Gaspard des montagnes

I expected something better from this TV series, French melodrama show taking place in the rural France of the 1800's. I expected something like JACQUOU LE CROQUANT, JEAN CHALOSSE, L'ENNEMI DE LA MORT; I mean gloomy dramas, showing how peasants, rural population, lived in those days. This one is just entertaining, but too light hearted for my taste, without being a comedy though, I admit. It is action - nearly - packed, and rather predictable. Yes, that's it, it lacks the gloominess which the other series of this kind provided. That's a matter of taste. This series was produced during the early sixties, before the sseries which I evoked above.

Based on Gaston Pourrat's work,a wonderful melodrama in the grand tradition of Sue's "Les Mysteres de Paris" or Xavier de MOntépin's "la porteuse de pain".It was divided into two parts ,and FRench TV had the good idea to broadcast it again in 1986,20 years after its first airing.A rural (or mountain more like,as the title reads)melodrama with villains aplenty ,treasons and poison,and an ending which was sweeten:the last chapter of the book was called "les Adieux d' Anne -Marie" (=farewell Anne Marie) and the made-for-TV work bestowed a happy end on the delighted audience.

I'm waiting for the next broadcasting.It should not be long,if we refer to the first showings .