More Movie Recommendations

My blog-o-sphere friend, Isabelle, recommended movies about Provence that she thought I might enjoy. I've reviewed two of them in previous blog posts, Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs. Last Sunday evening I watched the second of a series of two that she also thought were really good...My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle. Like the first two, these are also based on the novels of Marcel Pagnol, a Provencal writer. And like the first two, these are set in the Provence of the turn of the century, steeped in the beauty and culture of this quietly beautiful land. If you decide to view them, you should watch the Father one first. My Mother's Castle begins immediately after the end of My Father's Glory and makes more sense if you've watched them in the correct order. Again, I watched them in French with English subtitles which helps me be more engaged in the story, but still understand it. I won't spoil the fun by telling you the plots of both movies. I will tell you that they are simple and innocent stories of family love and values, of respect and acceptance. This is a family in which the adults are gentle and wise, the children act like children, and everyone desires the best for their loved ones. My Mother's Castle ends very differently than I expected. You'll have to watch the film to know why, but be sure you have a box of kleenex handy.