FANNY [1961 / 2016] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] ‘FANNY’ is All about Love Stories Rolled Into One! Tender . . . Radiant . . . Soaring . . . Laughing . . . Unforgettable Motion Picture from Warner Bros!
The effervescent Leslie Caron joins her distinguished co-star Maurice Chevalier as well as Charles Boyer and Horst Buchholz stars in ‘FANNY,’ a timeless tale of romance and the recipient of five Academy Awards® nominations, including Best Picture!
In early 1920’s Marseille, young Marius [Horst Buchholz] dreams of leaving his dull provincial life and seeing the world. But when the beautiful Fanny [Leslie Caron] declares her adoration for him, Marius must choose between adventurous lives at sea and the grandest adventure of all – LOVE. Directed by stage and screen legend Joshua Logan, ‘FANNY’ is a Technicolor classic, filled with style, beauty, and heart.
FILM FACT No.1: 1962 Academy Awards®: Nominated: Best Picture for Joshua Logan. Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role for Charles Boyer. Nominated: Best Cinematography in Color for Jack Cardiff. Nominated: Best Film Editing for William Reynolds. Nominated: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Harry Sukman and Morris Stoloff. 1962 Golden Globes®: Nominated: Best Motion Picture in Drama. Nominated: Best Actress in Drama for Leslie Caron. Nominated: Best Actor in Drama for Maurice Chevalier. Nominated: Best Original Score for Harold Rome. 1962 American Cinema Editors: Nominated: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for Joshua Logan. 1962 Laurel Awards: 3rd place Golden Laurel: Top Cinematography in Color for Jack Cardiff. Nominated Golden Laurel: Top Drama in 4th place. Nominated Golden Laurel: Top Male Dramatic Performance for Charles Boyer in 5th place. Nominated Golden Laurel: Top Female Dramatic Performance for Leslie Caron in 5th place. 1962 Writers Guild of America: Nominated: Best Written American Drama for Julius J. Epstein.
FILM FACT No.2: The film deleted all the songs from the 1954 stage musical, but the music by Harold Rome served as the underscore for the soundtrack, and the title tune is used as the Main Title theme. Several versions of the Pagnol works had been filmed prior to this adaptation. The original film trilogy in French was directed by Alexander Korda ‘Marius’ [1931], Marc Allégret ‘Fanny’ [193]) and Pagnol himself ‘César’ [1936]. There was a 1933 Italian film named ‘Fanny], the 1934 German film Der Schwarze Walfisch ‘The Black Whale’, and ‘Port of Seven Seas’ a 1938 American film directed by James Whale, also based on the trilogy. Jack L. Warner purchased the screen rights to the stage musical, but believing that the popularity of musical films was on the wane, he decided to eliminate the songs. West Side Story, released the same year as Fanny, proved to be a box office success. The production did benefit significantly from the decision: Charles Boyer, who had refused the role when it involved singing because he would neither sing nor allow his voice to be dubbed, gladly accepted when that was no longer necessary. Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier, who were old friends, were delighted to be able to work together, at last. Before the picture's release, art house theatre owners booked the original films, promoting the showings as the last opportunity to see them before the new picture came out. In fact, Jack L. Warner's acquisition of the screen rights removed the films from circulation for decades. Plans for the original title, ‘Joshua Logan's Fanny,’ were scrapped when reporters pointed out the double meaning. Audrey Hepburn agreed to portray Fanny but eventually had to decline the role due to prior commitments. Assuming the French would dislike an English language interpretation of the Pagnol plays, Leslie Caron was hesitant to replace her, but she liked the script and accepted three weeks before principal photography began. Among the Marseille locations used for filming were Notre-Dame de la Garde and Vieux Port.
Cast: Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Charles Boyer, Horst Buchholz, Georgette Anys, Salvatore Baccaloni, Lionel Jeffries, Raymond Bussières, Joël Flateau, Victor Francen, Paul Bonifas, Jack Ary (uncredited), Daniel Crohem (uncredited), Dominique Davray (uncredited), Germaine Delbat (uncredited), Clément Harari (uncredited), Maguy Horiot (uncredited), Moustache (uncredited), Jean Ozenne (uncredited), Jean Panisse (uncredited), Pâquerette (uncredited), Hélène Tossy (uncredited) and René Tramoni (uncredited)
Director: Joshua Logan
Producers: Ben Kadish and Joshua Logan
Screenplay: Julius J. Epstein (screenplay), Joshua Logan (play), N. Behrman (play) and Marcel Pagnol (from the Marseilles trilogy)
Composer: Harold Rome
Costume Design: Anne-Marie Marchand
Cinematography: Jack Cardiff, O.B.E., B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 134 minutes
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures / Shout! Factory
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘FANNY’ [1961] is a story of life and love in Marseilles that pushes the limit for sentimentality. French New Wave critics were likely incensed to see one of their country's best loved plays turned into a vehicle for French stars judged bankable in Hollywood stars like Maurice Chevalier, Charles Boyer, and Leslie Caron. But ‘FANNY’ is a film with really good acting, honest emotions, and glowing cinematography by the great Jack Cardiff.
Fish seller Honorine (Fanny's Mother) [Georgette Anys] loves aged widower Panisse [Maurice Chevalier] but the businessman has eyes for Fanny [Leslie Caron], the 18 year-old daughter of bartender Cesar [Charles Boyer]. Fanny in turn loves the bartender's son Marius [Horst Buchholz]. Although Marius loves Fanny as well, he is set on a life as a sailor. Caught spending the night together, the young lovers are pressured to marry. Fearing that Marius is being forced into a trap, Fanny encourages him to go to sea, if adventure is truly his heart's desire. After Marius leaves, Fanny learns that she's with child and the child of Marius, who intends to be gone for five years, minimum.
Like the trilogy, the story is told in 3 acts. Here I will set the scene of the first act, but as this is one of those films best enjoyed when discovered as it goes along, I won’t give away too much. It begins in the 1920’s on the waterfront in Marseille. We are introduced to the characters that inhabit this picturesque setting.
Horst Buchholz perfectly captures the yearning for a life of adventure that Marius feels and Leslie Caron is wonderful as a young girl in love struggling to be noble. Still it is the older generation of actors that steals the show. Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier, both near the end of their careers, really elevate the movie. The relationship between these two aging men is poignant as well as funny. Georgette Anys is also very good as Fanny’s mother. I love the way she sells fish. “You have to insult the customer so they feel they are getting their money’s worth.”
One unusual aspect of the story is that it has no real villain. Events unfold, some happy and some sad, much as they do in life. The script is rich in both pathos and humour and it balances the two brilliantly. It can put a lump in your throat and then make you laugh in the same scene. Director Joshua Logan makes good use of the location. It was a master stroke to film in Marseille at a time when most movies were still being shot on sets. ‘FANNY’ is a wonderful, old-fashioned romantic film, like they just don’t make anymore.
Joshua Logan's colourful film straightens out the storyline of Marcel Pagnol's original from the Marseilles trilogy, dropping some of its rough edges. The presence of the jocular Maurice Chevalier and Charles Boyer assures us that all problems of the heart will be solved. Made three years later, Jacques Demy's colourful, stylized ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ would appear to be a “New Wave” riposte to ‘FANNY’ and Hollywood style notions about bittersweet love. ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ covers almost the exact same plot points as ‘FANNY’ and its abandoned hero even becomes a car mechanic, as does Marius Pagnol. But Jacques Demy does not subscribe to Fanny's illusions about miraculous, convenient lover's reunions.
The greatest asset towards ‘FANNY’ is that the story is presented true to life. It is a series of events that lead to dramatic situations. Patrick is wrong though about one thing. Everyone is a villain and everyone is also a victim. We all make plans and have dreams, but how often does life turn out as we plan? ‘FANNY’ is a celebration of life and all of its unpredictability. As Panisse says late in the film, "I don't mind I'm dying, it's giving up life that annoys me."
‘FANNY’ at well over two hours, this romantic drama from Joshua Logan was clearly thrilled to be filming on location in Marseille in the South of France. It is their love story after all. With ‘FANNY’ director Joshua Logan guided three very good performances. The delicate theme of romance down the years, children as the thread that binds us together, the beautiful South of France, the intensely lovable characters and most of all Jack Cardiff created a cinematography par excellence, and especially concentrating on the characters of the actors that gives you a visual treat, especially from a master like Jack Cardiff who deserved his nomination, but should of got an award.
FANNY MUSIC TRACK LIST
FANNY (Music by Harold Rome) (Lyrics by Harold Rome)
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Warner Bros. and Shout! Factory brings you this Blu-ray disc in a superb 1080p Technicolor image and greatly is helped with the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The anamorphic widescreen picture looks really excellent and serves Jack Cardiff's cinematography very well indeed. It doesn't have an overly-processed look, and has plenty of detail and texture visible throughout and no edge enhancement. Shadow detail is reasonably good, and black levels are entirely fine. There's virtually no damage visible onscreen beyond the occasional speckle. The weather-beaten faces of the old men come across quite strikingly, with the natural grain structure beautifully preserved. Although there have been reports of small digital glitches occasionally appearing, I was watching for them and didn't see any, so they're obviously not too obtrusive. So a good effort all round.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Warner Bros. and Shout! Factory has unfortunately only be able to release this Blu-ray disc with a 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio experience, which was only available due to the original sourced material at Warner Bros. The music score by Harold Rome is totally lustrous and has excellent depth and texture, and comes across with very good audio range experience. Hiss and noise are virtually imperceptible. The dialogue is atrociously dubbed, but that's a fault of the original production that was only originally available on the inferior DVD release.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Photo Gallery [1961] [1080p] [1.78:1] [1:29] Here we get to view a rolling photo gallery, where get to view items related to the film ‘FANNY’ that included different cinema posters and some International cinema posters, cinema lobby card, LaserDisc cover, and the soundtrack album cover.
Finally, although it received mixed reviews on its original release in 1961, ‘FANNY’ has grown in popularity among director Joshua Logan's fans, many of whom have hailed it as his best film. The film's enduring romantic allure is partly due to the stunning setting, shot on location in the Marseille region of France, and the charismatic pairing of French actress Leslie Caron and German star Horst Buchholz, who were at the height of their international popularity. ‘FANNY’ has become one of the most sought-after of Joshua Logan's films. It usually turns up on television in the nasty pan-and-scan version that does not do it justice to Jack Cardiff's Oscar® nominated cinematography. ‘FANNY’ marks the only on-screen pairing of the screen's most famous French lovers, Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier. Since the two lifelong friends had risen to stardom making different types of pictures, especially Charles Boyer in character-driven comedies and dramas and Maurice Chevalier in light-hearted musicals and they were not able to work together until they started playing character roles. ‘FANNY’ helped Leslie Caron move into adult rules after her very popular, waif-like performances in ‘Lili’ [1953] and ‘Gigi’ [1958]. It also pointed the way to Leslie Caron’s more mature work, and particularly as the unwed mother in ‘The L-Shaped Room’ [1962]. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
