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After 19 years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean is freed by Javert, the officer in charge of the prison workforce. Valjean promptly breaks parole but later uses money from stolen silver to reinvent himself as a mayor and factory owner. Javert vows to bring Valjean back to prison. Eight years later, Valjean becomes the guardian of a child named Cosette after her mother's (Fantine) death. Cosette has been living with the Thénardiers, including their daughter Eponine. Valjean pays the Thénardiers to let him take Cosette away from her miserable living situation. 

Nine years later, there is general unrest in Paris. Gavroche, a street urchin, mingles with beggars and prostitutes. Thénardier has moved there, and he and his gang, including Eponine, prey upon others to survive. Valjean and Cosette appear, and Eponine, now a young woman, remembers Cosette from their childhood. Eponine is in love with Marius, a student, who is in love with Cosette. Marius begs Eponine to help him find Cosette, and, heartbroken, she agrees.  Meanwhile, the students are planning an uprising. Eponine returns, but has been shot crossing the barricade. She dies in Marius’s arms.

A fierce attack begins and only Valjean and Marius survive, though Marius is badly wounded. When Javert does eventually find him, Valjean entreats him for time to deliver Marius to a hospital before surrendering to Javert. Javert reluctantly agrees but unable to live in the debt of a thief, he throws himself off a bridge into the Seine River below.

Marius and Cosette invite Valjean to live with them after they are married. He is grateful but confesses the truth about his past to Marius, explaining that Cosette knows nothing about his real identity and to stay would disgrace and endanger them both. Marius agrees to never reveal the truth to Cosette. The lovers are married.

Marius learns that it was Valjean who saved him the night the barricade fell. He and Cosette hurry to find Valjean, where at last Cosette discovers the truth about her past before Valjean dies. The spirits of Fantine and Eponine come to take him to heaven, joined by all those who died on the barricade.