La Gloire De Mon Pere (The Glory of my Father) is based on the book by acclaimed French author, Marcel Pagnol. This heartwarming film traces the adventures of a young French boy as he and his family spend one summer in the splendid French countryside where he learns the secret of the hills of Provence. Friday, October 9, 2009
Film Club '09
La Gloire De Mon Pere (The Glory of my Father) is based on the book by acclaimed French author, Marcel Pagnol. This heartwarming film traces the adventures of a young French boy as he and his family spend one summer in the splendid French countryside where he learns the secret of the hills of Provence. 
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We meet at 1:50pm on Tuesday.
Apologies to all who asked to change the day - but unfortunately it won't be possible: On Mondays and Wednesdays I have meetings. Thursday is the weekend and Sunday doesn't work for my Sixth Form students.
Sorry :(
Sir, I won't be able to attend it, as I have studies, tuitons, etc... Sorry.
I won't be staying back sir, sorry.
i'm so sorry sir i wont be able to make it i have the prefect interview tomorrow!! if we sign up do we have to come each week??
Well, I'm sure it was not your typical Hollywood fare - no special effects or superstar actors. It was just a nice story - about youth, about that one special summer holiday that no matter how old you grow you will never forger.
I'm curious to hear your views about the father and about the son, Marcel (who grows up to become a famous novelist in real life).
It really was a heartwarming film. From the scene where Marcel attends one of his father's classes and can read at an early age, I could tell right away tat he would grow up to be a writer.
Marcel really portrayed what every little child thinks of his father: A hero, in whatever it is he excels at. In Marcel's case, his father was a teacher, he was knowledge, and education to Marcel. Therefore, when he didn't know what a perdrix bartavelle was (rock partridge), Marcel was ashamed, he felt like his father had let him down.
As for the vacation experience, I do remember spending my summer out of the city, and looking forward to it from year to year. I don't know if I would have personally left my parents a letter and tried to run away so I could stay, but I do remember dreading the day we'd have to go back to the city because school was starting again.
Also, the father himself really interested me when he was so proud of the partridges he caught, and he PROUDLY let the priest take a picture of him with them, while at the beginning of the movie, he's mocked a colleague for taking a picture of himself with a fish he's caught. Just goes to show how our values and principles are quite vulnerable and subject to alteration and change sometimes.
I enjoyed the movie, to be honest. Also, being a French speaker myself, I was really interested in listening to the accent they spoke in; it's not the normal "parisien" accent people generally know of.
Yes, to support Nadine's point, the accent was indeed a very strong southern one, one pf my personal favourites! :)
As far as the story is concerned, it was a light hearted movie, and the simplicity of the storyline was what warmed the heart most. Every child looks up to their father as their hero, just like Marcel. It was moving the see the vulnerability with which he reacts to his father's to his father not being the best at something, in this case hunting, and how the child wanted to do everything in his power to get his father out of the embarrassing situation.
I really liked the end as well, where the father knowingly mentions about wanting to be a hermit, much to Marcel's confusion and surprise!
I've learnt something new already! I knew Nadine speaks French - but it's nice to know that you do too, Faiza.
All I know in French is bon jour, oui, non, ooh la la! :D
The story set in the 1900's, is about a young boy named Marcel who's born in the countryside but brought up in the city of Marseille.
His father is a tireless teacher at a public school and his mother is portrayed as a caring yet extremely paranoid woman. Marcel also has an aunt named Rose, who later gets married to the merry old, Uncle Jules who's shown having contradictory views against Marcel's father, mostly concerning religion.
As a young little boy, Marcel is able to read flawlessly,both shocking his father and worrying his mother. He's a rather smart child who enjoyed ascertaining some rather amusing facts, along with his younger brother. Among these, my personal favourite was the 'UNBUTTONING' theory. :P
Years later, the two families set on vacation back to the country, where Marcel was born, where they booked a little villa for the entire summer. Over there, Uncle Jules enlightens Marcel's father about hunting,his father, clueless Marcel felt humiliated and disappointed with his old man, for he made himself look foolish in Uncle Jule's presence. Like Nadine correctly stated, Marcel's hero, his father was letting him down and he was losing faith gradually.In order to rescue his fathers self-worth, Marcel insists on going hunting with the two men. Instead,they forbid him from joining them but Marcel, being stubborn followed them without being noticed. No sooner, he gets mislaid and then meets young wilderness-wise, Lili.
Hearing the two hunters later, Marcel discovers two dead Rock Partridges that is father UNKNOWINGLY shot, proving Uncle Jules , de-motivating remarks, WRONG. Marcel proudly, 'holds up his father's glory to the sky'.
Back with the locals, Marcel's father has been shot to fame, courtesy, his hunting attainments. He later poses for a picture with his catch and young Marcel. It was rather hypocritical of him, because a while back he addressed one of his colleagues as 'undignified' when he posed for a picture with a fish.
As the vacation comes to an end, Marcel is DREADING going back home, so he leaves a note and decides to abandon his family, planning to lead a new life as a hermit along with, now well acquainted Lili. He later changes his mind, and comes back in time before his parents read his note.Then at breakfast, Marcel's father knowingly mocks him about the letter and his intentions ,shocking Marcel. Marcel is then shown heading back for the city along with everyone, hoping to return next summer as well.
In all, it was a good movie not what we're used to, but it was a light-hearted, refreshing story. :)
wow, i just had a Mo Nour moment:P
just kidding ;)
WOW! I genuinely enjoyed the movie and basked in it's simplcity. I would have preferred the ending if the kid joins lilli and becomes a "Hermit" as it seemed to be his destiny throughout the movie. Sometime all it takes is that one external factor to influence one's entire life.
Forgive me, but I am a dreamer!
I found the movie very touching.
Marcel was a very intelligent boy right from the beggining. He could read accurately at a very young age, this worried his mother and made his father feel proud.
His affection for his family especially his father was very moving, he looked up to his father and felt bad whenever his father was embarassed.
The movie wasn't really my type but I enjoyed it :)
-nikol 10 g2
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