La gloire de mon père

This, like "Jean de Florette" and "Manon Of The Spring" is the first of two French films that go together. The second part of this story is the film, "My Mother's Castle." See them both, but if you can only see one, my recommendation is "My Mother's Castle."

As in many French films, this offers very little action and not much that is noteworthy but is filled with interesting characters and excellent storytelling. The French still offer that great storytelling, something that has slowly faded among filmmakers in other countries.

This story is based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol, a very Liberal educator and atheist. His views are probably the main reason critics all loved this movie. They could identify.

Despite the father's shortcomings, there is a nice appeal here as all the characters are interesting to varying degrees. I love the way they all express themselves, certainly different than we do here in North America. As with most of these French stories, there is very little profanity, too.

Marcel Pagnol always wanted to adapt for the screen his childhood memories that he related in 4 novels. Unfortunately, he died without he made his plan. So, it was one of his friends, Yves Robert who undertook to make the coveted movie and the result turns out to be very convincing. Yves Robert's movie restitutes perfectly the atmosphere of Pagnol's book and he made a tender, hearty movie, lulled by Vladimir Cosma's nonchalant music where the shiny sun and sky of Provence reply to the wild beauty of the hills. These hills will make the little Marcel's enchantment. Thanks to a fluid making, Robert films the happiness and the naïvety of childhood with a certain impishness. Besides, Robert always enjoyed filming childhood like Truffaut and we particularly rediscover the quoted impishness in one of his movies: "la guerre des boutons". Robert introduces us the Pagnol's family and shows liking towards his characters. More than Marcel's character, these are his feelings towards his family which Robert tries to define, especially the pride towards his lucid and ambitious father (excellent Philippe Caubère) after his hunting achievement. Moreover, he loves tenderly his mother but tends to despise his uncle. He blames him for being a liar and a conceited person. At the end, a limpid movie that remembers with nostalgia of a past era. Pagnol would certainly have appreciated the result. If the movie introduces a bitter end, it depicts the last picture as something symbolic: " the glory of Marcel's father".

This film takes us back to 1900 and depicts a family with children who are refreshingly innocent, yet believable and amusing every step of the way. The story takes us on a journey with Marcel, the narrator, who thinks his father is superhuman and refuses to see him as anything less. To view life through Marcel's eyes is enchanting; he is so easily spellbound by his surroundings, so in love with the hills of his native Provence.

The cinematography is absolutely breath-taking, giving one the feeling of watching poetry in motion. The scene at the park on a Sunday afternoon is like watching a painting come to life. But cinematography is only a feather on the cap of this first rate production. The direction is superb, and the performances very touching.

I recommend this film highly. It is good as a visual sedative, and the only side effect it might have is a possible urge to quit your job, pack it up, and move to the French countryside writer Marcel Pagnol so loved.

This is a movie for those who enjoy magic and nostalgia while floating away in childhood memories. It is the calm and enchanting story of the adventures of Marcel Pagnol. Julien Ciamaca does an outstanding job, he is handsome, naive and buoyant. The landscape and the narrative style make this movie, at least in my eyes, a real masterpiece. The entire story is full of nostalgia and deals with Marcel's very own perception of life. His friendship with Lili is honestly depicted and wonderfully staged. The boys do a great job, indeed. It is a tale that takes you back to contemporary France and revives the summer in the Provence region, a summer full of innocent joy and adventures. Inspiring and well-acted, the setting is beautiful and the music just perfect. All characters are well cast.

"My Father's Glory," and its sequel "My Mother's Castle," tell the story of a young boy's "wonder years" growing up in a family with an adored father, a lovely but frail mother, and assorted eccentric relatives and friends. These are incredibly charming films that feature none of the violent action and highly charged emotions that we've come to expect in popular films today. Instead, they celebrate the simple joys of life in a warm and loving family. When minor but unexpected events occasionally disrupt the day-to-day flow of events, they can seem like terrible disasters. On the other hand, a simple visit to the country can seem like a tremendous adventure. It's not necessary to have seen "My Father's Glory" to enjoy "My Mother's Castle." In fact, I happened to see them out of order and I loved them just the same. But if I had my preference, I'd watch them in order. The final scene of "My Mother's Castle" is emotionally powerful and satisfying; for me it confirmed that every minute I'd invested in these films was worthwhile. I wanted to get up there on the screen and help. In French with English subtitles.