Another adaptation of the mammoth novel by Eugene Sue which was one of the French classic melodramas of the nineteenth century.Since it's a miniseries,it is longer than the theatrically released films of Hunebelle et De Baroncelli.It's closer to the novel and it does not feature the usual happy end,although the hero is given something in compensation.
Although its running time is six hours and it's got a fine score,this made-for-TV work does not really succeed in recreating Sue's world.It's too clean,much too clean ,the seediest parts of Paris are anything but Dantesque.A good thing was to use a German actor to play Rodolphe but it's not enough.I'm still waiting for the director who will do Sue's extravaganza justice.
