Why Javert jumped:
If you remember towards the beginning of the musical, Javert was born in a jail. The guards raised him and taught him that criminals were all evil and liars at their core and that they can’t change who they are. The fact that Valjean breaks his parole and continues to run helps support this core belief.

Fast forward to the rebellion, Javert sees Valjean spare his life and release his greatest adversary, save Marius, and continue walking even under the threat of death. This starts the process of Javert questioning his core beliefs and everything he dedicated his life to.

Javert saw the law as absolute and black-and-white. Valjean shatters that core belief with his mercy and generosity. Javert realizes that the line between good and evil are not as clear as he thought. He doesn’t know how to reconcile this fact and how to proceed with his life. Does he fulfill his duty as an officer of the law or squander his duties and let Valjean go free. Unable to find the correct answer, Javert throws himself into the River Seine.

“To love another person is to see the face of God”

How Valjean became the mayor:
After Valjean left the Bishop he stole a coin from a boy, Petit Gravitt, but immediately felt ashamed and tried to return it, however couldnt find the child. The night he enters the town, the town hall caught fire, trapping the children of the police captain. Valjean broke in and rescued the children. He told the town his name was Madeline and that his papers had burned in the fire. He worked at the factory make jewelry from jet, black glass. He discovered a process that exponentially increased the output, while lowering the cost and becoming very rich. After declining the mayorship several times, he finally accepts.

"I think that's the voice I like the most." Samantha Barks in her first movie role, but she had already played Eponine on stage and on the 25th Anniversary Les Mis DVD. I think she really nailed it here.

That priest in the beginning was the OG Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson. Just a fun easter egg.

The medal Javert put on Gavroche was, I believe, the French Legion of Honor medal. It’s the highest medal in France

"I'm feeling with you, I'm feeling also." This may be the most succinct description of what it's like to watch Les Miserables.

"Why was everything dirty in the 1800s in France?" Pretty much every city in the Western world was dirty. Before indoor plumbing became widespread, bathing was a chore and average bath houses were foul places. There are several countries where conditions like that are still common.

Watch the 10th anniversary of  Les Miserables on stage. Unforgettable.

I think I heard that the singing for this movie was all on set; they didn’t overdub the voices from studio recordings.

The actor who plays the old priest originated the role of Jean Valjean in the West End and on Broadway, and in fact also originated the title role in “Phantom of the Opera” when it previewed at a festival.

The singing for most of it is called an operetta. It’s almost a musical and almost an opera where they never speak.

It’s actually very special.

You were absolutely right they were all singing live.  No lip sinking. IT had never been done before.

50:06 - This was so subtle and beautiful. The music swells as Javert gives his medal to Gavroche and if someone were to remember the lyrics at that part of the song:
“He’s like the son I might have known, if God had granted me a son!”

There were no lipsynking in the whole movie, all songs were sang live. The song ”I dreamed a dream” gave her an Oscar

As easy as it is to hate Javert, one thing to keep in mind is this is one of those stories that differentiates what makes a Villain, and what makes an Antagonist.

Javert is the Antagonist. He is neither good nor bad, but he is in the Protagonist's (Valjean) way. Thenardier is the Villain, and it's more prevalent in the book; he's just more comical in the show for comic relief purposes but he is absolutely more evil, while Javert is only doing his job and is bound by duty.

If you add it all up, Jean Valjean was already an adult in his 20s when he went to prison, spent 19 years in prison, 8 years later, he adopted Cosette, it was another 9 years to when he fought with them at the barricade, so he ended up being in his early 60s when he died. He'd had a hard life, and prison ages you hard.

24:42 In the book, a big part of the reason why Thénardier hates Valjean is that even after Valjean paid him a bunch of money so he could leave with Cosette, his wife insinuated that he didn't get enough out of him, so Thénardier went running after him again, but when he caught up Valjean just showed him a paper signed by Fantine and basically said "this proves that this child's mother gave me custody, I didn't have to pay you shit" and just kept on going.

50:11 The medal that Javert gives Gavroche in that scene is the Grand Cross of the French Legion of Honor, which is the highest decoration that an armed or civil officer can receive in France. It's to show that Javert respects Gavroche's bravery and dedication and that he was willing to die for it.

Cristy, you should see the original stage musical. There is a touring company currently in the US and the original is celebrating its 40th year in London. The signing in the live version is so much more powerful.
The bishop was played by Colm Wilkinson. He was the original Jean Valjean in the original musical in London and New York and he played in Toronto as well. The 10th Anniversary concert features him and is very much worth watching.
I’m very happy you enjoy musicals!

Anne Hathaway won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar and it was well deserved!!!! Her performance is amazing and I must say one of if not the best piece of acting I’ve ever seen! All of the actors had to sing live and then it was recorded for the soundtrack.