ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the intralingual and intersemiotic translations linked to the filmic versions of Victor Hugo’s classic Les Misérables. The 1862 novel is famous for its thorough analysis of three basic human emotions that correspond to some important social and religious-ethical conditions observed in mid-nineteenth century France, namely the fear of being found to be a liar, compassion for the dispossessed and the urge to take revenge. The translation of these emotions is examined in relation to two films: the 1958 film (in French, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois), written by Michel Audiard and René Barjavel and starring Jean Gabin as Jean Valjean, and the 1982 film Les Misérables (in French, directed by Robert Hossein), written by Alain Decaux and Robert Hossein and starring Lino Ventura as Jean Valjean.
