Fanny (1932)

Part two of Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles trilogy, Fanny is a small gem of a film that carefully observes the passions and responsibilities that motivate people without falling into the soap operatic excesses of other films that cover similar territory. Fanny is, first and foremost, about life and how it is lived. The main plot point -- what to do about Fanny and her unborn child -- revolves around this, but all of the characters contribute to this, from Honorine's obsession with class and reputation to Cesar's full-of-life emotional outbursts to Marius' misguided devotion to a life at sea. These interconnected strands weave a delicate but binding tapestry throughout the film, giving it a lovely cohesiveness. Pagnol and co-director Marc Allegret deserve credit for their sensitive handling of the material, which shifts from calm and placid to boisterous to heart rending in a natural fashion. Pagnol has also contributed dialogue filled with quiet poetry, and it is delivered with impeccable skill by his cast, especially Raimu, who can shift from outsized comedy to tender underplaying with remarkable facility. He is matched by Fernand Chapin, who makes Panisse warm, touching and noble without being cloying. Orane Demazis brings the appropriate commitment to the "big" emotions that Fanny is called upon to display, but she also finds nuances in her quieter moments that add to the character's complexity. Fanny is a rewarding, atmospheric feast for the emotions. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide