The previous part of Marcel Pagnol's Marseille Trilogy 'Marius' is a wonderful film, and gets my vote as the best of the trilogy. It set up the characters, managing to make them remarkably complex, and what was to come later on in the storytelling, basically an epic love story, in the rest of the trilogy with aplomb. It also more than successfully avoids the traps that early sound films and films adapted from stage plays (like 'Marius' was) frequently fell into at the time.
1932's 'Fanny' is the second of the three, and although Marc Allegret replaces Alexander Korda as director and Vincent Scotto replaces Francis Gromon as composer all the original cast return and so does Pagnol as writer. 'Fanny' is almost as good as 'Marius' and has all of its great things, again done superbly. At the same time, it isn't quite as brilliant as it is not as consistently paced and Fanny herself is not as strong a character. It is still a great film though.
'Fanny' is a bit too slow at first, a problem that 'Marius' did not have.
Also felt like Fanny herself was more interesting before and that she was a little underwritten here.
On the other hand, the production values are still lovely to watch. The locations have such a realistic and rustic look that makes one feel they are there instead of looking sparse studio sets. The photography opens up the action beautifully, again there is not a filmed play feel here like some early talkies fell into the trap of doing so, while not trying to do too much that it risked swamping it. The music from Scotto is charming and whimsical and 'Fanny' may be the best directed film of the trilogy, if only marginally.
With Allegret capturing the setting perhaps the most vividly of him, Korda and Pagnol. Pagnol's dialogue is again clever and even more heart-breaking in its drama than the drama in 'Marius'. While also balancing some disarmingly funny moments, that did make me laugh if not with much quite as memorable as the humour in 'Marius'.
Unlike other stage to film adaptations, with it also being based on Pagnol's 1929 stage play like 'Marius', there is a lean feel and it doesn't get too talky. The story is as human, entertaining and poignant as before, without immature slapstick or soapy melodrama. The characters again feel like real people in still relevant and realistically written situations worth rooting for, really appreciated that the supporting characters were expanded a little more. Even if it did come at the cost of slightly underwriting the titular character herself.
All the acting is great, the weak link is Demazis but it is mainly down to the other characterisations being much richer in depth. Raimu's very nuanced performance is the standout.
In summary, great and almost as good as 'Marius'. 9/10
1932's 'Fanny' is the second of the three, and although Marc Allegret replaces Alexander Korda as director and Vincent Scotto replaces Francis Gromon as composer all the original cast return and so does Pagnol as writer. 'Fanny' is almost as good as 'Marius' and has all of its great things, again done superbly. At the same time, it isn't quite as brilliant as it is not as consistently paced and Fanny herself is not as strong a character. It is still a great film though.
'Fanny' is a bit too slow at first, a problem that 'Marius' did not have.
Also felt like Fanny herself was more interesting before and that she was a little underwritten here.
On the other hand, the production values are still lovely to watch. The locations have such a realistic and rustic look that makes one feel they are there instead of looking sparse studio sets. The photography opens up the action beautifully, again there is not a filmed play feel here like some early talkies fell into the trap of doing so, while not trying to do too much that it risked swamping it. The music from Scotto is charming and whimsical and 'Fanny' may be the best directed film of the trilogy, if only marginally.
With Allegret capturing the setting perhaps the most vividly of him, Korda and Pagnol. Pagnol's dialogue is again clever and even more heart-breaking in its drama than the drama in 'Marius'. While also balancing some disarmingly funny moments, that did make me laugh if not with much quite as memorable as the humour in 'Marius'.
Unlike other stage to film adaptations, with it also being based on Pagnol's 1929 stage play like 'Marius', there is a lean feel and it doesn't get too talky. The story is as human, entertaining and poignant as before, without immature slapstick or soapy melodrama. The characters again feel like real people in still relevant and realistically written situations worth rooting for, really appreciated that the supporting characters were expanded a little more. Even if it did come at the cost of slightly underwriting the titular character herself.
All the acting is great, the weak link is Demazis but it is mainly down to the other characterisations being much richer in depth. Raimu's very nuanced performance is the standout.
In summary, great and almost as good as 'Marius'. 9/10