A melodrama by Patrick Ridden , based on the famous story by Victor Hugo. With music specially composed by Rotert Chignell
Episode 10, ' The Decision of Javert'in which Henry Ainley plays the part of Valjean
Baliol Holloway as Javert
Margaretta Scott as Cosette Patrick Waddington as Marius
Play produced by John Cheatle
After his release from the galleys, in which he served an unjust sentence of nineteen years, Jean Valjean , the peasant hero of ' Les Miserables ' becomes wealthy, kindly, and philanthropic. In the town of Fonthil, of which he is made Mayor, he adopts a child, Cosette, but his happiness is soon taken from him by the brutal Javert, his one-time slavemaster of the galleys, now an Inspector of Police. Javert has his victim sent to the galleys again, but Valjean escapes, and, with Cosette, flees to Paris.
Previous instalments have told you of the pair's ceaseless persecution by Javert, and how, after the passing of years, Cosette falls in love with a young revolutionary named Marius. Marius, Javert, and Valjean find themselves at the same barricade in the ententes of 1832 and Valjean saves Javert's life.
In the last episode Valjean, with the wounded Marius on his back, made a desperate bid for freedom through the Paris sewers.
Today's instalment provides a key situation in the story, and Javert struggling between his senses of duty and mercy, causes the story to take an unexpected turn.