sung
Come in, Sir, for you are weary
And the night is cold out there.
Though our lives are very humble
What we have, we have to share.
There is wine here to revive you,
There is bread to make you strong,
There's a bed to rest till morning,
Rest from pain, and rest from wrong.

Scene 3


Valjean and the Bishop sit together at a table, eating a meal. The Bishop eats less than Valjean does. When Valjean is finished, he stands.

Bishop (indicating the way)
I prepared a room for you. If you wish, you may spend the night.

Valjean does not reply, except to nod his head. The Bishop leaves for his own room.

Valjean
Sung
He let me eat my fill
I had the lion's share

Examining the silver still on the table

The silver in my hand
Cost twice what I had earned
In all those nineteen years
That lifetime of despair
And yet he trusted me.
The old fool trusted me -
He's done his bit of good
I played the grateful serf
And thanked him like I should
But when the house was still,
I got up in the night
Took the silver

He shoves quickly the plates and forks and knives and spoons into his bag

Took my flight!

He runs from the church

Scene 4

Valjean is being dragged back to the Bishop's home by several Constables and is being followed by a crowd of spectators.

Constable #1
Let's just see how the Bishop takes to your story.

Valjean
I told you, he gave me that silver as a present!

The crowd laughs and jeers at this. Constable #2 knocks on the Bishop's door

Constable #1 (Sarcastically)
I'm sure he did. Let's just ask him now.

Constable #2 (As the Bishop comes from his home)
Terribly sorry to disturb Your Reverence like this, but there's a matter we must settle. This man seems to have stayed as your guest last night and then claims after hearing his story, you gave him some of this (pulls a silver plate from Valjean's bag) as a gift.

Bishop (Confidently)
That's right.

The crowd, constables, and Valjean all appear shocked

Bishop (continuing, to Valjean)
But my friend, you were in such a hurry leaving you appear to have forgotten something.

The Bishop reenters his home and then comes back out with two magnificent silver candlesticks. The crowd gasps in amazement

Bishop
Would you leave the best behind?

To the constables

So monsieurs, you can see he told the truth. You may release him. I commend you on your duty and may God's blessings go with you.

The constables and crowd leave, leaving Valjean kneeling before the Bishop

Bishop
Listen to me well, my brother. With this silver, I have bought your soul for God. You must promise me you will use it to become an honest man.

The Bishop helps Valjean to his feet and goes back into his church. After a few minutes, Valjean examines the candlesticks

Valjean

Sung
What have I done?
Sweet Jesus, what have I done?
Become a thief in the night!
Become a dog on the run!
Have I fallen so far
And is the hour so late
That nothing remains but the cry of my hate,
The cries in the dark that nobody hears,
Here where I stand at the turning of the years.
If there is another way to go
I missed it twenty long years ago.
My life was a war that could never be won
They gave me a number and murdered Valjean
When they chained me and let me for dead
Just for stealing a mouth full of bread.
Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other.
He gave me his trust.
He called me Brother.
My life he claims for God above.
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world.
This world that always hated me!
Take an eye for an eye.
Turn your heart into stone.
This is all I have lived for.
This is all I have known.
One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack.
Instead, he offers me my freedom.
I feel my shame inside me like a knife,
He told me that I had a soul.
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?
I am reaching, but I fall,
And the night is closing in,
And I stare into the void,
To the whirlpool of my sin.
I'll escape now from the world
From the world of Jean Valjean.
Jean Valjean is nothing now.
Another story must begin!

Valjean places the candlesticks into his bag, pulls out his yellow ticket, and rips it to pieces.