User reviews

This beautiful, charming work (and its companion MY MOTHER'S CASTLE) is lifted from the memoirs of filmmaker/screenwriter Marcel Pagnol.

It is a loving, romanticized recreation of Pagnol's childhood trips to the south of France.

Director Yves Robert ices every scene with sweet affection and a seemingly effortless attention to detail.

There are so many moving, heart-tugging scenes.

Describing them all would spoil the confection.

I'll mention one. Young Marcel accompanies his father, Joseph, a school teacher, to school one day. Not believing that Marcel can read already, Joseph writes a simple declaration of his love for Marcel on the blackboard. Marcel then surprises his father by reading out loud what his father wrote. It is such a touching, affecting scene.

MY FATHER'S GLORY is bursting to the seams with such magic.

Vladimir Cosma's score perfectly captures the period and tone of Pagnol's memories.

Simply exquisite.

This is a very detailed description of the life of a French family. It is a sweet story gently told. It is about growing up, expanding horizons, the influence of friends and family members, enjoying happy times together, and reacting to life's inevitable problems. In this film we recognise moments in our own lives. The film has a universal theme.

In a documentary style the older son Marcel relates how his father Joseph a schoolteacher takes up positions in various parts of France and how before school-going age he sits at the back of the class and quickly learns how to read the text on the blackboard. Family life seems to revolve around teaching and the classroom until Aunt Rose meets Jules on a park seat and eventually marries him. After Jules joins the family circle father learns that there are more things in life than the educational system.

When the family rents a villa in a wild part of Provence, Jules instructs father on the use of the gun and they go on hunting sprees together. On one of these expeditions the son gets lost and meets up with a local boy about his own age. From him he learns about local birds, the eagles, the owls and scary stories about how these wild birds go for the eyes of their prey. This escape into the wild is a charming part of the family's life story and the final parting between the two boys when the family finally leaves is indeed moving.

The story is sprinkled with amusing incidents. For most boys the birth of a child is nothing short of a miracle. They conjecture that the navel is a kind of button which can be unbuttoned to let the baby out. And when father learns to shoot, Jules attaches a target to the outside toilet door. Father is delighted when he gets a bull's eye and Jules does well too. Not so the maid who happens to be inside the toilet at the time. Fortunately she emerges shaken but unharmed.

The film covers so much of French life. It is amazing how much is packed in. The story unfolds at an easy pace with beautiful music that never intrudes and scenery that astounds. I can recommend this little masterpiece about how wonderful family life can be.

This film takes us back to 1900 and depicts a family with children who are refreshingly innocent, yet believable and amusing every step of the way. The story takes us on a journey with Marcel, the narrator, who thinks his father is superhuman and refuses to see him as anything less. To view life through Marcel's eyes is enchanting; he is so easily spellbound by his surroundings, so in love with the hills of his native Provence.

The cinematography is absolutely breath-taking, giving one the feeling of watching poetry in motion. The scene at the park on a Sunday afternoon is like watching a painting come to life. But cinematography is only a feather on the cap of this first rate production. The direction is superb, and the performances very touching.

I recommend this film highly. It is good as a visual sedative, and the only side effect it might have is a possible urge to quit your job, pack it up, and move to the French countryside writer Marcel Pagnol so loved.

The story is simple--it is about a young boy who spent his summers in the hills of Provence--yet it manages to tug the viewer at the heart. It is such a far cry from the families we see today who have no time to relate to each other. The boy's love for his father (and mother)clearly shines in this film.

The father is a school teacher, an atheist, and a republican. But he is a loving husband and a great father to his children. The mother is shy and affectionate and is sensitive the needs of her husband and children. So what makes this film such an enchanting experience? Since I am not a writer, I cannot really put into words the way I felt after watching this film. I know it left a smile in my heart...it also made me nostalgic for it reminded me of my own childhood. I wanted it to go on long after the movie ended. Watch it and you will know what I mean. It will take you back to the magical moments of growing up.

Marcel Pagnol always wanted to adapt for the screen his childhood memories that he related in 4 novels. Unfortunately, he died without he made his plan. So, it was one of his friends, Yves Robert who undertook to make the coveted movie and the result turns out to be very convincing. Yves Robert's movie restitutes perfectly the atmosphere of Pagnol's book and he made a tender, hearty movie, lulled by Vladimir Cosma's nonchalant music where the shiny sun and sky of Provence reply to the wild beauty of the hills. These hills will make the little Marcel's enchantment. Thanks to a fluid making, Robert films the happiness and the naïvety of childhood with a certain impishness. Besides, Robert always enjoyed filming childhood like Truffaut and we particularly rediscover the quoted impishness in one of his movies: "la guerre des boutons". Robert introduces us the Pagnol's family and shows liking towards his characters. More than Marcel's character, these are his feelings towards his family which Robert tries to define, especially the pride towards his lucid and ambitious father (excellent Philippe Caubère) after his hunting achievement. Moreover, he loves tenderly his mother but tends to despise his uncle. He blames him for being a liar and a conceited person. At the end, a limpid movie that remembers with nostalgia of a past era. Pagnol would certainly have appreciated the result. If the movie introduces a bitter end, it depicts the last picture as something symbolic: " the glory of Marcel's father".

This is a movie for those who enjoy magic and nostalgia while floating away in childhood memories. It is the calm and enchanting story of the adventures of Marcel Pagnol. Julien Ciamaca does an outstanding job, he is handsome, naive and buoyant. The landscape and the narrative style make this movie, at least in my eyes, a real masterpiece. The entire story is full of nostalgia and deals with Marcel's very own perception of life. His friendship with Lili is honestly depicted and wonderfully staged. The boys do a great job, indeed. It is a tale that takes you back to contemporary France and revives the summer in the Provence region, a summer full of innocent joy and adventures. Inspiring and well-acted, the setting is beautiful and the music just perfect. All characters are well cast.

This, like "Jean de Florette" and "Manon Of The Spring" is the first of two French films that go together. The second part of this story is the film, "My Mother's Castle." See them both, but if you can only see one, my recommendation is "My Mother's Castle."

As in many French films, this offers very little action and not much that is noteworthy but is filled with interesting characters and excellent storytelling. The French still offer that great storytelling, something that has slowly faded among filmmakers in other countries.

This story is based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol, a very Liberal educator and atheist. His views are probably the main reason critics all loved this movie. They could identify.

Despite the father's shortcomings, there is a nice appeal here as all the characters are interesting to varying degrees. I love the way they all express themselves, certainly different than we do here in North America. As with most of these French stories, there is very little profanity, too.

This film is simply beautiful. Loaded with emotion. Marcel Pagnol's story as a kid growing up in Southern France.

This is a film I saw for the first time about 10 years ago. 10 years later, I enjoyed it even more. Yves Robert makes you care for characters. Philippe Caubère is brilliant as the father, who's a teacher. The truly beautiful Nathalie Roussel: the caring mother and wife. Young Julien Ciamaca gives a strong performance as Marcel. And what about Didier Pain: I just love his way of playing Oncle Jules.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of this movie is to make you travel to this part of the world, to make you feel that you're there when the story unfolds.

87/100 (***½)

Seen at home, in Toronto, on June 16th, 2002.

This movie was good but we were watching it in french at school and it was hard to understand as i only speak and understand English. We had English subtitles but because i was reading them it was hard to watch the movie. I think if the movie was longer and in English it would have been a really good movie. I hope we get to see the second one and i hope its in English.................................................... apart from that i think the movie was really good if it had of gone for longer and had movie stars that i know in it. So I think that My Father's Glory is an OK movie and i would give it a 6 out of 10. And i would give it a 8 out of 10 no i would give it a 300 out 10

I really enjoyed this film tremendously. There were no grand special effects, dazzling action or exciting twists--just unbelievably beautiful film-making! This is a biographical tale based on the childhood of the great French director/writer Marcel Pagnol. In fact, it is because of my love of his films that I sought out this videotape. If you have not seen the Fanny trilogy (or the single film by the same title starring Leslie Caron), The Baker's Wife, Harvest, Manon of the Spring or any of his other films, try to see them!! What makes all these films so wonderful is the superb writing and how his characters come to life. They are charming, full of foibles and yet quite lovable! And this is definitely true in this movie as well.

Despite the occasionally mundane plot, you find yourself so wrapped up in their lives and caring for what happens to them. This is a truly magical film. I might have given this film a 10 had I not seen the sequel as well--the sequel is so much better and a MUST-SEE that I cannot rate this film quite as highly.

My Father's Glory is about romanticism and memory; a blunt, low key comedy whereby one of the more residing moments of spoken humour arrives in the form of our narrator (and lead) talking about the pride and joy of his small, rural French town which is a somewhat large chunk of raised land: "It's not tall enough to be a mountain..." they explain, in a locale dominated by mountains; "...but it is no way (just) a hill". What's pleasing is that it doesn't fall into the traps that befall other comedies of a potentially romanticised nature; this is one of those easy films that wraps you up in its tale of childhood and nostalgia – before you know it, thirty minutes have gone by and you've been stuck in the same seated position, glued to the screen, without having given much thought to anything on account of how absorbing it's been.

The lead is Marcel, played as an infant by Julien Ciamaca; but it is the voice of Jean-Pierre Darras as narrator who's on hand to guide us through this chapter in his boyhood from the stage of old age. The film unfolds in the 1900's, following the tales of Marcel and his family of five; his father (Caubère), a teacher named Joseph at a local primary school: a respectable and respected man; book smart, who ends up being so good at his job that a better one lies away from the ruralised zone of nowhere-in-particular where the kids are only as tuned in as they are, and in the big city of Marseilles, where the kids are more "urban". For a film about times gone by and so heavily into looking back with a narrow eye; a furrowed brow and a nostalgic toned voice, it is amusing (if that's even the right word) to take note of what constituted as "urban" eighty years ago and what constituted as a bigger; wider, more intimidating city locale set away from your home pastures of the countryside. In the modern era, the likes of Erin Gruwell would be schooling the rough-and-ready future prison occupancies of this world in something like Freedom Writers.

What comes with moving away to bigger and better things is the being in such close proximity to new people and places; the film in actual fact a detailing of a holiday the family and some selected others experience out of term time, and NOT a fish-out-of-water story telling us about how this teacher applies his tried and tested methods on a group a little sharper and a tad less hospitable than before. No, we are based inside rented accommodation in the dusty, desert-like country side of Provence, where these summer days are warm and long and where both the allure and brilliancy of the country side can have one fall in love with it away from the busy day-to-day life of the city.

Apart from everything being a fantastic adventure for this boy anyway, the film resists the temptation to sugar-coat its content through measured depictions of people, places and activities that are new, perhaps even frightening, but are never merely tossed up on screen as bland comedic ingredients around which some childish things can unfold. There is room for flaw, even failure or fear of it, in this exciting place and it is pleasing to watch a film tackling this sort of material without bouncing along at an unnatural rate depicting everything as hip and fun and faultless. In terms of capturing childhood, indeed boyhood, away from the main drag at a holiday destination that sees you occupy a fixed, non-hotel imbued, locale for a set number of weeks, it's right on the button. Director Yves Robert does a great job in genuinely getting across that feeling that where one went; how one learnt; what one went through and what one thought of certain things and events has shaped elder Marcel. There are few live action comedies for kids and adults alike that depict kids and adults alike; this is a rare triumph of a film documenting children taking centre stage and keeping up with how it is they think and feel about where they are and what's transpiring. There cannot be many who aren't able to get something out of this film.

I studied - and thoroughly enjoyed - 'La Gloire de mon Pere' during my A' level French course and was not disappointed when I saw the film adaptation. The characters are beautifully played, and the scenery quite breathtaking. The depth and richness of Pagnol's text translates well onto the big screen, and the soundtrack by Vladimir Cozma is both charming and whimsical.

If you enjoyed Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources you will surely appreciate this film, and indeeed the equally memorable sequel 'La Chateau de ma Mere'.

A young boy's life in turn-of-the-century France. Marcel witnesses the success of his teacher father, as well as the success of his arrogant Uncle Jules. Marcel and family spend their summer vacation in a cottage in Provence, and Marcel befriends a local boy who teaches him the secrets of the hills in Provence.

What strikes me about this film, early on, is the socialist teacher speaking such blasphemy as a 10-hour day and 6-day work week. The way the children react is pretty amusing, especially when we look back in hindsight. If I am not mistaken, the French have even more lenient working laws than America does.

"My Father's Glory," and its sequel "My Mother's Castle," tell the story of a young boy's "wonder years" growing up in a family with an adored father, a lovely but frail mother, and assorted eccentric relatives and friends. These are incredibly charming films that feature none of the violent action and highly charged emotions that we've come to expect in popular films today. Instead, they celebrate the simple joys of life in a warm and loving family. When minor but unexpected events occasionally disrupt the day-to-day flow of events, they can seem like terrible disasters. On the other hand, a simple visit to the country can seem like a tremendous adventure. It's not necessary to have seen "My Father's Glory" to enjoy "My Mother's Castle." In fact, I happened to see them out of order and I loved them just the same. But if I had my preference, I'd watch them in order. The final scene of "My Mother's Castle" is emotionally powerful and satisfying; for me it confirmed that every minute I'd invested in these films was worthwhile. I wanted to get up there on the screen and help. In French with English subtitles.

I saw this film in France in 1990 and I was conquered by its beauty and the way its story gracefully flowed in front of the sumptuous background of beautiful Provence. Here is a film that relies on the simple pleasure of watching people living their happy life. pagnol's stories always were brilliant account of the Provence's charm and beauty. This is french cinema at its best! This film, together with its even better sequel "Le château de ma mère" is a concentrate of Provence for those who didn't have the time or the means to see it for real. Go rent it if you can find it in a repertoire video club! i saw it 3 times.

Based on the childhood memoirs of the acclaimed French director Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974), "My Father's Glory" (La Gloire de mon père) & "My Mother's Castle" (Le Château de ma mère) recount the magical holidays spent by the young Marcel (played to great affect by Julien Ciamaca), a boy from the city, in the breathtakingly beautiful hills of the Provençal countryside (now I know what inspired the 12th Century Provençal poets like Arnaut Daniel: 'I'll have my joy in garden or in chamber' ... from "Lo Ferm Voler " as translated by Ezra Pound).

Set just after at the turn of century and before World War I -- when God was still up in Heaven (though not for Marcel's atheist/rationalist teacher father) and all was well with the world -- these two films (though in effect it is essentially one film, in two parts) lovingly re-create Pagnol's innocent boyhood and family life in an 'innocent' time.

Told with genuine warmth and humour, in a charming meandering series of vignettes and epiphanies, Marcel Pagnol -- through the outstanding direction of Yves Robert -- reaches out and enfolds the viewer in a deep, welcoming armchair of a story. In fact, the films have the same capacity to produce that wistfully satisfied sigh, as did the original memoirs. You'll wish his childhood had been your own.

If you love these films, I guarantee, you will adore the book. If my house was burning down and I could only choose one book to save, I would grab Marcel Pagnol's "My Father's Glory & My Mother's Castle" in a heartbeat. As the blurb on the back of the book says: 'The Prousts and Sartres may be admired, but Pagnol is loved' (TIME LITERARY SUPPLEMENT) -- at least by me.

Mr. Pagnol -- thankyou for sharing.

Directed by Yves Robert in 1990 and adapted from Marcel Pagnol's classic autobiography, "My Father's Glory" is a tale told from the perspective of an old man who looks at his childhood like we would probably do as we grow older, tender nostalgia and profound affection. We all carry a strong emotional connection to our childhood and like a good French wine, it only gets better as we get old.

Yet instead of approaching it with a sort of introspective mindset, Marcel starts relating to us a series of disjointed episodes and adventures of his life, inviting us to connect them to our own childhood memories. In a way, "My Father's Glory" resembles such endearing classics like Federico Fellini's "Amarcord" and Woody Allen's "Radio Days", two movies I adored. And like these two films, there is no specific plot, no antagonists, and no unsettling or dangerous moments whatsoever. The film is as light as sweet as childhood memories can get. I expect some objecting voices stating that many people have darker visions of their childhood, but again, the film is narrated by a mature voice, suggesting that it's an old person speaking... and as time goes by, out instinct commands us to filter the best from our past.

And what are left are our primal relationships with our family in general, and parents in particular and the sights, the scents, the noises, the sensual experiences that carried our first memories, and this is "My Father's Glory', a series of memories that can all speak to us, and awake the Proust Madeleine's we restrained for so long. The richness of "My Father's Glory", the first opus before the sequel "My Mother's Castle", is to focus on the perceptions as well as the interactions, and how finally, they affect each other. Two persons count in Marcel's life; his mother, Augustine, which is a sweet and innocent creature, a woman with such a beauty we wonder if this is not a case of deification of the lost mother. And the father, Jospeh, the rational school-teacher, openly atheist, who believes in education, sciences and progress, rather than any other sort of hazardous thoughts, spiritualism or worse: religion.

The father's personality finds a perfect contrast with Uncle Jules, the new husband of Augustine's sister, Aunt Rose. Played by Didier Pain, he's a big, round and jovial man, profoundly Catholic, which makes his interactions and conflicts with the father more delightful as both form a joyous pair of Laurel and Hardy mirroring the opposition between an old and new order that were still cohabiting in France at the Eve of World War I. During the film, we do by the way feel the specter of war, but it only translates Marcel's childhood into an oasis of peace and harmony, which is how we perceive our own childhood at the end. And if "My Father's Glory" doesn't intend to thrill us with plot twists or dangers, it's to better guide us through the slow and peaceful passing of time, and allowing the sensation of nothingness to be filled by the little episodes that enrich it, and the colorful gallery of characters who populate it.

Mainly set during the summer break in the country near Marseilles, the film is about Marcel discovering his father in a total new setting, among foreigners, where his personality, his knowledge and talents would be challenged by other people. Marcel's reactions reflect both his prides and fears, the pride that his father is a man of a commanding presence and knows everything and the subsequent fear to see him humiliated by Uncle Jules who seems to know more about partridges and hunting. The vision of Marcel toward his father is the core of the story and it's powerfully conveyed by the cheerful poster, where Marcel looks at his smiling father with proud eyes. Ironically, the father's smile is almost childish, so unlike the carapace he wears in his everyday life, or with his pupils, and that's because something changed in both the father and the son, and all it took was an unforgettable hunting trip and the conclusion that gives all its meaning to its title. "My Father's Glory" is one of the best reflections of the relationship between a son and his father. It's not in believing that our father is a sort of superhuman, but discover his normality and still be proud of him, that's Marcel coming to knowledge.

The film's main subplot is the growing friendship between Marcel and a boy from the countryside named Lili, they meet during the hunting trip, and grow rapidly fond of each other. Marcel likes Lili for his nature-smart while Lili is fascinated by the kid-from-the-city. Deprived from any cynicism or conflict, the genuine friendship is our compass to discover the country, the landscapes, the beautiful symbiosis between nature and elements. "My Father's Glory' provides cinematic escapism at best, with a succession of panoramic shots that work as the perfect homage to Marcel Pagnol's origins, the South of France, probably one of the most gifted places in the world, challenging our senses, we could smell lavender and rosemary or touch the leaves in the tree just as we could clearly hear the never-ending sound of the grasshoppers, and it's one sweet irony that Marcel's name is almost pronounced like Marseilles. And the friendship with Lili is an opportunity for us to plunge into this world, to discover with amazement nature's majestic beauty, and wish to have lived a childhood without TV programs, video-games or toys to enjoy what was at our eyes, but got unnoticed.

There is a sort of purity, of harmony, transcending the plot elements in "My Father's Glory", we're literally transported from the beginning to the ending. Nothing happens much in the film but a lot does happen in our hearts, as if Pagnol's memories, were also part of ours, aren't they after all?

I just wanted to add a few things to what has already been said about this movie. When I went to see it, I really felt the feelings of the young Marcel, his discovery of a whole wild world during his holidays. I've spent a lot of holiday time in Provence when I was young and it's still true that the first time you meet those landscapes, rocks up to the horizon, with the vibration of warm air and everywhere the sound of crickets... It's like a desert, yet it's full of life, and everything you encounter turns to be a marvel. The movie makes you feel it, with the diner late at night, the peaceful and friendly ambiance... the deafening thunder rolling across the land while a real storm bursts in the sky... the old houses of rough stone, the contrast with the activity of the city... everything's there, and you can almost touch it. And not only can you feel the Provence, but you also experience the evolution of the society of these times, with the funny view of little Marcel (I'll always remember the way he speaks of micro-organisms, how they'd just been discovered and how everyone started to fear them as if they hadn't existed until then !). I personally recommend that you see this movie and "Le château de ma Mère" in a theatre, or with a good sound system to reproduce the ambiance of young Pagnol's life... this film is simple in its purpose, but so rich in its details, sets and views that you would feel frustrated with a bad sound!

This is one film I would recommend to everybody. I remember when I saw that film in the theatre in france in 1990, I fell in love with it,the acting is great ,the locations are beautiful,the story is very touching,this film is a winner for sure.I probably saw this film in is follow up a thousand time and after each viewing it's just getting better. I would also say that the music of Vladimir Costa is fantastique it fits the scenery like a pair of gloves. The best french film ever in my opinion.

"My Fathers' Glory" is one of those films which has the ability to make you forget there is a world going on around you. As you watch the plot unfold, a sense that you are part of the world that is portrayed takes over. By the end of the film you will want more (which is just as well because there is another film which follows this family, called "My mothers Castle"). If you have a spare couple of hours one afternoon I suggest you put this on and watch it. Although I last saw the film quite a while ago, I had to give it a score because I want to purchase a copy, but have not yet found a source in the uk. I know what I thought the, and I know that I claim it to be one of the best films I have ever seen. I just can't remember much about the action but know that it's good.

There are infinitely many reasons why I love this film so much.

• The setting: I knew when I first saw it (at the age of 13) that this film was set at the start of this century. The lighting of the street-lamps in Marseille and the costumes and the vehicles, how the people carried themselves, the way they looked - it was all very unmistakable.

• The pleasure in the seemingly little, trivial and common day-to-day things that really matter: the mother, father and relatives, the friends, the countryside and the weather, the insects and the memory of things that truly meant something.

• Though my childhood was different, I remembered my own special experiences, thanks to this most wondrous film.

• The characters are so beautifully portrayed - what magnificent actors they are! I can not imagine them living in this decade, their portrayal of people in the 1910's is so convincing. Especially the lady who plays the mother of Marcel (Ms. Nathalie Roussel)- she acts as if she was truly their mother. [She actually looks like a mother, so caring and gentle and kind. And they have cast her most perfectly: not just for her most excellent acting capabilities, but she is by far the most beautiful lady/mother-character ever to be seen on screen.]

• The friendship between Marcel and his little friend Lily des Bellons is most touching, so human, so real.

• Above all, the atmosphere created by this film is immensely beautiful.

I watch this film and its sequel every holiday and if I can on school days as well. I never get bored with it, because it is not the story but the sentiments of love and happiness conveyed, that form the essence of these most marvellous films.

I am incapable of expressing all the feelings I have for this film (and its sequel) and must leave it at thanking the persons in charge of making this film (especially the director) and the actors, most sincerely - for making the two most beautiful and meaningful films.

Based on the autobiography of Marcel Pagnol, this film is a visual feast and evocative of a bygone era. The acting is good and the children particularly well cast. A tender and touching film about a son's growing awareness of his father's humanity. Worth seeing for the dramatic scenery alone but I also liked the sound track. The companion film, La Chateau de Ma Mere, was made back to back and continues Marcel's story and so ends on a more sombre note than the first film.

I saw La Gloire de mon père (and) Le château de ma mère when it went out in movie houses in the early 1990's. A little bit later, I buy the video cassette. From then, it's alway a great feeling of love to see these warm, beautiful and so human nostalgic piece of work. I also read the books. The Marcel of these films is, in fact, the story of the childhood of movie director Marcel Pagnol. Pagnol wrote these souvenirs in the 1950's and 1960's and want to make movies out of it. It never happens. So Yves Robert did it, with a great respect of the Pagnol spirit. In fact, it looks a lot like some of the

Pagnol movies, like Angèle, or Manon des sources. The settings of the early days of the 20th Century are absolutely amazing. We really feel that we are part of these times. See the wonderful scene in the park when the sister of Marcel's mother goes to the park with the little boy to see her future husband. This is just real poetry! The two movies are very faithfull to the Pagnol's books. But there are three books! The third one is about the teenager years of Marcel. Please, mr. Yves Robert, make a film of the third book! Hurry!