Caution: this entry contains spoilers for the movie Les Misérales
Today I watched Les Misérables (the film) for the second time. I loved it even more the second time around, because I was able to catch more of the reoccurring motifs. For starters, every musical theme that’s used throughout the movie is repeated at least once. I love the way that that’s executed, because the reprise is used either in a situation that has the same underlying feelings, or is used to represent irony. My two favorite examples of this was “Look Down.” “Look Down” is usually used in conjunction with Inspector Javert, such as the opening number where Javert is supervising the convicts at the dock, or during “The Confrontation” where he is trying to apprehend Jean Valjean for breaking his parole. But, the tune is also used in the number that introduces the revolutionaries. In that use, it’s not being sung by convicts telling each other not to look at the guards, but by angry citizens tired of being trodden on by the rich. I love how it’s given a different meaning that’s still similar to the original use.
The music is not the only place where repeated motifs are used. Many visual cues are used and repeated throughout the film to build off of the themes that the music creates. The most prominent of these is Inspector Javert and heights. In his big number, “Stars” Javert is standing on the edge of a building overlooking Paris. As he sings about staying firmly on the path of righteousness, he is seen balancing on the very edge and trusting the order and balance in his life to prevent him from falling. In contrast, in his suicide number, Javert is walking on the edge of a bridge, but the order and balance in his life have been thrown off. He can no longer keep a steady footing on his life. Little cues like that helped make the story and the music even better than they already are.
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