Les Miserables (1935): Victor Hugo's most acclaimed novel comes brilliantly to life in this impeccably performed, magnificently filmed screen adaptation. Frederic March stars as Valjean, the ex-convict who rises against all odds from galley slave to mayor. Charles Laughton is Javert, the fanatical police inspector who dedicates his life to recapturing Valjean. A vivid depiction of the appalling poverty and social strife of 19th-century France, this version of Les Miserables does splendid justice to the original novel.

Les Miserables (1952): Michael Rennie, fresh from his success in the sci-fi classic The Day The Earth Stood Still cuts a very handsome figure as Jean Valjean, and Debra Paget, who would later reteam with Rennie in four more films, makes for a stunning Cosette in this powerful retelling of the classic epic. Costars include Robert Newton (Treasure Island), Edmund Gwenn (Miracle On 34th Street), Cameron Mitchell (How To Marry A Millionaire), Sylvia Sidney (Mars Attack!) and Elsa Lanchester (The Bride Of Frankenstein).