Angèle

Marcel Pagnol was a writer/director whose work has stood the test of time quite well.Most of his films remain classics and fifteen years ago,Yves Robert transferred his memoirs to the screen with talent and sensitiveness.

On the other hand "Angele" has not worn that much well.Orane Demazis,Pagnol's then-partner was neither exciting nor attractive an actress.She is cast as an unmarried mother,one of Pagnol's permanent features which we also find in the highly superior trilogy (Marius/Cesar/Fanny) as well as in later works such "la fille du puisatier" .But the real meat lies in Fernandel's harrowing portrayal of a half-witted.One should remember that those were days when this great actor was relegated to coarse comedy.Fernandel single-handedly made "Angèle" worthwhile.