Taglines: It’s the one you’ll love for years to come.
Fanny movie synopsis. Almost 19-year-old Marius feels himself in a rut in Marseille, his life planned for him by his cafe’-owning father, and he longs for the sea. The night before he is to leave on a 5-year voyage, Fanny, a girl he grew up with, reveals that she is in love with him, and he discovers that he is in love with her. He must choose between an exciting life at sea, and a boring life with the woman he loves. And Fanny must choose between keeping the man she loves, and letting him live the life he seems to want.
Fanny is a 1961 American Technicolor drama film directed by Joshua Logan. The screenplay by Julius J. Epstein is based on the book for the 1954 stage musical of the same title by Logan and S.N. Behrman, which in turn had been adapted from Marcel Pagnol’s trilogy: Marius (1929) and Fanny (1932), plays which he adapted to film a year or two later; and César, the film he wrote and directed for the screen in 1936 (and later adapted for the stage).
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. Although it had been composed for another medium, it was nominated for both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.
About the Story
César (Charles Boyer) is a barkeeper in Marseille in the early 1920s. His 18-year-old son Marius (Horst Buchholz) works for him at his bar, but wants nothing more than to go to sea and leave his boring existence behind. The only thing holding him back is Fanny (Leslie Caron), an 18-year-old girl with whom he grew up. Fanny works selling fish with her mother down at the waterfront. Fanny has been in love with Marius her whole life, and flirts with him, but Marius always rejects her.
Fanny invites Marius to a Sunday night dance, but he rejects her once more. Unbeknownst to Fanny, Marius is planning to leave the next day, having secretly signed on as a sailor on a lengthy scientific expedition traveling around the world after being encouraged to do so by his friend known as the Admiral (Raymond Bussieres). Fanny is offended and leaves.
Meanwhile, elderly but wealthy merchant Panisse (Maurice Chevalier) asks to meet with Fanny’s mother Honorine (Georgette Anys), who believes he wants to propose to her. To her surprise, he wants to marry Fanny, even though he knows she loves someone else. Although disappointed, Honorine does not object, seeing as Panisse is worth 600,000 francs.
Fanny tells Marius she has rejected Panisse’s proposal because she loves him and is willing to wait until he returns. Marius tells her he will be away for five years and to forget about him. They declare their love for each other and go to Fanny’s house, which is empty.
The following morning, Honorine discovers Fanny and Marius in bed together. She and César begin to plan their children’s wedding, but Fanny urges Marius to leave, even lying to him, telling him that she would rather marry a rich man like Panisse than she would him. But, in truth, she is fearful he eventually will grow to hate her for depriving him of this great opportunity.
Around two months after Marius goes off to sea, Fanny discovers she is pregnant with his child and tells Panisse. He is happy to marry her anyway, overjoyed by the possibility of a male heir to carry on his name. They marry and Fanny gives birth to a boy. César, knowing the baby’s true father, collaborates with Panisse to give the baby the name Césario Marius Panisse.
On Césario’s first birthday, Panisse leaves on the train to Paris on business, and while he is gone, Marius returns on a short leave. He visits Fanny, and upon learning her child is his, apologizes to Fanny, as he knows now she said those things only to make him go. Marius tells her that he wants her back, but then César comes in before anything can happen. Panisse then arrives home early and says that he will not try to stop Fanny from leaving with Marius but he will not part with the child, knowing that Fanny will not leave without the boy. Fanny tells Marius she loves him, but will not take Césario from Panisse. Marius leaves without Fanny or his child.
Ten years later, Césario (Joel Flateau) is looking forward to his birthday party. After being taken to the waterfront, Césario wanders off and meets the Admiral. The Admiral takes the boy sailing without telling anyone and reunites him with Marius, though Césario has no idea who Marius is. Marius, who is now working in a garage, is overjoyed to see his son, but when Panisse is told the boy is missing, he is stricken and taken to his room. Fanny finds Césario with his father and is shocked. She announces that Panisse is dying and Marius drives them home.
Fanny (1961)
Directed by: Joshua Logan
Starring: Leslie Caron, Horst Buchholz, Maurice Chevalier, Charles Boyer, Georgette Anys, Salvatore Baccaloni, Lionel Jeffries, Joël Flateau, Victor Francen, Raymond Bussières, Paul Bonifas
Screenplay by: S.N. Behrman, Joshua Logan
Cinematography by: Jack Cardiff
Film Editing by: William Reynolds
Costume Design by: Anne-Marie Marchand
Set Decoration by: Robert Turlure
Music by: Harold Rome
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: June 28, 1961
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