I cried my eyes out during the whole movie (can't believe that 8 years have passed since I saw it for the first time), but during this song the flood gates where open. I knew she'd get the oscar.
Les Mis is a terrific musical, great songs, great rich opportunity for actors to dive deep. It had a legendary run on Broadway. I think most people felt this was just a revival of an old favorite and was easy winnings for Oscars. It's exceptionally well done as this film though. Anne is fantastic in it.
@@topnotchcardz1639 Maybe, but she doesn’t have a top voice. Les Miz is like an opera, and it needs strong voices. While I do not think the producers needed classically trained opera singers, it needs strong voices. Anne Hathaway is a good actress, but her voice was not strong enough. Hugh Jackman was fine, but Russell Crowe’s voice was a train-wreak.
This is, of course, personal preference. I am much more emotionally moved by beautiful music than good acting. So for me, no matter how good Anne Hathaway’s acting, I am not going to be emotionally moved as by somewhat weaker acting but a much better voice. I understand from an interview I saw with her, Anne Hathaway made a deliberate choice not to sing it ‘pretty’. I get that choice, but in my view the song required a stronger voice. Movie musicals used to always have strong voices, even if the producers/ directors had to use a voice double. Just because this is movie does not mean the the acting has to prioritised over the singing. There are plenty of non musical versions of Les Miserables if it is acting that is wanted, including a brilliant French version with Gerard Depardieu as Valjean and John Malkovich as Jarvert.
Just a reminder that Anne Hathaway was in a 3-hour movie for only 30 minutes but she still won Academy’s Best Supporting Actress... Oh and this was taken in one take.
@@funguy29 Yeah, you're confused. The song was a single take. But as Charlie noted, she performed it multiple times. They did not cut together different takes, though.
Whilst training as a professional vocalist I had many teachers. All of them said the same thing: you can sing through anything...sore throat, pain - anything except for crying. Crying swells the throat and limits your vocal range to the point of damage if you continue. This scene gave me so much respect for Anne Hathaway. Her acting is incredible, her singing equally so. The despair in her eyes is heart-wrenching. Im no expert on acting, but this was something else. The genius to it is her breathing. Every breath, every emphasis on each phrase is carefully timed so that her sobs don't interfere with her vocal. She was really going for it emotionally and this must have been incredibly controlled for her, or just a natural talent at switching from sob to vocal. This was filmed live in one take. I thought the film overall was rubbish, miscast and don't even get me started on Russell Crowe. But this scene is PERFECTION.
Aaaah please don't even mention Russell Crowe, god how he butchered Stars it's unthinkable, I heard his version first and I though what a boring filler song and then I saw Phillip Quast's version... I had no idea how beautiful this song could be.
They mad because she was at peak of her career and wanted the actress has stronger voice lmao this is not musical theater this musical movie ofc they gonna cast actress that talented enough to potray those emotion not just with big voice LOL
The one dislike is the avid theater geek, who wants singing over acting, i find it funny, since singing is expression. I choose emotion than just belting, yeah great you can belt, but does it make people feel the emotion of the song, the story behind it. I love theater too but if u can emote the song with feeling than just belting i salute you.
that part when she says “I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I’m living” and starts hyperventilating and sobbing...that’s what gets me. it’s like it’s hitting her all over again
I got physically sick to my stomach watching this scene for the first time. I know it's just acting but she portrays it so well that I don't even know what to feel. She literally portrayed what it felt like to be to totally defeated and then the acceptance of her defeat. A life of getting dirt kicked in your face, of being used, abused, under-valued, spat on, and dehumanized and then final a swan song of 3-4 minutes of saying what you want to God, the world, the cosmos , whoever is listening, and then the final acceptance of total surrender as you die...it's honestly unmatched in cinema so far.
The hyperventilating is what takes me out of the moment. She gives such a raw, truthful performance overall, especially in this particular number, but filling the brief interlude with a burlesque of a panic attack was an amateurish choice that marred her otherwise sublime rendition.
if you look at her throat you can see that it's moving (in that specific way it does when people sing, you know what I mean) so she was singing live. You can also search videos of Annie singing, she's very good
You're right. The songwriting is great and Anne Hathaway is the real deal. In my mind this performance overshadowed everything else in the movie. I have a CD of the original London cast recording and I get the same emotional journey in On My Own, Bring Him Home and others. Unfortunately I don't think Jackman or Crowe or even Samantha Barks got to that level in this movie.
What makes me give Anne full respect is that she did this whole scene in one take. All this emotion, that wonderful singing, one take. Such a great actress!
You have to be an outstanding singer to be able to sing a song this way. Its totaly exhausting and she has to act while singing as well.. The oscar was well well well deserved
why do you need an actor to make you realize you have never given a second thought to a stranger or someone you have passed by in life that was suffering?
For anyone who has ever had regrets, have felt depressed, helpless, and hopeless... Anne perfectly conveys every emotion flawlessly with this beautiful and moving performance. A well deserved Oscar.
From her hilarious performance in The Princess Diaries, to her emotional performance in Les Miserables, she has grown so much as an actress and an artist.
It wasn't that she have grown it just that she know for movies apart from theatre in fact she is a skill performing musical actress before she made her big break on screen in hollywood
For those that aren’t actors, you’ll never truly understand how badly scenes like these can mess you up. You become the character and take their burdens, this is raw. Well and truly worthy of an Oscar.
When your heart is irreparably broken, your light is dimmed, and your spirit is crushed into dismal hopelessness, THIS is how your life would sound like in song...
Beyond the emotion that this song indubitably gives, I think it's important to remember what the author wanted to say with Fantine's character. Poverty is revolting. We should not be okay with people resorting to prostitution because they have kids to support. We should not be okay with people dying of hypothermia and illness because they have nowhere to sleep and no money to get health care. Les Misérables was a very political book (or books), the message of which cannot be forgotten.
John Vale agreed. The United States are truly a shameful state where we’re happy for the poor to suffer and die. in fact with our laws we make sure of it. i hate it here. 😔
I’ve heard better vocalists sing this song perfectly, but none of them pulled out the emotion in me like Hathaway did in this movie. I absolutely cannot watch it without crying.
as an actor, empathy is the best way to portray a characters emotions. anne hathaway took fantines feelings and burdens onto herself and felt them as strongly as the character was at that moment in the show. anne hathaway is a truly amazing actress, as she can instantly feel these emotions strong enough to actually cry and sing all in a one-take one-shot. beautiful.
Nah, she’s acting. I’ve seen acting that isn’t acting.. this is really good of course.. but this isn’t it.. I’ve seen the kind of acting that shakes you to the bones.. and that would be Sally Field.
@@cece8095 i mean… ok. i feel like this preformance is really good too? i was talking ab anne hathaway idk where sally field came from. i wasn’t saying anne hathaway was better than her in any way, i was just saying anne is good. i am sharing what i know about acting techniques and how some people choose to portray emotions.
I hope that Ms.Hathaway was able to watch this after filming and felt impressed with herself and proud of her work because this is the most breathtaking and heartbreaking scene I’ve ever seen. She’s incredible.
“There was something selfish about going for the pretty version of it”. - Anne Hathaway. This version isn’t pretty but it’s raw, moving and incredibly thought provoking. Something that would have been lost by just sitting there and singing.
For context, Fantie (Hathaway) had a daughter when she was young, the father promissed to marry her but he ran away. She had to leave her child with another family, the Thénardiers while she went away and was forced to work as a prostitute and send them her wages so they could take care of her daughter, Cosette. The Thénardiers wrote letters to her saying that the child was growing, and that she needed clothes or that she had gotten hurt and asking for more money. So Fantine, having only her own body an no other posessions, had to sell her beautiful white teeth and her long blonde hair and work even harder, all the while the Thénardiers were lying and were mistreating Cosette and treating her as a slave basically while they bought frivoulous things with Fantine's money, which she had lost so much of herself to earn.
This performance goes down in history as one of the most incredible displays of acting and vocal talent in a movie. It is incredible how much emotion can be shown in just a 4 and a half minute clip.
i can’t imagine the emotions she felt when getting into her character. i still don’t understand how anne hathaway was able to do this..maybe i doubted her abilities, but she is literally so amazing there are no words
Probably 'the' most authentic version of this song you will find. The thing with film is it is so much more intimate than stage. I went to drama school, and this is fantastic.
"I Dreamed A Dream" (from "Les Misérables" soundtrack) There was a time when men were kind When their voices were soft And their words inviting There was a time when love was blind And the world was a song And the song was exciting There was a time Then it all went wrong I dreamed a dream in time gone by When hope was high And life worth living I dreamed that love would never die I dreamed that God would be forgiving Then I was young and unafraid And dreams were made and used and wasted There was no ransom to be paid No song unsung No wine untasted But the tigers come at night With their voices soft as thunder As they tear your hope apart As they turn your dream to shame He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came And still I dream he'll come to me That we will live the years together But there are dreams that cannot be And there are storms we cannot weather I had a dream my life would be So different from this hell I'm living So different now from what it seemed Now life has killed The dream I dreamed
the blank expression on her face at the end, then suddenly checking her surroundings as if going back to her reality that life must continue. just wow.
The seventh art in its pure state. A good actress who isn't even a singer, but who, by living and interpreting a mother's pain with her heart, created an eternal moment. This scene has gone down in eternity. But we can't forget: The song is inspired by a story written in 1862 by a Frenchman (Victor Hugo); It was composed for a Broadway musical in the 80s, by a Tunisian (Alain Boublil); The best interpreter was a Filipina (Lea Salonga); And the interpretation of this scene/song won an Oscar for an American (Anne Hathaway); And this message was written by a Brazilian, grandson of a Danish woman, great-grandson of a Brazilian Indian.
Her voice cracks here and there, the pitch wavers occasionally, her breath support is poor and thin sometimes, the tempo is off for a few moments. And that's what makes this perfect. Stunning. Mesmerizing. Her heartbroken character in that instance would absolutely not be singing perfectly, and I'm glad they didn't sacrifice acting for the sake of a perfect song. I'm so glad with the direction this movie went. In most musicals, they have the actors act and then record the singing later in the studio. This yields the best quality of singing, but fails to capture the emotionality and life of that narrative moment. As I understand it, for this version of Les Mis, the actors sang it live. So impressive and such a good artistic choice on the director's part.
Exactly. The most important thing was for Anne Hathaway to portray the absolute heartbreak that her character was experiencing. She did it perfectly. It was real, raw and brilliant.
Could not up vote this comment enough. You are absolutely right. The heart broken-ness and hopelessness of her situation could not have been conveyed as great as it was here. It was more beautiful than perfect. I love Lea and she sang it so perfectly but could not carry the weight of this scene here
The broadway version of “singing well and ignore the acting” doesn’t compare to the heartbreak Hathaway conveys in this… you really feel the character’s circumstances in this version. While it might not be the best vocally, it’s the most raw. Brava.
And I hate it. If I wanted to see a drama, I'd watch a drama. But I'm not watching a drama, I'm watching a musical, which means that first and foremost I want good music and singing.
@@lovelessdinosaur6650 Who watches a musical and doesn't care about the music? Go watch a drama instead. On a constructive note, there's a way to combine the two, you know. You can keep the Broadway singing and add the much superior sets and costumes of movies. And even the better acting, to the extent where it doesn't interfere with the music. This has been done many times. The Sound of Music, Marry Poppins, Grease, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof,… It's a shame they chose to ruin Les Mis.
I'm french from the low class, Les Misérables are in my blood and it's not something you can mess with ! And I will tell you something... she truely diserves this Oscar ! She made it ! Congrats ! It was not an easy way ! She gave it all !
Single shot. No break. She sang the whole thing like this with zero edits Fully emoted, sung brilliantly, and with an exceptionally noticeable passion. In terms of musical cinema, superb. Absolutely superb. And I'm not a fan of musicals!
You and others with your perspective are certanly not fans of musicals. As a musical the movie sucked. What do you think a musical is about. It emphasises music. Music is a priority. If the director wanted to emphasie acting he should have just done another none musical version. Ann was actually better vocally than most of the other charaters who were just downright horrible. As I stated before the director over rehearsed them so that their voices were gone before they did the scens on film. Jackman is a far better singer than he showed. It you are going to do a musicla , then do a musical. This movie was an offense to my ears. ------ By the way Solonga was not the best Fontaine. She was the best Eponie. If you want to hear the show as it was meant to be sung listen to the 10th anniversary perfornance. The trick in musicals is to find the line between emotion and vocal quality. It takes a lot of talent to do that.
This movie is the human experience. To live is to suffer. There is no harder life than that of a poor single mother. She gave her blood, sweat, tears and even her teeth to provide for her child until her body gave up and she physically couldn't do it anymore. She reminds me of my mother.
The worst part is that the human experience is miserable only because other humans cause it to be. Lives aren't just ruined they are taken by other lives who have no value for life itself.
Well, since it's based on a Victor Hugo's book, that's obviously true. Hugo was really good at this, and the theatre/musical versions, along with actors and comedians, did a good job in adapting the book.
This version of this song nails perfectly the despair she was feeling. Susan Boyle turned this song into an anthem and that isn't what it was meant to be. This version will forever be a testament to the hopelessness of Fantine and the harshness of her life. Bravo Miss Hathaway.....Bravo
Yes yes yes. Susan's version is amazing vocally, but this scene really shows the confusing, harsh, and scary emotions Fantine feels. She looks so broken in the song
ehhh I'd argue that Susan bent it to her will, she might have made it grand but grandeur is what you need to stand out in a competition. for someone like Susan, life very well could've ended her dream if she didn't give it her all on that stage. Hathaway had the luxury of being able to focus on the nuance of it
may)(day Great response! Well informed and right on the dot. I’m so glad others recognize Anne’s amazing acting but also Susan’s fantastic performance.
@@maddietillem6778 Not really, as with many other artists Susans forced and overdone vibrato completely destroys the song. If I ever come to power I will issue a world wide ban on vibrato :P
I have watched this so many times and it makes me cry every time. I saw it on opening day, Christmas, in the theater and I knew she'd get an oscar right then. She did.
Being able to perform such emotions at this level must be absolutely terrifying. Dont get me wrong I am in awe of her emotions in this masterpiece. But I genuinely worry for actors like her. It must be such a narrow and slippery path to walk on. What a commitment
She's said before in interviews that it took her months to recover. She couldn't just shake away the emotions that she felt in that scene once she got home. That not only shows amazing acting but also her ability to empathize with others and of course, her commitment to the role.
the problem with this performance is the fact that she’s actually crying, which makes all that flem from her nose go down her throat and it ruins her vocal performance. that’s why you hear all those painful gasps for air. but in other words, it’s a great acting performance, but not a vocal one.
This is one of the most gut wrenching, heartbreaking tear jerkers of a song, ever. And to think this is exactly what became of countless women in the past. They had no other option without a husband. Such uncessary tragedy.
I remember watching this movie in the theater when it came out and tearing up a little at this scene. It was sad then when I knew nothing about what it meant, but now it breaks my heart. Because since then, I've learned a lot and now I can't watch this scene without seeing two of my sisters, my mom, or my godmother in Fantine's place. Though she's a fictional character, her brokenness is very real and more present in the people around me than I could've imagined.
I’ve heard many versions of this song and Anne Hathaway is the only one who is able to express the melancholy and despair of the character. Truly phenomenal
To all the Anne Hath a Ways who have been bought and paid for to say good things for her, come on. Really people? Russel Crowe was made fun of but Anne Hathaway was praised? No one in Hollywood has any taste, class or morals. Les Mis the movie ~would~ have been great if Anne Hathaway wouldn't have weasled and wedged her talentless self in it. Shame on Hollywood's gristmill of talentless hacks like her. Just a shame when hundreds if not thousands of better actresses and songbirds are overlooked due to Hollywood's graft and tastelessness. Shame on your lazy status quo.
Actually, the problem I have with this performance is that there are tears rolling down here cheek THE WHOLE ENTIRE SONG. The best way to sing this song 'with genuine emotion and feeling' is to start-off on a light and reflective note with glimmers of fond/happy memories, and to intensify the sadness as the song/lyrics progress. There's just no need to be so melancholy and distraught THE ENTIRE SONG. And then VISUALLY, this thing was a mess. Never seen Anne Hathaway look so unattractive and unappealing in my entire life -- for the entire song. Nothing 'perfect' about this performance.
There was a time when men were kind When their voices were soft And their words inviting There was a time when love was blind And the world was a song And the song was exciting There was a time Then it all went wrong I dreamed a dream in times gone by When hope was high and life worth living I dreamed, that love would never die I dreamed that God would be forgiving Then I was young and unafraid And dreams were made and used and wasted There was no ransom to be paid No song unsung, no wine untasted But the tigers come at night With their voices soft as thunder As they tear your hope apart As they turn your dream to shame He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came And still I dream he'll come to me That we will live the years together But there are dreams that cannot be And there are storms we cannot weather I had a dream my life would be So different from this hell I'm living So different now from what it seemed Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
The emotions in her eyes... it was absolutely painful and breathtaking. I remember watching this is the cinema and felt tears rolling down my cheeks. The way her eyes changed towards the end of the song was so crazy good. I never really understood this song until I watched her version. Absolutely fantastic acting!
Nothing against all the singers who have sung this song and done so beautifully, but this version is absolute. No one can touch it. Anne Hathaway more than nailed it. She perfected it. And she also had the guts to perform it this way in one take. She is one of our very best actresses. Amazing.
I'm guessing you guys have never heard it sung by professions in a theatre orchestra setting. I like Anne Hathaway, but this is a mockery compared to the real deal.
Are you kidding...? "Look what they've done to my song, ma Look what they've done to my song Well, it's the only thing that I could do half right And it's turning out all wrong, ma Look what they've done to my song"
@@oooo4412 i have, but none could compare to the emotions that Anne was able to convey, idk maybe it's because this one was a movie and we get to see her expressions more clearly but this songs isn't about singing, it's about emotions no matter how good you are in singing if you can't convey the emotions and move the audience then you failed. With that criteria, Anne Hathaway's version in my opinion was nothing short of perfection.
@@oooo4412 this is like the comparison of Memory from Cat the musical and Memory the song by the other singers. Remember that she was performing in a musical, a play where she needed to act out as a fictional character, whom was crying in a mental meltdown right after a traumatic event. The acting is as important as the singing. Of course the song itself can be sung more beautifully, but that wouldn't line up with the plot.
It was actually because of water deprivation which is really harmful for singers. Singing dry can permanently damage your vocal chords so it was kind of stupid of the director to tell her to go on a water-fast because she could have been quite seriously hurt, just to appear thinner for one scene.
@@sci-figeek1354 Hugh Jackman also did the water-fast. im pretty sure that it was their idea, but the fact that Tom Hooper and Cameron Mackintosh let them do that is beyond me
Funny thing is, the intonation and timing here are so much better than the supposedly better broadway versions. They seem to forget the subject and the meaning of the sentences there.
I thought so too. Then I read that, in the Broadway version, this song came before Fantine's fall into prostitution. The movie follows the order of original French production so Anne's interpretation gets to pack a lot more pathos.
I saw the play not too long ago and this song doesn’t pack a very emotional punch because she hasn’t been through hardly anything yet. I had only seen the movie so I was like wait does she not become a prostitute in the play? But she does, it comes after.
@@Dawnholio In a musical, the score is a character in the story, for lack of a better way to put it. Often in opera, the story is taking a backseat to the quality of the voice and beauty of the composition. She gives an amazing interpretation here, and I'm happy for everyone who loves it, but for me personally, I'd more of a performance from her musical instrument, her voice.
This was an outstanding performance of the pain and emotional despair in her story/character-you can feel and see it with every line sung. Hathaway very much deserved the Oscar
This is the most dramatic, emotional performance ever, she incorporates and conveys the drama and emotion fully. How her voice changes from agression to despair, the look of horror in her eyes to the final surrender...20 out of 10 performance, she put the bar for others extremely high. Well done! I would've loved to see the film teams reaction after this scene was concluded. I bet they were clapping their hands sore.
We all have cried like she did, haven’t we? We all have, maybe just a little, maybe never on the outside, maybe so silently we never really noticed. That’s why it hits so deep to see her suffering, because her tears are shared in our hearts.
Les Mis is my favorite book and musical. I HATED the casting of Hathaway. All my friends heard me say that it was ridiculous to "cast an actress who can sing instead of finding a singer who could act because acting is so much easier than singing." When I first watched this scene in theaters. I had tears in my eyes and could not remove them from her face. I turned to my wife, sighed, and said, "Well, I guess I was wrong, maybe acting was what this scene needed." I LOVE this version, still moves me to this day.
@@stephyfra1243 pretty amazing isn't it, the number of people here who simply don't get how truly incredible this performance is, all caught up on the lack of strength of her voice. The character is so emotionally wrecked she can hardly breath...let alone sing. Just an amazing performance.
The negativity this movie had during its time hurt me because i loved this kind of songs, where the songs are acted and sang as what the emotion has to be. I love watching singers live, as they emote their song, i dont need perfect pitch.
OMG People, stop comparing Anne's, Lea's and Susan's versions. They are all different. Anne was in a movie, Lea was in musical theatre, Susan was in a competition. It's that simple. You don't compare emotions, technicality and range if they were sung on different occasions. Of course Anne should act it while singing because it's film, it's great that she done it in a take but if she messed up, she could have another one while Lea should sing it clear and proper because she performs live in a hall full of audience and she has to be heard up to the back and there's no room for error there and most especially to Susan Boyle, she has to sing to impress because she's in a competition, if she let her emotions come more than her singing, her talent would be acting not singing. Don't you just get it?
It was horrible. Actually, the problem I have with this performance is that there are tears rolling down here cheek THE WHOLE ENTIRE SONG. The best way to sing this song 'with genuine emotion and feeling' is to start-off on a light and reflective note with glimmers of fond/happy memories, and to intensify the sadness as the song/lyrics progress. There's just no need to be so melancholy and distraught THE ENTIRE SONG. And then VISUALLY, this thing was a mess. Never seen Anne Hathaway look so unattractive and unappealing in my entire life -- for the entire song. Nothing 'perfect' about this performance.
2:20 That reaction from Hathaway is pretty special. She got so invested into the character that it was a genuine reaction. Incredible performance and a thoroughly deserved Oscar win!
She is impressive, but I think anyone that has been through struggle and wondered if it was worth it, knows what this song is about. When you are grasping and any little thing you can get is meaningful. Definitely not the same level of acting, but I find Star Wars Binary Sunset similarly moving. When you want or think or hope you are destined for bigger things! You wonder if this is it for your life. When those French Horns kick in with that back drop and Luke gazing into the distance, it goes through your soul!
Look, we get it musical buffs... This song isn't perfect. She's crying, lying or sitting down for all of it, and is purposefully hyperventilating. But, this is a film about playing the character... Not hitting the notes perfectly. And Ann nails that. It's raw, it's ugly, and it's perfect. If we wanted a pretty song, we'd listen to the 25th Anniversary. As that already exists... We welcome a more emotional, bitter portrayal.
I am a musical buff... and this is the best in my opinion. Any true musical buff knows that the music is a servant to the plot/characters/story in music theatre. And honestly, even in pieces that don't have words or aren't in musicals. If it starts becoming all about showing off technique, you lose the soul of the music. And that, my friend, is a crime.
This song hits different when this is your reality as you look back how you wasted your life and your dreams have come and gone, and you realize you will never see the dreams you worked so hard for. To anyone else out there feeling this, my heart hurts with you.
I used to listen to this song while I was in this phase of life. I am now on the other side and still cry while listening. I pray you come out the other side sis. We can always create a new dream, or accomplish old dreams
I agree 100% she's not singing perfect because the character is breaking, so many musicals just try to have good singing and ignore that the emotions of the character is what's most important, Anne Hathaway managed to sing well and be the character not just a singer. Imo I feel the same way about Emmy rossum in phantom
This is the best five minutes in cinematic history. Never in my life have I heard I Dreamed a Dream sung so beautifully. I've seen this movie about 20 times, and I have sobbed every single time during this part.
This is the most REALISTIC, and hence the BEST, interpretation of this heartbreaking song. Anne TOTALLY deserve her Oscar; this song defines that movie.
There was a time when men were kind When their voices were soft And their word inviting There was a time when love was blind And a world was a song And the song was exciting! There was a time Then it all went wrong I dreamed a dream in time gone by When hope was high and life worth living I dreamed that love would never die I dreamed that god would be forgiving Then i was young and unafraid And dreams were made, used, wasted There was no ransom to be paid No song unsung, no wine untasted But the tigers come at night With their voices soft as thunder As they tear your hope apart As they turn your dream to shame He slept a summer by my side He filled my days with endless wonder He took my childhood in his stride But he was gone when autumn came And still i dream he'll come to me! That we will live the years together But there are dreams that cannot be And there are storms we cannot weather I had a dream my life would be So different from this hell i'm living So different now from what it seemed! Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
"Look what they've done to my song, ma Look what they've done to my song Well, it's the only thing that I could do half right And it's turning out all wrong, ma Look what they've done to my song"
I’ve loved Les Miserables for years but honestly this was the first time I’ve ever connected to the lyrics and truly seen the raw pain and sadness in them. She brought these lyrics to life in this performance.
a hugely underrated moment is when she flips between rage and sadness through "he took my childhood in his stride / but he was gone when autumn came" she's so angry at what he did but still wishes he never left. anne hathaway deserved this oscar more than most people deserve their oscars.
We just introduced our 20yr boy to Les Mis with this clip. We think we saw him shudder. Welcome to Broadway, musicals and A-list actors that can sing and pierce your heart with this type of talent.
i remember they asked Anne's husband to take off from the shooting scene because he made her to happy 😅 well the result is Anne delivered this spectacular performance
More than 10 years on and I still can't hear this version without sobbing. I swear I have had this exact mental breakdown. And she depicts all of those feelings within that so perfectly.
That’s why I love this so much, is not just singing good from other videos, yes they are beautiful, but this is real , this why I feel so much , I been like this a lot of my life but i can’t sing , just here and said thank you to miss Anne
I can just imagine Shakespeare seeing this performance, despite the language barrier. (The irony of his wife being called Anne Hathaway is not lost on me.)
@@sci-figeek1354 He's a playwright. Seeing an actor (or in this case, actress) bring such life, such meaning, into a piece would be an amazing thing to witness. Her acting in this scene is chilling. Can't deny the man a good performance.
This scene made me cry to be honest. We did a musical of Les Miserables 3 years ago at my school and I remember that when my classmate performed that scene from that song, she actually cried.
I feel like if you don’t cry, then you’re kinda just a shell of a person. Idk... there’s just SO much emotion that Anne herself is feeing by playing this character.
To all the people who are in here comparing anne's performsnce to the broadway version and going on about better vocal technique i have some things to say. yes, people have beaten to death the point that this is a film thats portraying emotion over vocal quality and that film acting is different than stage acting. There's one massive point everyone is forgetting. The story context! in the broadway play this song is placed after Fantine loses her job. She's a little emotionally down but she hasn't yet gone through hell. In the film this song doesn't come until after she's left destitute on the street, extremely ill, and selling her body to survive. That is a completely different emotional context that informs this performance. On broadway the story context facilitates the stronger technique because she's emotional but not broken. in the film she's singing this song while she's literally dying. She's lamenting a hellish existence and all the dreams she can't have because life beat her to her knees. This is a much more emotionally heavy context. You literally cannot compare the two performances because theyre conveying two different states of mind.
Fantastic job explaining the difference. I’m so tired of the same old, low-hanging fruit criticisms while people entirely ignoring the separate nuances of each performances.
That's easily the most impressive few minutes I have seen in years. The song was nice, sung beautifully by others in the past. But Anne gave it the meaning it should have. WOW!
EXACTLY!!!! Though the day it was announced the Emma got the role about 50 people messaged me either teasing me or angry as Belle has always been 'mine' lol
Literally everything about this scene is phenomenal. Anne nailed her singing voice, tone (such as going from sadness to frustration and then back to sadness, as well as some of the emotional breaths between words), momentum, facial expressions, and physical movements! On top of that the set is pretty solid and the instruments in the background are brilliant :)
"I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living.."
I cried
I cried my eyes out during the whole movie (can't believe that 8 years have passed since I saw it for the first time), but during this song the flood gates where open. I knew she'd get the oscar.
That’s where I broke, I cry everytime during this song whenever I watch this movie
I coomed.
I still do, this is one of the very few emotionally powerful performances I've ever seen
@@spector969 same bruh
I really don't understand the hate that Anne Hathaway got after this movie. This was truly one of the most well deserved Oscar wins in history.
Les Mis is a terrific musical, great songs, great rich opportunity for actors to dive deep. It had a legendary run on Broadway. I think most people felt this was just a revival of an old favorite and was easy winnings for Oscars. It's exceptionally well done as this film though. Anne is fantastic in it.
@@brontewcat hugh jackman was on broadway and anne hathaway has a good voice and they brought a bunch of people over from broadway
@@topnotchcardz1639 Maybe, but she doesn’t have a top voice. Les Miz is like an opera, and it needs strong voices. While I do not think the producers needed classically trained opera singers, it needs strong voices. Anne Hathaway is a good actress, but her voice was not strong enough.
Hugh Jackman was fine, but Russell Crowe’s voice was a train-wreak.
This is, of course, personal preference. I am much more emotionally moved by beautiful music than good acting. So for me, no matter how good Anne Hathaway’s acting, I am not going to be emotionally moved as by somewhat weaker acting but a much better voice. I understand from an interview I saw with her, Anne Hathaway made a deliberate choice not to sing it ‘pretty’. I get that choice, but in my view the song required a stronger voice.
Movie musicals used to always have strong voices, even if the producers/ directors had to use a voice double. Just because this is movie does not mean the the acting has to prioritised over the singing. There are plenty of non musical versions of Les Miserables if it is acting that is wanted, including a brilliant French version with Gerard Depardieu as Valjean and John Malkovich as Jarvert.
@@brontewcat yes of course im just saying she pulled it off for someone who isnt a trained singer
Just a reminder that Anne Hathaway was in a 3-hour movie for only 30 minutes but she still won Academy’s Best Supporting Actress...
Oh and this was taken in one take.
She sang the song 20 times in a row it was the fourth one they used
Nope there is a cut with a change in camera.
@@funguy29 what do u think they only use one camera?
Rafael John people like you believe anything they're told
@@funguy29 Yeah, you're confused. The song was a single take. But as Charlie noted, she performed it multiple times. They did not cut together different takes, though.
Whilst training as a professional vocalist I had many teachers. All of them said the same thing: you can sing through anything...sore throat, pain - anything except for crying. Crying swells the throat and limits your vocal range to the point of damage if you continue. This scene gave me so much respect for Anne Hathaway. Her acting is incredible, her singing equally so. The despair in her eyes is heart-wrenching. Im no expert on acting, but this was something else. The genius to it is her breathing. Every breath, every emphasis on each phrase is carefully timed so that her sobs don't interfere with her vocal. She was really going for it emotionally and this must have been incredibly controlled for her, or just a natural talent at switching from sob to vocal. This was filmed live in one take. I thought the film overall was rubbish, miscast and don't even get me started on Russell Crowe. But this scene is PERFECTION.
I love this movie
@@benjaminraymond7866The whole point of Les ,Miserables is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. He is God. ✝️🙏🩷
She isn’t really crying
Anyone can sing a song you can hear the magic comes when the singer sings a song another person can feel.....😢
Aaaah please don't even mention Russell Crowe, god how he butchered Stars it's unthinkable, I heard his version first and I though what a boring filler song and then I saw Phillip Quast's version... I had no idea how beautiful this song could be.
I can’t believe Tom Hooper did such a great job with this scene and then he still went on to direct Cats.
ConMan1226 LMAOO!!!
😂😂😂
Unpopular opinion but I thought Cats was a brilliant film
Samuel. S. L. Henshaw tf
I KNOW OMG
Took her less than 5 minutes to win that Oscar goddamn
I agree she too good
And one million previous of Anne with herself
Colin Mitchell That happens a lot by the way
omg
First step: be Anne Hathaway.
she is not just an actress she's an artist...
Acting is an art of its own
Actors are artists who must create their art in real time...
Well put
indeed
Pretty sure she is an actress
I will never understand why people disliked her in this role. She was beyond perfect.
They mad because she was at peak of her career and wanted the actress has stronger voice lmao this is not musical theater this musical movie ofc they gonna cast actress that talented enough to potray those emotion not just with big voice LOL
@@moozie996 exactly! It's a different type of performance.
The one dislike is the avid theater geek, who wants singing over acting, i find it funny, since singing is expression. I choose emotion than just belting, yeah great you can belt, but does it make people feel the emotion of the song, the story behind it. I love theater too but if u can emote the song with feeling than just belting i salute you.
She hasn’t paid her acting dues, we can all play this roll, but what has she actually done,
Sorry if i spelt dues wrong. No sorry, she’s miss plaiced
Pedantic I know - there is no beyond perfect, and she is.
that part when she says “I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I’m living” and starts hyperventilating and sobbing...that’s what gets me. it’s like it’s hitting her all over again
Yes, a kick in the stomach.
I got physically sick to my stomach watching this scene for the first time. I know it's just acting but she portrays it so well that I don't even know what to feel. She literally portrayed what it felt like to be to totally defeated and then the acceptance of her defeat. A life of getting dirt kicked in your face, of being used, abused, under-valued, spat on, and dehumanized and then final a swan song of 3-4 minutes of saying what you want to God, the world, the cosmos , whoever is listening, and then the final acceptance of total surrender as you die...it's honestly unmatched in cinema so far.
You nailed it!
For me is when she sings "But there are dreams that cannot be".
The hyperventilating is what takes me out of the moment. She gives such a raw, truthful performance overall, especially in this particular number, but filling the brief interlude with a burlesque of a panic attack was an amateurish choice that marred her otherwise sublime rendition.
The fact she can sing this perfect while she's having a breakdown is truthfully amazing talent
Is she is singing for real?
@@SinhaUrv Yes, all the singing in the movie was sang while filming took place. No prerecorded vocals but all live.
No.. its not her....its recorded by different Singer
It’s because she’s having the breakdown that she’s able to sing it so phenomenally.
if you look at her throat you can see that it's moving (in that specific way it does when people sing, you know what I mean) so she was singing live. You can also search videos of Annie singing, she's very good
0:00- brokenness
1:14- wishful
1:26- regret
2:19- shattered
2:35- demand
2:52- anger
3:09- hope
3:23- reality
3:39- disbelief
3:42- denial
3:47- rage
3:56~4:12- sadness
4:16- emotionless
All this shown in one single song. It's amazing.
You're right. The songwriting is great and Anne Hathaway is the real deal. In my mind this performance overshadowed everything else in the movie. I have a CD of the original London cast recording and I get the same emotional journey in On My Own, Bring Him Home and others. Unfortunately I don't think Jackman or Crowe or even Samantha Barks got to that level in this movie.
This comment is beautiful and captures the tone of this song excellently.
@@madisonslays3436 Thank you x
Damn your are righr
what is the difference between 'anger' and 'rage'? (I'm Japanese)
I really love that she chose to act the song, rather than just sing it!
Truly brilliant!
What makes me give Anne full respect is that she did this whole scene in one take. All this emotion, that wonderful singing, one take. Such a great actress!
Nat Allison She did it in one take 20 times in a row and they used the fourth one she did
@@CharlieAUS so they filmed it multiple times but only used one of the takes instead of editing them together? So she did it in one take.
Phillip Utterback Yes that’s what I said
Nat Allison probs the greatest💕
Absolutely adorable 💋
I like that her singing is raw, she sounds like a good singer but the caracter is broken so it fits.
you look like juicy simolete
Soaribb exactly! I like how it isn’t auto tuned to hell and perfect, ya know? It’s great cause I actually hear emotion
Love this comment
Character* But yes! Exactly!
You have to be an outstanding singer to be able to sing a song this way. Its totaly exhausting and she has to act while singing as well.. The oscar was well well well deserved
The dead stare at the end broke me... it’s the face of someone who has given up on life.
Couldn't have said it better myself... I've seen that stare in the mirror far too many times....
why do you need an actor to make you realize you have never given a second thought to a stranger or someone you have passed by in life that was suffering?
of course you are right but there is literally nothing in this scene that does not break me
@@charlieweeldreyer99 Buddy, I have no idea of who you are but whatever trouble or depression you have, you must fight it. Whatever it takes! :)
But that are dreams that cannot be and there is storms we cannot weather...
For anyone who has ever had regrets, have felt depressed, helpless, and hopeless... Anne perfectly conveys every emotion flawlessly with this beautiful and moving performance. A well deserved Oscar.
This song is a good reminder to have compassion for the poor, for we never know what they have been through.
Yeah, i must admit that i can be judge mental sometimes,
Admitting is the first step to healing.
@@bro8974 tks
Did Joker elicit the same?
The disenfranchised should be cared for, but this world doesn't make that easy.
From her hilarious performance in The Princess Diaries, to her emotional performance in Les Miserables, she has grown so much as an actress and an artist.
She's definitely come a long way!
Then I watched her on Lip Sync Battle....Legendary status!!
Vlad Sicoe even Catwoman was good stuff
It wasn't that she have grown it just that she know for movies apart from theatre in fact she is a skill performing musical actress before she made her big break on screen in hollywood
if you haven't seen that coming after Princes Diaries you probably should refrain from giving your opinion about acting
For those that aren’t actors, you’ll never truly understand how badly scenes like these can mess you up. You become the character and take their burdens, this is raw. Well and truly worthy of an Oscar.
Good actor can live the life of the character.
Good director can choose the actor that can live the role.
Yeah, try being a pipefitters or a soldier. Jeeeeuuuuuusssst a teenie bit harder than acting.
@@catholicdad nobody said it isn't lmao.
@@catholicdad woah troll, we said actors related to arts and you’re here showing that. Oh honey, live life.
@@jasonyntig717 lovin' life baby! Most things are harder than acting--jes keepin' it real.
When your heart is irreparably broken, your light is dimmed, and your spirit is crushed into dismal hopelessness, THIS is how your life would sound like in song...
Anne Hathaway deserved this Oscar. No questions asked.
If they had gave it to me I would have given it the person who deserved it Ann Hathaway! Down right moving!!!!
Lora. I love you.
Beyond the emotion that this song indubitably gives, I think it's important to remember what the author wanted to say with Fantine's character. Poverty is revolting. We should not be okay with people resorting to prostitution because they have kids to support. We should not be okay with people dying of hypothermia and illness because they have nowhere to sleep and no money to get health care.
Les Misérables was a very political book (or books), the message of which cannot be forgotten.
you are 100 percentt correct
Why do Americans oppose medicare for all when the rest of the civilised world supports medicare for all.
John Vale agreed. The United States are truly a shameful state where we’re happy for the poor to suffer and die. in fact with our laws we make sure of it. i hate it here. 😔
I second that!!!
I didn't expect to see such eloquent and thoughtful writing in a TH-cam comment. Well said!
He took my childhood in his stride, she screams. It hurts my heart. Superb acting
Yes, its painful. 💔
@@annabelles1622 such a sad story, song and movie.i always have tears in my eyes when I listen to this song.
@@jaobmens4429Yes, Me too. 😥
What does it mean when she says that?
@@Kickballkixcereal It means that they made love. But the guy she fell in love played her for the fun of it and left her and Cosette.
I’ve heard better vocalists sing this song perfectly, but none of them pulled out the emotion in me like Hathaway did in this movie. I absolutely cannot watch it without crying.
Fun fact: Her mother played Fantine in a broadway musical
Awww she followed her foorprints!!
Wonderous!! Thanks for sharing!
@@kicklayoutfosse7009 footprints
*Footsteps* 🤦🏻♀️
Who asked
I have never ever seen such a convincing performance, she looks utterly distraught and broken.
as an actor, empathy is the best way to portray a characters emotions. anne hathaway took fantines feelings and burdens onto herself and felt them as strongly as the character was at that moment in the show. anne hathaway is a truly amazing actress, as she can instantly feel these emotions strong enough to actually cry and sing all in a one-take one-shot. beautiful.
Nah, she’s acting. I’ve seen acting that isn’t acting.. this is really good of course.. but this isn’t it.. I’ve seen the kind of acting that shakes you to the bones.. and that would be Sally Field.
@@cece8095 i mean… ok. i feel like this preformance is really good too? i was talking ab anne hathaway idk where sally field came from. i wasn’t saying anne hathaway was better than her in any way, i was just saying anne is good. i am sharing what i know about acting techniques and how some people choose to portray emotions.
@@cece8095 like everything...a matter of opinion.
@@cece8095 HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa good one Cece
This isn't a flawless practiced presentation of art. This is a crushed face of hopelessness from a battered human being. That is the art.
I think the interpretation is flawless, perfect and hopelessly beautiful.
You are so right! Never seen anything better.
Bravo! Well said my friend! Well said! 😊
And THAT is what makes it perfect
È bellissima ,ho pianto.
Ho
I hope that Ms.Hathaway was able to watch this after filming and felt impressed with herself and proud of her work because this is the most breathtaking and heartbreaking scene I’ve ever seen. She’s incredible.
“There was something selfish about going for the pretty version of it”. - Anne Hathaway.
This version isn’t pretty but it’s raw, moving and incredibly thought provoking. Something that would have been lost by just sitting there and singing.
I completely agree, and honestly, I do think it was pretty. I don't like the crazy vibrato usually used in this song, she nailed it
I completely agree...looking at you Sideways
Exactly my thoughts
There is no pretty version. The world has killed the dream i dreamed this is a sad song
That's why it was pretty, the pain and sorrow she showed transformed it into a gorgeous work of art.
When she sings "There are dreams that cannot be", and that tear rolls down her cheek as it she hits the word "Be".... Just perfect.
yes
Absolutely beautiful.
3:21, perfect
Except you can't cry when you sing. Which explains why she sounds like crap.
perfect timing
God this is so depressing, I've never even seen the movie but just the lyrics and the way she sings it makes me BAWL. She can SING
This may be the highlight, but the whole movie is one classic after another.
@@bram_412 I will have to check it out! This scene is so powerful
For context, Fantie (Hathaway) had a daughter when she was young, the father promissed to marry her but he ran away. She had to leave her child with another family, the Thénardiers while she went away and was forced to work as a prostitute and send them her wages so they could take care of her daughter, Cosette.
The Thénardiers wrote letters to her saying that the child was growing, and that she needed clothes or that she had gotten hurt and asking for more money. So Fantine, having only her own body an no other posessions, had to sell her beautiful white teeth and her long blonde hair and work even harder, all the while the Thénardiers were lying and were mistreating Cosette and treating her as a slave basically while they bought frivoulous things with Fantine's money, which she had lost so much of herself to earn.
Rose Miller well after this scene she dies... which made me cry even more 🥺
@@Roberta_Trevino thank you. Jfc that is so sad. An illustration of how life can beat people down
3:03 The key change and “Still I dream he’ll…” absolutely make this song. Killer performance by Hathaway too.
This hits different when you get older and your dreams fade...
I still have my dreams of being a famous musician even though I know it won't happen in a hurry but I wont give up playing piano ever.
@@stonedsavage7814 Don't give up!
@@stonedsavage7814 i believe in you
I fcking cried. I didn’t really get emotional when I watched this back in 2012, but I fcking cried just a minute ago because of this.
@@BeanSprouts02 i feel ya. Stay strong and keep dreaming 🥺
I never fail to breakdown at the line “He took my childhood in his stride” it always hits me so hard…
SAAAME
Me too
And it’s a line so many Fantines can relate to with the same frustration that she delivers it in
Same. It's a simple line that portrays a thousand.
A one two gutpunch
This performance goes down in history as one of the most incredible displays of acting and vocal talent in a movie. It is incredible how much emotion can be shown in just a 4 and a half minute clip.
i can’t imagine the emotions she felt when getting into her character. i still don’t understand how anne hathaway was able to do this..maybe i doubted her abilities, but she is literally so amazing there are no words
This is the single most amazing display of acting talent I have ever been priviliged to see. Hathaway 's performance was a gift to us all.
Probably 'the' most authentic version of this song you will find. The thing with film is it is so much more intimate than stage. I went to drama school, and this is fantastic.
It's hauntingly beautiful.
Yes.some people can't show this much feelings in their life time.Shame
"I Dreamed A Dream"
(from "Les Misérables" soundtrack)
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed
the blank expression on her face at the end, then suddenly checking her surroundings as if going back to her reality that life must continue. just wow.
Just no. You are stupid.
"The tigers" refers to German airplanes during the war.
I’m pretty bad at seeing movies deeper than surface level. Glad you commented this because it made the scene so much more depressing.
“There are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather” gives me chills every time
every single time I hear "he took my childhood in a stride" I cry like a baby
@@kendrageorge8312 same. That line gets me too.
@@kendrageorge8312YES
@@joshmoonXYm
watching this on repeat during quarantine, who's with me
Me
I wish I was, but I can't bear watching it more than once at a time, it pierces so painfully
Me! I'm about to rewatch it.
Here
that's the most likes I've ever gotten! I feel a kinship with all of you.
The seventh art in its pure state. A good actress who isn't even a singer, but who, by living and interpreting a mother's pain with her heart, created an eternal moment. This scene has gone down in eternity. But we can't forget:
The song is inspired by a story written in 1862 by a Frenchman (Victor Hugo);
It was composed for a Broadway musical in the 80s, by a Tunisian (Alain Boublil);
The best interpreter was a Filipina (Lea Salonga);
And the interpretation of this scene/song won an Oscar for an American (Anne Hathaway);
And this message was written by a Brazilian, grandson of a Danish woman, great-grandson of a Brazilian Indian.
One of the greatest performances in acting history imo.
انت على حق
I totally agree
Yeah 😧
Agree
Agreed... brilliant acting.
Her voice cracks here and there, the pitch wavers occasionally, her breath support is poor and thin sometimes, the tempo is off for a few moments. And that's what makes this perfect. Stunning. Mesmerizing. Her heartbroken character in that instance would absolutely not be singing perfectly, and I'm glad they didn't sacrifice acting for the sake of a perfect song. I'm so glad with the direction this movie went. In most musicals, they have the actors act and then record the singing later in the studio. This yields the best quality of singing, but fails to capture the emotionality and life of that narrative moment. As I understand it, for this version of Les Mis, the actors sang it live. So impressive and such a good artistic choice on the director's part.
Exactly. The most important thing was for Anne Hathaway to portray the absolute heartbreak that her character was experiencing. She did it perfectly. It was real, raw and brilliant.
For drama, this is the best version. For technical perfection, Lea Salonga is the standard. Both are excellent!
Could not up vote this comment enough. You are absolutely right. The heart broken-ness and hopelessness of her situation could not have been conveyed as great as it was here. It was more beautiful than perfect. I love Lea and she sang it so perfectly but could not carry the weight of this scene here
Not sure if emotionality is a word but great analysis!
This was a raw take. This is what is like to sing, cry, and show pure emotion all at once. It was brilliantly done.
The broadway version of “singing well and ignore the acting” doesn’t compare to the heartbreak Hathaway conveys in this… you really feel the character’s circumstances in this version. While it might not be the best vocally, it’s the most raw. Brava.
I prefer this version to the belting harpies on Broadway hands down🙌
This is because we are able to see micro-expressions, subtle body cues that broadway doesn't give us.
And I hate it. If I wanted to see a drama, I'd watch a drama. But I'm not watching a drama, I'm watching a musical, which means that first and foremost I want good music and singing.
@@hellterminator then go to broadway. Who watches "movie musical" and then expect a carbon copy of the broadway musical?
@@lovelessdinosaur6650 Who watches a musical and doesn't care about the music? Go watch a drama instead.
On a constructive note, there's a way to combine the two, you know. You can keep the Broadway singing and add the much superior sets and costumes of movies. And even the better acting, to the extent where it doesn't interfere with the music.
This has been done many times. The Sound of Music, Marry Poppins, Grease, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof,…
It's a shame they chose to ruin Les Mis.
I'm french from the low class, Les Misérables are in my blood and it's not something you can mess with ! And I will tell you something... she truely diserves this Oscar ! She made it ! Congrats ! It was not an easy way ! She gave it all !
Single shot. No break. She sang the whole thing like this with zero edits Fully emoted, sung brilliantly, and with an exceptionally noticeable passion. In terms of musical cinema, superb. Absolutely superb. And I'm not a fan of musicals!
She nailed it...
You and others with your perspective are certanly not fans of musicals. As a musical the movie sucked. What do you think a musical is about. It emphasises music. Music is a priority. If the director wanted to emphasie acting he should have just done another none musical version. Ann was actually better vocally than most of the other charaters who were just downright horrible. As I stated before the director over rehearsed them so that their voices were gone before they did the scens on film. Jackman is a far better singer than he showed. It you are going to do a musicla , then do a musical. This movie was an offense to my ears. ------ By the way Solonga was not the best Fontaine. She was the best Eponie. If you want to hear the show as it was meant to be sung listen to the 10th anniversary perfornance. The trick in musicals is to find the line between emotion and vocal quality. It takes a lot of talent to do that.
@@WILTALK Lol. You actually wrote this. Just let that sink in.
And it was live singing on set, not an audio recording
@@WILTALK How to win a Oscar in three minutes. Let that sink in.
This movie is the human experience. To live is to suffer. There is no harder life than that of a poor single mother. She gave her blood, sweat, tears and even her teeth to provide for her child until her body gave up and she physically couldn't do it anymore. She reminds me of my mother.
The worst part is that the human experience is miserable only because other humans cause it to be. Lives aren't just ruined they are taken by other lives who have no value for life itself.
Well, since it's based on a Victor Hugo's book, that's obviously true. Hugo was really good at this, and the theatre/musical versions, along with actors and comedians, did a good job in adapting the book.
@@alivc2458 Well said!
This version of this song nails perfectly the despair she was feeling. Susan Boyle turned this song into an anthem and that isn't what it was meant to be. This version will forever be a testament to the hopelessness of Fantine and the harshness of her life. Bravo Miss Hathaway.....Bravo
Yes yes yes. Susan's version is amazing vocally, but this scene really shows the confusing, harsh, and scary emotions Fantine feels. She looks so broken in the song
ehhh I'd argue that Susan bent it to her will, she might have made it grand but grandeur is what you need to stand out in a competition. for someone like Susan, life very well could've ended her dream if she didn't give it her all on that stage. Hathaway had the luxury of being able to focus on the nuance of it
may)(day Great response! Well informed and right on the dot. I’m so glad others recognize Anne’s amazing acting but also Susan’s fantastic performance.
@@maddietillem6778 Not really, as with many other artists Susans forced and overdone vibrato completely destroys the song. If I ever come to power I will issue a world wide ban on vibrato :P
Ruthie henshall also did a very good job with this song. I love them
I have watched this so many times and it makes me cry every time. I saw it on opening day, Christmas, in the theater and I knew she'd get an oscar right then. She did.
😢
The most convincing portrayal. The eyes were just extremely expressive. I can feel the pain, the longing, the regret. Anne is just truly amazing.
Beautiful, perfect performanceZ,
She was the Fantine herself indeed... It's been almost 10 years but still impressive.
Pain. Waste. Beautiful. Exquisite. Meaningful. Heartfelt regret. Masterful and believable. Gives the song its meaning.
I cannot imagine any on the set not watching this as they filmed it, without tears streaming down their face.
I think i would like that better.
She had me crying within 20 seconds of the scene starting. Her facial expression... If that's not epic-level acting I don't know what is.
Being able to perform such emotions at this level must be absolutely terrifying. Dont get me wrong I am in awe of her emotions in this masterpiece. But I genuinely worry for actors like her. It must be such a narrow and slippery path to walk on. What a commitment
Yeah, also people have been hating on her bc she cut her hair off for the movie
She's said before in interviews that it took her months to recover. She couldn't just shake away the emotions that she felt in that scene once she got home. That not only shows amazing acting but also her ability to empathize with others and of course, her commitment to the role.
the problem with this performance is the fact that she’s actually crying, which makes all that flem from her nose go down her throat and it ruins her vocal performance. that’s why you hear all those painful gasps for air.
but in other words, it’s a great acting performance, but not a vocal one.
@@spinarosa Well seeing its art, and art is subjective I think its beautiful. This is an outstanding vocal and acting performance
mim.u I was amazed by her vocals the first time I heard it- she’s fantastic
It is not only the singing but the ACTING that won her the academy award. Look at her emotion, anguish and tears! Awesome job!
This is one of the most gut wrenching, heartbreaking tear jerkers of a song, ever. And to think this is exactly what became of countless women in the past. They had no other option without a husband. Such uncessary tragedy.
It also happens to women today.
I remember watching this movie in the theater when it came out and tearing up a little at this scene. It was sad then when I knew nothing about what it meant, but now it breaks my heart. Because since then, I've learned a lot and now I can't watch this scene without seeing two of my sisters, my mom, or my godmother in Fantine's place. Though she's a fictional character, her brokenness is very real and more present in the people around me than I could've imagined.
Julie Biddle just that they are never going to have husband
In the past? There are literally billions of people today who live unspeakably hideous lives right now. Not just women. You need to get out more.
@@jjausI mean back then it was way worst, now women have plenty of options. They're not just housewives they can support themselves you know
I’ve heard many versions of this song and Anne Hathaway is the only one who is able to express the melancholy and despair of the character. Truly phenomenal
Ik, Lea Salonga's version punches me in the gut while Anne's with the added godly visual was more of a punch with brass knuckles to me.
To all the Anne Hath a Ways who have been bought and paid for to say good things for her, come on. Really people? Russel Crowe was made fun of but Anne Hathaway was praised? No one in Hollywood has any taste, class or morals. Les Mis the movie ~would~ have been great if Anne Hathaway wouldn't have weasled and wedged her talentless self in it. Shame on Hollywood's gristmill of talentless hacks like her. Just a shame when hundreds if not thousands of better actresses and songbirds are overlooked due to Hollywood's graft and tastelessness. Shame on your lazy status quo.
For the longest time, Ruthy Henshall was my favourite version she really is rather incredible.... but Anne's performance hits differently.
Susan Boyle
Actually, the problem I have with this performance is that there are tears rolling down here cheek THE WHOLE ENTIRE SONG. The best way to sing this song 'with genuine emotion and feeling' is to start-off on a light and reflective note with glimmers of fond/happy memories, and to intensify the sadness as the song/lyrics progress. There's just no need to be so melancholy and distraught THE ENTIRE SONG. And then VISUALLY, this thing was a mess. Never seen Anne Hathaway look so unattractive and unappealing in my entire life -- for the entire song. Nothing 'perfect' about this performance.
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in times gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed, that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed
Amazing,thanks very much for putting up all the beautiful words to this heart wrenching song x
Thank you!
yupp this lyrics is damn powerfull
Thank yyou
@Final Form I always thought it was "my dream"
The emotions in her eyes... it was absolutely painful and breathtaking. I remember watching this is the cinema and felt tears rolling down my cheeks. The way her eyes changed towards the end of the song was so crazy good. I never really understood this song until I watched her version. Absolutely fantastic acting!
Nothing against all the singers who have sung this song and done so beautifully, but this version is absolute. No one can touch it. Anne Hathaway more than nailed it. She perfected it. And she also had the guts to perform it this way in one take. She is one of our very best actresses. Amazing.
YES. The song isn’t about the vocals.. it’s about the words and performance. Pretty/clean vocals almost take away from the impact.
I'm guessing you guys have never heard it sung by professions in a theatre orchestra setting. I like Anne Hathaway, but this is a mockery compared to the real deal.
Are you kidding...?
"Look what they've done to my song, ma
Look what they've done to my song
Well, it's the only thing that I could do half right
And it's turning out all wrong, ma
Look what they've done to my song"
@@oooo4412 i have, but none could compare to the emotions that Anne was able to convey, idk maybe it's because this one was a movie and we get to see her expressions more clearly but this songs isn't about singing, it's about emotions no matter how good you are in singing if you can't convey the emotions and move the audience then you failed. With that criteria, Anne Hathaway's version in my opinion was nothing short of perfection.
@@oooo4412 this is like the comparison of Memory from Cat the musical and Memory the song by the other singers. Remember that she was performing in a musical, a play where she needed to act out as a fictional character, whom was crying in a mental meltdown right after a traumatic event. The acting is as important as the singing. Of course the song itself can be sung more beautifully, but that wouldn't line up with the plot.
she’s so scarily thin here it really shows how much anne hathaway sacrificed to really play fantine
Fantine litteraly sold her front teeth lol
It was actually because of water deprivation which is really harmful for singers. Singing dry can permanently damage your vocal chords so it was kind of stupid of the director to tell her to go on a water-fast because she could have been quite seriously hurt, just to appear thinner for one scene.
@@sci-figeek1354 Hugh Jackman also did the water-fast. im pretty sure that it was their idea, but the fact that Tom Hooper and Cameron Mackintosh let them do that is beyond me
@@th3m00nstone that’s why his singing in the movie is so questionable.
Funny thing is, the intonation and timing here are so much better than the supposedly better broadway versions. They seem to forget the subject and the meaning of the sentences there.
I thought so too. Then I read that, in the Broadway version, this song came before Fantine's fall into prostitution. The movie follows the order of original French production so Anne's interpretation gets to pack a lot more pathos.
@@christianorendain8047 Ahh, interesting. Seems much more fitting, so good thing they chose to go back to the original in the movie.
Agreed. This was a performance. They just sing on Broadway.
I saw the play not too long ago and this song doesn’t pack a very emotional punch because she hasn’t been through hardly anything yet. I had only seen the movie so I was like wait does she not become a prostitute in the play? But she does, it comes after.
@@Dawnholio In a musical, the score is a character in the story, for lack of a better way to put it. Often in opera, the story is taking a backseat to the quality of the voice and beauty of the composition. She gives an amazing interpretation here, and I'm happy for everyone who loves it, but for me personally, I'd more of a performance from her musical instrument, her voice.
This was an outstanding performance of the pain and emotional despair in her story/character-you can feel and see it with every line sung. Hathaway very much deserved the Oscar
This is the most dramatic, emotional performance ever, she incorporates and conveys the drama and emotion fully. How her voice changes from agression to despair, the look of horror in her eyes to the final surrender...20 out of 10 performance, she put the bar for others extremely high. Well done! I would've loved to see the film teams reaction after this scene was concluded. I bet they were clapping their hands sore.
I would add just another one: Natalie Wood - Splendour in the grass! The bath scene… amazing!
We all have cried like she did, haven’t we? We all have, maybe just a little, maybe never on the outside, maybe so silently we never really noticed. That’s why it hits so deep to see her suffering, because her tears are shared in our hearts.
Very well said
Had the same feeling. It broke me into tear at the end..😥
The low notes she hits have that guttural mourning sound to them that rings absolutely true to anyone who's been thoroughly devastated.
Les Mis is my favorite book and musical. I HATED the casting of Hathaway. All my friends heard me say that it was ridiculous to "cast an actress who can sing instead of finding a singer who could act because acting is so much easier than singing."
When I first watched this scene in theaters. I had tears in my eyes and could not remove them from her face. I turned to my wife, sighed, and said, "Well, I guess I was wrong, maybe acting was what this scene needed."
I LOVE this version, still moves me to this day.
@@stephyfra1243 pretty amazing isn't it, the number of people here who simply don't get how truly incredible this performance is, all caught up on the lack of strength of her voice. The character is so emotionally wrecked she can hardly breath...let alone sing. Just an amazing performance.
But Anne Hathaway is really good at both acting and singing she's literally a theater kid
Acting is in no way easier than singing
The negativity this movie had during its time hurt me because i loved this kind of songs, where the songs are acted and sang as what the emotion has to be. I love watching singers live, as they emote their song, i dont need perfect pitch.
Love your comment
This is incredible. One take, live singing. Such a raw and emotional performance.
OMG People, stop comparing Anne's, Lea's and Susan's versions. They are all different. Anne was in a movie, Lea was in musical theatre, Susan was in a competition. It's that simple. You don't compare emotions, technicality and range if they were sung on different occasions. Of course Anne should act it while singing because it's film, it's great that she done it in a take but if she messed up, she could have another one while Lea should sing it clear and proper because she performs live in a hall full of audience and she has to be heard up to the back and there's no room for error there and most especially to Susan Boyle, she has to sing to impress because she's in a competition, if she let her emotions come more than her singing, her talent would be acting not singing. Don't you just get it?
@ so analyzing properly is too much now? wow, can't believe it's hard for many people to think.
Nicely said. :D
100%!
Well said!..🙂🙂
This was not about a perfect song being sung but perfect song being felt and that is why she got the Oscar!!!
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a performance. Absolutely took my breath away
"took my breath away"
So are you...like...dead?
If there aren't tears in your eyes by halfway through, you're dead inside.
In Rainbows :)
@@stevenrockett2181 I’ll never not cry when I watch this. Ever.
Anne Hathaway is absolutely brilliant. Every time I hear this song, I get the chills.
Same, but with the amount of emotion that Anne poured into this performance, there is not a single person in this world that can blame us.
私は日本人です。
レ・ミゼラブルのihaddreamedadreamがミュージカルの曲の中で最も好きです。
これほど悲哀を諦観をおびつつ表現出来る人はいないと思います。
絶望の中に点る小さな光。
まるで木漏れ日のよう、涙を禁じ得ない。
Great, but can we talk about that tear on 'be'? That was perfect.
That's what perfect timing! Going back I see tears in her eyes beforehand and wonder how she was able to hold them back until just the right moment.
Anne Hathaway managed to show us a few minutes of the miserable life of millions of real people, with this unsurpassed interpretation! Wonderful !
I agree, that’s what makes this a significant moment in film
It was horrible. Actually, the problem I have with this performance is that there are tears rolling down here cheek THE WHOLE ENTIRE SONG. The best way to sing this song 'with genuine emotion and feeling' is to start-off on a light and reflective note with glimmers of fond/happy memories, and to intensify the sadness as the song/lyrics progress. There's just no need to be so melancholy and distraught THE ENTIRE SONG. And then VISUALLY, this thing was a mess. Never seen Anne Hathaway look so unattractive and unappealing in my entire life -- for the entire song. Nothing 'perfect' about this performance.
"There are dreams that can not be"
This kills my heart so deeply
That killed me,for real...
cannot should be written as single word
your spelling kills my heart
It is not about singing this song perfectly. It is about the emotions. Superb!
2:20 That reaction from Hathaway is pretty special. She got so invested into the character that it was a genuine reaction. Incredible performance and a thoroughly deserved Oscar win!
She is impressive, but I think anyone that has been through struggle and wondered if it was worth it, knows what this song is about. When you are grasping and any little thing you can get is meaningful.
Definitely not the same level of acting, but I find Star Wars Binary Sunset similarly moving. When you want or think or hope you are destined for bigger things! You wonder if this is it for your life. When those French Horns kick in with that back drop and Luke gazing into the distance, it goes through your soul!
A TRULY BEAUTIFUL PERSON
She took me into her world and I felt every emotion,This is acting at it's BEST.
Look, we get it musical buffs... This song isn't perfect. She's crying, lying or sitting down for all of it, and is purposefully hyperventilating.
But, this is a film about playing the character... Not hitting the notes perfectly. And Ann nails that. It's raw, it's ugly, and it's perfect.
If we wanted a pretty song, we'd listen to the 25th Anniversary. As that already exists... We welcome a more emotional, bitter portrayal.
Yeah. I'm not familiar with musicals but watching videos of performances and it just look like it's about the singer and not the character.
I am a musical buff... and this is the best in my opinion. Any true musical buff knows that the music is a servant to the plot/characters/story in music theatre. And honestly, even in pieces that don't have words or aren't in musicals. If it starts becoming all about showing off technique, you lose the soul of the music. And that, my friend, is a crime.
No Matt..its actually pitch fine. Glad you liked it, but please do not pretend to judge the quality....Please
that's pretty stupid to judge a freaking movie for that
Yeah, I think this musical had a lot of singing that came from the heart. They weren't saying lyrics, but letting it all out.
This song hits different when this is your reality as you look back how you wasted your life and your dreams have come and gone, and you realize you will never see the dreams you worked so hard for. To anyone else out there feeling this, my heart hurts with you.
And so it is.
I used to listen to this song while I was in this phase of life. I am now on the other side and still cry while listening. I pray you come out the other side sis. We can always create a new dream, or accomplish old dreams
The breaths and the broken notes give the performance so much LIFE and TRUTH. It's pure perfection from start to finish.
No
I agree 100% she's not singing perfect because the character is breaking, so many musicals just try to have good singing and ignore that the emotions of the character is what's most important, Anne Hathaway managed to sing well and be the character not just a singer. Imo I feel the same way about Emmy rossum in phantom
This is the best five minutes in cinematic history. Never in my life have I heard I Dreamed a Dream sung so beautifully. I've seen this movie about 20 times, and I have sobbed every single time during this part.
So much passion and presence it makes my chest ache.
This entire part... was indeed a tearjerker.
I couldn't agree more!
Okay, in history? C'mon dude.
Then try to watch lea salonga’s version that best version ever in history
This is the most REALISTIC, and hence the BEST, interpretation of this heartbreaking song.
Anne TOTALLY deserve her Oscar; this song defines that movie.
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their word inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And a world was a song
And the song was exciting!
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that god would be forgiving
Then i was young and unafraid
And dreams were made, used, wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still i dream he'll come to me!
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell i'm living
So different now from what it seemed!
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed
She was talking about her Lord God and that is always written with a capital 'G' - God 😇🙏
i always thought it said “i slept with someone by my side “ lol
"Look what they've done to my song, ma
Look what they've done to my song
Well, it's the only thing that I could do half right
And it's turning out all wrong, ma
Look what they've done to my song"
Thank you 🙂🤗
I’ve loved Les Miserables for years but honestly this was the first time I’ve ever connected to the lyrics and truly seen the raw pain and sadness in them. She brought these lyrics to life in this performance.
a hugely underrated moment is when she flips between rage and sadness through "he took my childhood in his stride / but he was gone when autumn came" she's so angry at what he did but still wishes he never left. anne hathaway deserved this oscar more than most people deserve their oscars.
The raw emotion - I fight back the tears every time I hear this. She is flawless.
We just introduced our 20yr boy to Les Mis with this clip. We think we saw him shudder. Welcome to Broadway, musicals and A-list actors that can sing and pierce your heart with this type of talent.
You are either stupid, deaf or addicted to meth.
Don’t fight the tears. Just let them flow.
No doubts why this woman won an Oscar. Imagine she did act mercilessly great while being on tune and managed to do that very well. Stan!
"So different from this hell I'm living"
The way she sung that gave me chills.
i remember they asked Anne's husband to take off from the shooting scene because he made her to happy 😅 well the result is Anne delivered this spectacular performance
More than 10 years on and I still can't hear this version without sobbing. I swear I have had this exact mental breakdown. And she depicts all of those feelings within that so perfectly.
That’s why I love this so much, is not just singing good from other videos, yes they are beautiful, but this is real , this why I feel so much , I been like this a lot of my life but i can’t sing , just here and said thank you to miss Anne
one of the best performances in movies ever
I can just imagine Shakespeare seeing this performance, despite the language barrier. (The irony of his wife being called Anne Hathaway is not lost on me.)
she was actually named after her 😂
What? What does Shakespeare have to do with this?
@@sci-figeek1354 He's a playwright. Seeing an actor (or in this case, actress) bring such life, such meaning, into a piece would be an amazing thing to witness. Her acting in this scene is chilling. Can't deny the man a good performance.
@@ryanbailey3176 Oh my god, I can see that!!
Your pfp gives me life
This scene made me cry to be honest.
We did a musical of Les Miserables 3 years ago at my school and I remember that when my classmate performed that scene from that song, she actually cried.
then she is a good actress indeed
I feel like if you don’t cry, then you’re kinda just a shell of a person. Idk... there’s just SO much emotion that Anne herself is feeing by playing this character.
@@emileegrace3989
Depends who the singer is where it can invoke an emotional effect
Life lesson guys: don’t take childhoods in your stride then leave when autumn comes
those lines started playing when I read this
BAHSHSSJFJRJSJSKFKSKDKDK
🤣🤣🤣
@@catholicdad im catholic too :00
Amen to that 😂
To all the people who are in here comparing anne's performsnce to the broadway version and going on about better vocal technique i have some things to say. yes, people have beaten to death the point that this is a film thats portraying emotion over vocal quality and that film acting is different than stage acting. There's one massive point everyone is forgetting. The story context! in the broadway play this song is placed after Fantine loses her job. She's a little emotionally down but she hasn't yet gone through hell. In the film this song doesn't come until after she's left destitute on the street, extremely ill, and selling her body to survive. That is a completely different emotional context that informs this performance. On broadway the story context facilitates the stronger technique because she's emotional but not broken. in the film she's singing this song while she's literally dying. She's lamenting a hellish existence and all the dreams she can't have because life beat her to her knees. This is a much more emotionally heavy context. You literally cannot compare the two performances because theyre conveying two different states of mind.
Excellent comparison. You separate both performances perfectly. That's how you hit them in the gut.
Fantastic job explaining the difference. I’m so tired of the same old, low-hanging fruit criticisms while people entirely ignoring the separate nuances of each performances.
Well said.
This is one of the best sung versions of this song.This actress really put her heart and soul into it.
No
@@tahirihhanson???
@@tahirihhansonwow very good reasoning
That's easily the most impressive few minutes I have seen in years. The song was nice, sung beautifully by others in the past. But Anne gave it the meaning it should have. WOW!
Till this day, it still bothers me that Anne Hathaway did not play Belle in Beauty in the Beast. She would have been perfect!
too old
brettof2007 Emma Watson killed it though
@@annalee6790 The autotune though :|
EXACTLY!!!! Though the day it was announced the Emma got the role about 50 people messaged me either teasing me or angry as Belle has always been 'mine' lol
@@Max-my6rk Ok but like she still looks young. She's not that old though
Literally everything about this scene is phenomenal. Anne nailed her singing voice, tone (such as going from sadness to frustration and then back to sadness, as well as some of the emotional breaths between words), momentum, facial expressions, and physical movements! On top of that the set is pretty solid and the instruments in the background are brilliant :)
The only rendition of this song that makes me cry. Anne really put her heart into this
3:25 even the teardrop falling from her eyes deserves an Oscar. Respect.
This is exactly why Anne Hathaway is my favourite actress. She's so expressive, immensely talented, just phenomenal 😭
My God, the acting is on a next level ... WHILE SINGING! Are you kidding me? This is phenomenal!!!!