My Mother’s Castle

1990 (PG)  98 minutes  France/subtitles
Director: Yves Robert
Cast: Philippe Caubère, Nathalie Roussel, Julien Ciamaca

To his chagrin, young Marcel and his family move back to their home in Marseilles, France, far from their pastoral holiday cottage in the hills. Determined, Marcel makes the long voyage back to the cottage on foot and lands himself in trouble. One day Marcel’s father discovers a shortcut to the cottage, but it requires trespassing. Despite their trepidations, Marcel and his family begin using the secret trail to reach their cottage. During one of these holidays, Marcel meets Isabel, a pretty but conceited girl. This film is a sequel to last week’s film, “My Father’s Glory.” Both films are based on the best-selling memoirs of French novelist/filmmaker Marcel Pagnol.

“It is likely that no one, not even Pagnol, had a childhood quite this perfect, and yet all happy childhoods grow happier in memory, and it is the nature of film that we can share some of Pagnol’s happiness.” – Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“In MY MOTHER’S CASTLE…the mountains of Provence look like a photo album paradise. Glistening with sunlight under crystalline skies, they’re the mountains of childhood, comfortable as an old coverlet.” – Michael Wilmington, LOS ANGELES TIMES