I hang my head in shame and declare that I'd never heard of this story before in any of its incarnations. I came across the dvd in a bargain bin and am delighted that I did - a real jewel. Take a handsome brooding young man, and dangle before him a pretty girl whom he's known all his life. Add a rough and ready father and a charming old love rival and you have a good mixture. I thought this was the best thing I'd seen Maurice Chevalier in, and possibly Leslie Caron too. I don't think I've seen Horst Buscholz before - possibly would have remembered! - but he's good even if he overdoes the sulky brooding bit. I thoroughly enjoyed the 'hat trick' and the rascals who performed it. Charles Boyer can do no wrong and even a young Lionel Jeffries. Amazing cast. A thoroughly enjoyable, well-rounded piece of entertainment and for what it is worth, I think taking songs out of it gave it greater credibility and depth.

Based on Pagnol's "La Trilogie Marseillaise" and Joshua Logan's play, this tells the story of Fanny (Leslie Caron.) She has loved Horst Buchholz ever since she could remember and he her, but the trouble is he never did anything about it, but torture himself over it and over his unhappiness with his lot in life, tending bar in his father's little waterfront cafe. He dreams of sailing on the high seas. But he hasn't the heart or gumption to get up and leave, due mainly for his love for Fanny. His father, Cesar, is played wonderfully by Charles Boyer and an older suitor of Fanny's is Panisee (Maurice Chevalier,) a widower, who is three times her age. The film begins with Fanny teasing Marius (Horst,) letting Panisse flirt with her in the cafe with Marius cleaning all around her. Ultimately, Panisse proposes to her and Marius is on the verge on leaving when they have a final confrontation about their situation, when the ship is in port and about to sail; but this is only after they have finally confessed their love for each other. From there, we are shown the repercussions for their emotional actions. This is a very humorous and charming film, and at the same time, it's one of the most deeply felt movies I have ever seen. I can't tell you when I first saw this or how many times I've seen it. But this simple yet beautiful tale is one of my all-time favorite films - ever! Much love is felt and shared. Much respect for all characters is given. The entire cast is outstanding! The people are real and we are invested in them. their feelings, their mistakes, their humanity. With breathtaking scenery and a beautiful score, this is a must-see Leslie Caron film. This may not be put in the category or conversation as "Gigi' or "An American in Paris," but I don't know why not. Miss this and you have missed a true romantic's film.

I suppose in this day & age the story in "Fanny" will appear dated and not at all relevant but it remains filled with lessons of life. I too saw this as a young girl and it remains one of my all-time favorite movies. My favorite scene is Charles Boyer lighting a match, blowing it out and telling his son, Marius, that a woman's honor is like the match - it can only be used once. Today, when we have such a plethora of unwed mothers and young girls who think nothing of being "Friends With Benefits," this must sound very trite; however, it has a great deal of relevance as to self-respect and Fanny understands that.The marriage of Panisse and Fanny, while one of mutual benefit - she saves her family from the shame of having an unwed mother in their midst, Panisse gains a son to inherit his money and business - is always one of respect and a certain kind of love almost unheard of today. Quelle dommage! You cannot find better acting than that of Boyer and Chevalier in this film. Horst Bucholtz is gorgeous and Caron is the perfect young girl in love with him. The cinematography is incredibly beautiful.Perhaps, it is my longing for the days Fanny lives in but the world was a much better place when words like 'honor' meant something! If you have sons, they should see this movie. If you have daughters, MAKE them see this film!

In the early 1930s Marcel Pagnol wrote a series of plays concerning the intertwined lives of a set of characters in the city of Marseilles. The plays were each centered on a chief character: FANNY, MARIUS, and CESAR. Fanny is the daughter of a fishmonger Honorine, and has grown up with Marius, the son of Cesar a café owner. Cesar is a neighbor and friend of Panisse, a wealthy businessman. Marius has grown handsome and Fanny is pretty, and they are in love. But Marius has a wanderlust, encouraged by a local figure "the Admiral". So when he reaches the age of 19 he is confronted by a dilemma. He is about to present his sailors papers to a sea captain, but he is also jealous of anyone who is trying to attract Fanny, especially the elderly Panisse. But the lure of the sea is too much, and after a final evening with Fanny in which they admit their love for each other (and have a sexual encounter), Marius flees with the boat. A couple of months later Fanny finds she is pregnant. Taking advantage of Panisse's offer of marriage (although he is aware of her situation), Fanny marries the elderly suitor. This enables her child (a son) to be born legitimately (and to allow the Panisse family not to die out). But Marius (when he returns - disillusioned by the non-romantic trip abroad (his comment about south-sea islands is the basis of the "summary line" above) finds he has lost Fanny and his son, and cannot even return to living at his old home. The resolution is the subject of the third play.Aside from the success of the trilogy of French films, the story was made into a successful Broadway musical called FANNY with Florence Henderson in the title part and with Ezio Pinza as Cesar. This 1961 film version does not use any of the songs from the score, but it does use the themes of the score for the background music. This version by Joshua Logan has Leslie Caron in the title role, Horst Buchholz as Marius, Charles Boyer as Cesar, Maurice Chevalier as Panisse, and Georgette Anyss as Honorine. All of the performances are good, with moments that make the characters quite human (Boyer yelling at Marius or some other employee in his café about their not making a particular drink correctly, or Anyss returning to the waterfront, years after she has moved to Panisse's country house, and realizing how much she has missed the smell of the fish she used to sell). The story is actually quite human and humane too, not only in the situation facing the unwed Fanny and Panisse's willingness to help her preserve her reputation and his family line, but also in the resolution (again handled by Panisse, as he is dying) to restore normality to the young people. It is not a perfect film, but it certainly is well photographed in Marseilles (including some shots of the notorious Château D'if of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO), and gives us a view of France in the early 1930s, before the onrush of European events led to the disastrous defeat of 1940. Note also, besides the leads, the support by Lionel Jeffreys (as an English friend of Panisse and Cesar) and Salvatore Baccaloni as intimates of the families, who join Boyer and Chevalier in playing pranks on passersby (with a hat - you'll have to see it to understand). I'm even glad to see Victor Francen in one of his last movie roles, as Panisse's older brother - thanking Fanny for saving the family name.Boyer and Chevalier had never worked on a film together before (unlike Chevalier and Caron in GIGI), and now got to know each other. It did help as they seem to blend together quite nicely in several comic confrontation scenes. Boyer would come to chat with Chevalier when neither was needed on the set, and they were in their trailers. Here Boyer did find one unsettling habit of Chevalier. Chevalier had been rather poor as a young man, and his habits of thrift remained with him as an elderly one. Boyer was quietly appalled to find that if they were having a glass of Chevalier's wine the entertainer would cut a groove into the bottle at a certain point with a ring. No wine would be poured below that groove mark.