One of Orson Welles’ earliest successes in radio, a marvellous adaptation of Hugo’s classic novel. Like great 19th century melodrama the action is extreme – Jean Valjean goes to gaol for 19 years; Fantine is not just poor but a prostitute who dies; Valjean becomes a prisoner again but escapes by faking his own death; Marius is a revolutionary. The horrible Javert is one of the great villains – actually, antagonist is a better word since he has totally justifiable motivations.
This captures Hugo's power and wonderful story. The least effective bit is a comic sequence involving a gravedigger (Welles was a genius, but not with comedy); also the final episode is a bit odd – it’s a recap of the entire story.
The cast includes some actors who would become ficutres at the Merucry such as Ray Collins and Agnes Moorehad; there’s also Welles’ first wife, Virignia, who plays Cosette (quite well, too).
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