Merlusse (1935) User Reviews

The heart is a lonely hunter. (Carson McCullers)

[dbdumonteil · 8/10 · 11 February 2006]

Merlusse is a teacher whose pupils create mayhem in his class."Merlusse" is a nickname (coming from the word "merluche" =dried cod).He seems harsh and strict ,but under an off-putting manner,he hides real affection for his students.

It's Christmas's night:some of the boarders have gone,but some have got to stay behind the sad walls of a gloomy school.Some will not get a Christmas present.

This Christmas ,however ,will not be like the other ones.

A relatively short movie (For Pagnol whose works' running time generally exceeds two hours)but perhaps his most endearing and moving work.

A pleasant work sabotaged by bad sound

[richard-1787 · 3/10 · 15 August 2007]

I would not go so far as the previous reviewer to say that this is one of Pagnol's most endearing films.

It is a simple enough story: M. Blanchard, a distant teacher in a boys' school, agrees to do dorm duty on Christmas eve for those poor students whose families, for whatever reason, have left them there that night. The students are in the habit of making fun of him because of his strange appearance, but while they sleep, he leaves each of them a gift, realizing how unhappy they are not to be spending Christmas with their families. The next morning, when they discover this, the boys change their attitude toward him and each gives him what he most treasures. When the director of the school finds out about Blanchard's act of kindness, he arranges a promotion for him.

There really isn't a lot to this, and compared to some of Pagnol's best films, like Marius and The Baker's Wife, is seems very simplistic.

Add to that that the sound is often very bad, and you have a sad case.

There is nothing really wrong with this movie - other than the sound - but nothing to recommend it, either.