Jean Valjean Quotes in Les Miserables (1952)

Etienne Javert: I pride myself on being a good officer.

Jean Valjean: That's very good. Only I'm afraid you'll get little practice here, Inspector Javert. We're a quiet town.

Etienne Javert: I have heard this, yet there is crime everywhere, monsieur.

Jean Valjean: And filth also if one looks hard enough.

Jean Valjean: But this is common humanity! Are you a machine?

Etienne Javert: I am an officer of the law doing my duty. I have no choice in the matter. It makes no difference what I think or feel or want. It has nothing to do with me - nothing! Can't you see that?

Bishop: Now Don't Forget, Don't ever Forget, you've promised to become a new man.

Jean Valjean: Promise? Wha, Why are you doing this?

Bishop: Jean Valjean my brother you no longer belong to evil. With this silver, I have bought your soul. I've ransomed you from fear and hatred, and now I give you back to God.

Jean Valjean: [Valjean is being taken away] This is right, my dear. I stole something, I did. I stole happiness with you. I don't mind paying.

Jean Valjean: When you're better, I'll find work for you.

Fantine: But you don't understand, I'm a whore... and Cosette has no father.

Jean Valjean: She has the Lord. He is her father. And you're his creation. In his eyes, you have never been anyting but an innocent and... beautiful woman.

Jean Valjean: Brevet, Lombard, Bertin. Look at me. You recognize me? I recognize you, Brevet. You were an informer in Toulon, I see you're still a snitch.

Brevet: Valjean?

Jean Valjean: Hello, Brevet.

[turns to Lombard]

Jean Valjean: And you, Lombard, don't look at my fancy clothes, don't look at my scraped chin. Look at my eyes. You called yourself Godless, right? You've got a scar on your left shoulder. I gave it to you the night you tried to kill me, remember? When I pinned you over the stove.

Lombard: It is you...

Jean Valjean: Show the court your scar.

[Lombard bares his shoulder revealing the scar]

Jean Valjean: Bertin, the hollow of your left arm, there's a date tatooed, 1789, the year of the revolution. Show them!

[Bertin rolls up his sleave to reveal the tattoo]

Jean Valjean: I know these men, Monsieur le President, and they know me. I am the man you want. I am Jean Valjean.

Judge: Monsieur le maire, I know you to be a kind man, but this...

Jean Valjean: A kind? A kind man? When I was in prison I was as ignorant and mean and devious as these men here, but not kind. And I wish I could keep my mouth shut and let this poor wretch suffer for me, but... continue with your investigation, monsieur, you will find further proof that I am Valjean.

Jean Valjean: I order you to forgive yourself.

Captain Beauvais: [pointing a pistol at Valjean with a trembling hand] Are you a convict? Is that true?

Jean Valjean: Yes.

Captain Beauvais: Where's the inspector in there?

Jean Valjean: Inside

Captain Beauvais: Did you kill him?

[Valjean shakes his head]

Captain Beauvais: [lowers his pistol] That's a pity.

Captain Beauvais: [hands over his pistol to Valjean] You'd better hit me hard enough... to make a lump.

Marius: If we can't win today, then none of us have a future.

Jean Valjean: You have love. That's the only future God gives us.

Javert: Monsieur, a serious... a grave violation of the public trust has been committed. An inferior has shown a complete lack of respect for the law. He must be exposed and punished.

Jean Valjean: Who is the offender?

Javert: I am. I slandered you Monsieur le maire, I'm here to ask that you demand my dismissal.

Thénardier: I adore that child.

Jean Valjean: You adore her?

Thénardier: Yes, it's true. I'm not rich. I've had to pay over 400 Francs for her medicine. But I'm a stupid man, I have no sense... just a heart.

[glances at Valjean's wallet]

Thénardier: A big heart.

Jean Valjean: You paid over 400 Francs?

Thénardier: 500...

Old Woman: [first lines - dark street] You can't sleep here.

Jean Valjean: Get away from me.

Old Woman: Why don't you go to an inn?

Jean Valjean: Why do you think?

Old Woman: Can't you knock on doors and ask people?

Jean Valjean: I asked. I ask everywhere. Leave me alone?

Old Woman: You didn't ask there? Knock on that door.

[pointing to Bishop's residence]

Mme. Gilot: [sharing their meal with homeless convict] What crime did you commit?

Jean Valjean: Maybe I killed someone... How do you know I'm not going to murder *you*?

Bishop: How do you know *I'm* not going to murder *you*?

Jean Valjean: What's that, a joke?

Bishop: I suppose we'll have to trust each other.

Jean Valjean: You're dead, Javert.

Jean Valjean: You might be making a mistake.

Javert: Mistake? What kind of mistake is that?

Jean Valjean: Sometimes, people move into town to start a new slate, you might be doing more harm than good by prying into their private lives.

Cosette: Please tell me what this is all about, papa. Please, please tell me what this is. Please, what is it?

Jean Valjean: [stammering] I... I am a convict. When I was young... just your age I was very poor, I was starving. One day, I stood in front of the window. A window full of bread, there was just glass between me... and not being hungry anymore, it was so easy. So I broke it... and took what I wanted. Then they caught me... and put me in chains for almost 19 years. They did things to me... I can't tell you about it, and I did things, there in jail. Terrible things. I became an animal. They took my dignity, they took everything from me.

Jean Valjean: To love another person is to see the face of God.

Javert: Now Prisoner 24601, your time is up and your parole's begun. You know what that means?

Jean Valjean: Yes, it means I'm free.

Javert: No.

[hands him a yellow paper]

Javert: Follow to the letter your itinerary, this badge of shame you wear until you die. It warns that you're a dangerous man.

Jean Valjean: I stole a loaf of bread. My sisters child was close to death, and we were starving...

Javert: And you will starve again unless you learn the meaning of the law!

Jean Valjean: I've learnt the meaning of those nineteen years; a slave of the law.

Javert: Five years for what you did. The rest because you tried to run, yes 24601...

Jean Valjean: My name is Jean Valjean!

Javert: And I'm Javert! Do not forget my name. Do not forget me, 24601.

[first lines]

Jean Valjean: Look down, look down, don't look them in the eye.

Chain Gang: Look down, look down, you're here until you die.

Jean Valjean: Who am I?

Marius: You're Jean Valjean...

Cosette: You will live, Papa you're going to live. It's too soon too soon to say goodbye.

Jean Valjean: Yes Cosette, forbid me now to die I'll obey. I'll try. On this page I write my last confession. Read it well when I at last am sleeping. It's the story of one who turned from hating - a man who only learned to love when you were in his keeping.

Jean Valjean: How have you come to grief in a place such as this?

Fantine: M'sieur, don't mock me now, I pray. It's hard enough I've lost my pride. You let your foreman send me away - yes, you were there, and turned aside. I never did no wrong

Jean Valjean: Is it true, what I have done? To an innocent soul? Had I only known then...

Fantine: My daughter's close to dying. If there's a God above... He'd let me die instead...

Jean Valjean: In His name my task has just begun, I will see it done!

Jean Valjean: You are wrong, and always have been wrong. I'm a man no worse than any man. You are free and there are no conditions. no bargains or petitions. There's nothing that I blame you for. You've done your duty, nothing more.

Madame Thénardier: Wait a bit! Know that face! Ain't the world a remarkable place!

Thénardier: Men like me don't forget. You're the bastard that borrowed Colette!

Madame Thénardier: Cosette!

Thénardier: Whatever.

Jean Valjean: What is this? Are you mad? No, Monsieur, you don't know what you say!

Thénardier: You know me! I know you!

Madame Thénardier: And you pay what you due!

Thénardier: And you'll better dig deep!

Madame Thénardier: Grr, she doesn't come cheap!

Thénardier: Brujon!

Éponine: It's the police! Disappear! Run for it! It's Javert!

Javert: Valjean, at last, we see each other plain. Monsieur le Mayor, you'll wear a different chain.

Jean Valjean: Before you say another word, Javert, before you chain me up like a slave again, listen to me. There is something I must do. This woman leaves behind a suffering child. There is none but me who can intercede. In mercy's name, three days are all I need. Then I'll return. I pledge my word. Then I'll return...

Javert: You must think me mad! I've hunted you across the years. Men like you can never change, a man such as you...

Jean Valjean: God on high, hear my prayer. In my need, you have always been there. He is young, he's afraid. Let him rest, heaven blessed. Bring him home, bring him home. Bring him home.

Javert: He will pay, and so must I - press charges against me sir.

Jean Valjean: You have only done your duty; it's a minor sin at most, all of us have made misjudgements, you'll return sir to your post.

Jean Valjean: How do you know I won't murder you in the night?

Bishop Bienvenu: [remains calm] Well, how do you know I won't murder you?

Jean Valjean: Nah...

Bishop Bienvenu: You have faith in me it seems. And I must have faith in you, musnt' I? Good night.

Jean Valjean: [to an old woman] You want to know who I am? I'm a convict! Yeah! I served my sentence. Now my punishment begins, it seems. Look, in prison they gave me a bed of wood. Now I have one of stone.

[laughs]

Jean Valjean: That's what they do when they set you free!

[laughs]

Jean Valjean: Well, call the police, why don't you? Have me turned off this as well!

Jean Valjean: Is it true I don't have to go back to the galleys? You - you let me go free?

Bishop Bienvenu: Free? When is a man free? I wish someone would tell me.

Jean Valjean: You never temper justice with mercy?

Inspector Javert: No, we might as well understand each other, Monsieur Madeliene. I administer the law - good, bad, or indifferent - it's no business of mine, but the law to the letter!

Jean Valjean: And me! Me! Have you nothing for me?

Cosette: But you're my father. I mean I always think of you as my father. I know you're not really, but, don't you see, with Marius, it's different. It isn't just that lovely sense of companionship I have with you. It's - it's - well, it's the way every girl feels for the man who's going to marry her! You always knew I should have to leave you one day, didn't you?

Jean Valjean: No one forgets that!

Jean Valjean: [looking around the empty hallway] Javert? You're here! I know it! Where are you? Where are you?

Jean Valjean: I'm ready. All I ask is a few minutes to say good-bye.

Inspector Javert: The law allows you nothing.

Jean Valjean: [holding the Bishop's candlesticks] Keep these always. Silver they say, but they're more than gold to me!

Jean Valjean: Remember to love each other, always. There's scarcely anything else in life but that.

Jean Valjean: Remember, as was once told me: life is to give, not to take.

Javert: Now, bring me prisoner 24601/Your time is up and your parole's begun/You know what that means.

Jean Valjean: Yes, it means I'm free.

Javert: No! It means you get your yellow ticket of leave/You are a thief.

Jean Valjean: I stole a loaf of bread.

Javert: You robbed a house!

Jean Valjean: I broke a window pane/My sister's child was close to death/And we were starving.

Javert: And you still starve again/Unless you learn the meaning of the law.

Jean Valjean: I know the meaning of these nineteen years/A slave of the law.

Javert: Five years for what you did/The rest because you tried to run/Yes, 24601.

Jean Valjean: My name is Jean Valjean!

Jean Valjean: There lived a man whose hame was Jean Valjean He stole some bread to save his sister's son. For nineteen winters served his time In sweat he washed away his crime. Years ago He broke parole and lived a life apart How could he tell Cosette and break her heart? It's for Cosette this must be faced If he is caught she is disgraced The time has come to journey on And from this day he must be gone Who am I? Who am I?

Marius Pontmercy: You're Jean Valjean.

Jean Valjean, Eponine, Fantine: Take my hand, and lead me to salvation. Take my love, for love is everlasting. And remember, the truth that once was spoken: to love another person is to see the face of God.