All This Could Have Been Avoided! **SPOILERS**

I agree with you that she should have written him to tell him. But I don't agree that she played with his heart. It was always obvious to EVERYONE that Fanny loved Marius, but he was too self-centered, selfish, and childish. The fact is, he should never have been having sex with her because he didn't give a damn about her. He even admits that he didn't think about her--at first--when he was at sea. He only ever thought about her when he felt that someone else might be interested. That's a pretty capricious form of "love."

I also think Panisse is a disgusting dirty old man. Knowing that Fanny was the child of a widow, a mere 18 years old, he preyed on her throughout the entire film. The film tried to make him seem heroic because he married her. Not at all. He knew she was vulnerable and executed the plan he had from the beginning. And when she became his wife and lost the glitter of her youth, he was happy to toss her aside but only if he kept her son. He was incredibly selfish and it's unfortunate that everyone pressured her into marrying him instead of encouraging her to try and contact Marius before marrying Panisse. They made her feel it would be impossible for her to raise him on her own. They were all worried about their own fates: her mother, César, and the child. No one cared about her.

Sorry have to disagree. Besides the romance in this story (in both films "Marius" and "Fanny") and the people in the town, the message is about about how women who are pregnant out of wedlock can be persecuted.

These movies discuss how having a child out of wedlock in this kind of conservative society leads to prostitution (like Fanny's aunt Zoe) or suicide (see the Talented Mr. Ripley for an example of that).

- So, Fanny had no time to work out something with Marius.
The first letter from him arrived over a month later and then his ship had left port. When could she get a letter to him? In one month? Or two months? Unknown.
And how long would it take for Marius to write and get a letter to her? Another one or two months?
It could have taken another four months before she got an answer from him.

She was pregnant and needed a husband as soon as possible.
She had no time waiting for months hoping he would change his mind.
That waiting alone would lead to her child being labeled a bastard and her being thrown out like her aunt Zoe.
And even if Marius said he would return and marry her, what if he died on the way back during his 2 year journey?
Then Fanny would again either be a prostitute or kill herself and her child would be a bastard.

- And another reason she could not send a letter was because a letter to Marius had the danger that the story would come out that this was his child.

So no, Fanny could not give Marius a chance. She could not leave the decision up to him.
She didn't have the time to wait for months as they sent letters back and forth.
Fanny could not take the chance that it would be known that her child was conceived out of wedlock.
She had to move on with her life as soon as she found out she was pregnant.

Good film, 7/10

BB ;-)

it is just in my opinion - imo - 🌈