In late 18th Century (1795) France, in the middle of the French Revolution, the unemployed woodman Jean Valjean is arrested for stealing bread to feed his family and sentenced to five years in prison in Toulon. He tries to escape from prison due to the mistreatment of cruel Javert, increasing his sentence. Nineteen years later he is released but forced to carry ID that labels him a thief, making him unwelcome at inns and many other places but is helped by the kind Bishop Myriel that feeds and shelters him. However he steals his silverware in the dawn but he is arrested by two policemen and brought back to the bishop. The bishop tells that the silver objects were a gift and gives two additional candlesticks to Valjean. When the policemen leave the place, the bishop tells that he has bought his soul and now he should live an honest life. Jean Valjean becomes a well-succeeded businessman with the alias Madeleine, bringing prosperity to a small town by producing black beads that he had

Jean Valjean fakir bir adamdır. Bir gün açlığını gidermek için bir somun ekmek çalmaya karar verir. Yakalanması neticesinde hak ettiğinin çok üzerinde, ağır bir cezayla karşı karşıya kalır. Bir süre sonrası bağışlanması, Jean'ın tüm hayatını tepeden tırnağa değiştirecektir. Jean, aşkı, otoriteyi, arzuyu ve tutkuyu bulacaktır. Hapisten zirveye doğru giden yol, onlarca saplantının gölgesinde, daha da virajlı hale gelecektir.