Fanny

This is my favorite Leslie Caron movie. I like it even better than the wonderful "Gigi"--and that's saying a lot.

There are several elements of the movie that are outstanding. The cinematography and music combine to make an incredibly artistic film that helps to convey the love and sadness of the young lovers. The acting is generally top-notch--especially the supporting roles played by Charles Boyer and Maurice Chavalier. But most importantly, the overriding theme is unusual and profound (illegitimacy and the choices you make once this unwanted pregnancy occurs). This makes this film very adult in sensibilities and yet a good family picture as well---I certainly would want my daughters to see and learn from Fanny and Marius' experiences.

This movie has so many wonderful moments (such as Panisse's utter devotion and acceptance of Fanny and her baby, Cesar's confrontation of Marius near the end of the flick or Panisse and Cesar's game with the hat in the street) and overall it can't help but satisfy.

One of the absolute best films of the 1960s--though how it's becomes somewhat forgotten is beyond me.

I just saw this movie for the first time and loved it very much. The actors are wonderful, especially Charles Boyer (oscar-nominated for his portrayal of Cesar) and Maurice Chevalier; their colorful characters sound so true. Beautifully photographed in Marseille by cinematographer, Jack Cardiff, the scenery is picturesque. Although it was filmed in English, Joshua Logan's film retains the flavor of Marseille and it's people. It is an universal story and has not aged. A mix of comedy and drama, I caught myself laughing and crying at the same time. I highly recommend this movie and hope that Warner Bros. will put it on it's upcoming list of DVD releases.

This is one of the sweetest movies ever made, without being "sickeningly sweet." The characters are funny and interesting. All kinds of love are depicted here--parental love, romantic love, love between friends. The characters are very much products of the time and place they live in--Marseille, France, before World War 2. They are steeped in Catholic tradition, which contributes to their inner struggles at times.

The problems of Fanny and Marius might seem dated, and yet the conflict between pleasing parents and following one's heart remains relevant today for many young people. Father-son relationships are as complex today as they were then. Bullying parents may not be as plentiful, or as extreme, as they were in the time FANNY is set, but they still exist.

This is a beautiful film, the right mix of sentimentality and humor. I have only seen it on VHS in pan and scan. There is one place where Marius and Fanny are partially cropped to fit the TV screen, unfortunate but it does not spoil the film.

PUZZLE: I don't know why gorgeous Horst Buchholz didn't get more acclaim for this film from critics at the time or reviewers like me, on this site. He was a young German playing a young Frenchman. But no French or American actor could have played the part better. He expressed angst and love very realistically.

This is a great film for women and for men with a romantic streak, lovers of French stories and locales, and Caron or Boyer admirers. The wrap-up in the last quarter of the film is not perfect, but the film as a whole is a 10, and the lovely score will stay with you!

I saw this movie in 1961 and was so moved by it, that it is now one of my all time favorites. Leslie Caron stole my heart then and now. Charles Boyer was fantastic. The dialogue was especially intelligent. The music was superb.

I LOVE this movie and can't believe I haven't seen a decent comment about Horst Buchholz!

I grew up on the musical "Fanny". My mother has always claimed that she was pregnant with me or I was conceived the weekend that my parents went to NYC to see it and that's why I love musicals so much. I'm from a large family and whenever we were on long car rides, we always sang songs from "Fanny" (and always, "The Thought of You", "Love is a Very Light Thing", and "Other Hands, Other Hearts" as dramatically as we could.)

One big joke when I was young was that we had to go to a music store and order a new Fanny 'cause my mom's was cracked. When I found the CD for a sister for Christmas in the last few years, she screamed when she opened it, showed it to the room, and the rest of us screamed. When the in-laws, nieces and nephews asked what "Fanny" was, we broke into "The Thought of You".

When the movie came out on TV, the ten of us gathered in a dark room to watch it and were thrilled when we heard the overture. But half of the family left the room when they realized it wasn't a musical. I was one of the ones who stayed and have always loved this movie. Knowing which song is playing in the background just enhances it. But, I think this has the best filmed kiss EVER!! Horst Buchholz makes me ache and I think he demonstrates the same kind of frustration and passion that Jimmy Stewart did in "It's a Wonderful Life" when he was stuck in his town and dreamed for bigger things for himself. I just had two girlfriends here for the weekend and I introduced "Fanny" to them. We ended up watching it three times (and other parts over and over) and just ordered copies for them.

I've also ordered "Marius", "Fanny" and "Cesar" and am still waiting for "Fanny" to arrive, though I decided to watch "Marius" already. I know that there will be gaps that will be filled in but that can happen in an editing room today. Just listen to a director's commentary on a DVD today and you realize what ended up on the cutting room floor which now explains some thing that seemed odd in a film. The only thing I found odd about Fanny saying that Panisse was dying was 1) saying it in front of her son, and 2) not hugging and kissing her child that was missing.

But I always feel bad that Horst went to his grave not knowing how many women admired him in this film in my corner of the world. One time when watching it with a sister and a friend, after the part where Fanny explains to Marius that each night there's a woman who would love to lie down next to him, my friend said, "There are THREE women who would love to lie down next to you." :-) YUM-MY!