Why do people write poetry, paint landscapes, compose music, and make movies? Why do people create art? There isn’t a single answer to these questions, but many might agree that the act of creating art serves the fundamental human need for self-expression. It is a vehicle to communicate ideas. It helps process complex emotions and can be useful in reducing anxiety. It also provides a means to social connection.
Wealth and fame may be part of the equation for some, but such rewards are neither guaranteed nor necessarily advantageous. Creating art for the sake of immortality is folly, because even the most talented artists are only immortal for a limited time.
Case in point: Who is Marcel Pagnol? Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t know: Unless you are French or a cinephile, you aren’t likely to recognize the name. Pagnol was a titan of 20th century French culture as an author, playwright and filmmaker. Most of his plays were written in the 1920s and 1930s. His last film was released in 1954.
The French animated film “Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol,” written and directed by Sylvain Chomet, was recently released in the United States under the title “A Magnificent Life” through Sony Pictures Classics. It is currently available for rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Chomet, best known for “The Triplets of Belleville,” gives viewers a deep dive into the life of Pagnol that is adoring but realistic. Visually, it is meticulously drawn, with gorgeously executed characters and lush backdrops. As this is primarily a stylized biopic, the question is whether or not it will draw viewers to Pagnol’s work.
The film opens in Paris in 1956. At age 61, Marcel Pagnol has committed to writing his memoires. The only problem is that he is having some difficulty accessing the necessary memories to put pen to paper. Fortunately, he has the perfect assistant: a younger, more confident version of himself. As he struggles to find a starting point for his memoires — and after he banishes both a cat and a crow for disturbing his ponderings — he is visited by a vision of his childhood self who is obliging when it comes to useful reminiscing.
Among the first recollections Pagnol reclaims is an exchange with his grandfather in his youth. When Marcel says he wants to grow up and carve stones, his grandfather explains that it isn’t the trade that matters. He tells Marcel that what matters is that he works well, and that his craft is beautiful — because “all that is beautiful is true, and all that is true has earned the respect of the divine.” An instant later, in the next scene at the dinner table with his family, Marcel’s father downplays the role of the divine in providing creative inspiration and impetus in a way that reveals the dichotomy of their relationship. The deep affection Marcel feels for his father coexists with growing conflict about what he wants to do with his life.
Marcel’s mother is more supportive of his creative efforts.
This is just the beginning of the journey so beautifully depicted in “A Magnificent Life.” The way the story unfolds, Marcel’s search for purpose and meaning is effectively conveyed. He moves through a life punctuated by tragedies and tribulations, including the death of his mother, his estrangement from his father, the departure of his first wife, and — much later — the unexpected death of his 2-year-old daughter. Chomet shows how current events throughout the first half of the 20th century enabled Marcel to alter his creative trajectory.
The series of recollections depicted in “A Magnificent Life” are among those that are recounted in his writings from his later years.
“Marcel could never forget his childhood,” Chomet explains in the production notes for the film “In his writings, his childhood memories are very vivid. It feels like he lived them just days ago. I used the character of young Marcel to represent those memories, coming to him and helping him recover them.”
The young Marcel in the film is something akin to a ghost, but also acts as a guardian angel. He motivates the older Marcel, and sometimes interacts with others to their mutual benefit. As people close to Marcel die, they also interact with the young Marcel.
“I had the idea of this little ghost while visiting Marcel Pagnol’s office with Nicolas Pagnol,” Chomet adds. “It was where he wrote ‘My Father’s Glory’ and ‘My Mother’s Castle,’ and it had remained untouched since his death in 1974.”
The voice cast of the Sony Pictures Classics English version features Matthew Gravelle, Lu Corfield, Jonathan Keeble, Celyn Jones, Jess Nesling, and Flora Montgomery. There is much to admire about “A Magnificent Life,” both as a work of spectacular art and as a compelling biography. Marcel’s story happens to align with the history of cinema, which makes the film that much more fascinating — at least for anyone interested in the subject matter.
Today, Pagnol is remembered as a champion of independent film and as someone whose works often showcased dialogue and regional identity. His work continues to influence French cinema and literature.
Lee Clark Zumpe is entertainment editor at Tampa Bay Newspapers, a Tomatometer-Approved Critic, and an author of short fiction. He can be reached by email at lzumpe@TBNweekly.com.