Better than the first film

I preferred Fanny (1932) to Marius (1931) mostly because the concentration was on Cesar who is a terrific character. He's a much better character in this than the 1961 film Fanny.

Where Marius concentrated on love and desire, Fanny looks at the consequences of love and the relationship between parent and child. There were some very funny moments, e.g. when Cesar is composing his reply to Marius's first letter; his advice to Marius for avoiding the plague is to avoid any sailor who has it even if he's Marius's friend for friendship is all very well but the plague is the end of the world!

Norine, Fanny's mother, has the best line. Whilst lamenting the problems children cause their parents she says, our Lady had only the one child and look at the trouble he caused her! :D

Anyway, the script works better when it's not focussed on Fanny and Marius themselves. As soon as it does, as happens towards the end of the film, it becomes over wrought, even if passionate.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.