Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time...
About the conflict between social classes through the life of the unhappy Catherine Ferrand, an orphan girl, who is a victim of the jealousy of women and the greed of men.
The rebellion of 1832 is on. There is rioting and barricading in the streets. Marius in despair, and in the hope that a bullet will soon end his life, joins the mob and becomes a fighter in the ranks of the insurgents.
In the lands of Brière a bitter dispute broke out over the draining of marshes for brick making. An old man, Aoustin, leads the resistance and refuses to give the hand of his daughter Théotiste to a young peasant, Jeannin, who supports it.
Comtesse Della Gentia and her lover Paul attempt to seduce and blackmail a rich neighbour Juan, who is in love with a naïve young friend of theirs, Clarisse. Their plot fails; the Comtesse kills herself at a ball, and her lover re-covers her face with its mask.
The Thenardiers and their small daughter, Eponine, and young son, Gavroche, are seen at their dingy country tavern. Here little Cosette, the daughter of Fantine, is seen performing drudgery and menial tasks. The Thenardiers are treating their own children kindly, but are cruel to Cosette.
