Frederic March and Charles Laughton face off for the third time, after Sign of the Cross (1932) and The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934).

Many versions of the story exist, including The Bishop’s Candlesticks (1929) with Walter Huston as Valjean, a 1952 version with Robert Newton as Javert, and an all-star British version in 1978, with Anthony Perkins, John Gielgud, Ian Holm and Celia Johnson.