Bill Anderson
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Marcel Pagnol, 1895-1974 was a beloved French novelist, playwright, and
filmmaker. His plays were hugely popular on stage, but he was not
interested in making movies until the advent of sound enabled him to
transfer his playwriting skills onto the big screen. His “Marseilles
Trilogy“ comprising the films MARIUS, FANNY, and CESAR remain an endearing
story which if you have never seen you really ought to get busy. All three
were restored to high definition Blu-ray format a few years ago and it is a
terrific box set.
Back in 1990 two of his autobiographical novels, My Father‘s Glory and My
Mother’s Castle, were made into movies by Yves Robert and they are among my
favorites. They tell of Marcel‘s life as a child in Marseille and in the
mountains outside of town where the Pagnol family owned a very modest
weekend retreat. We see the future man of letters learn about life in a
fascinating city and the rustic hills of Provence in the early years of the
20th century. They are gentle movies: lovely, amusing, and fascinating
glimpses of a world that no longer exists.
Earlier this week some friends came over for a movie night and I showed
them the second of the two movies, My Mother’s Castle, because I think it
is the stronger of the two. They liked it so much we ended up watching
both.
--
Bill Anderson
I am the Mighty Favog