Le Château de Ma Mère (My Mother's Castle) (1990)
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75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews) -
84% of users liked it
(3,089 ratings)
This charming motion picture relives the beautiful childhood memories of noted film director and writer Marcel Pagnol. While attending school in Marseilles, Marcel Julien Ciamaca daydreams about the nearby hills where he and his family spend vacations at a cottage. It is not enough to sojourn there… More This charming motion picture relives the beautiful childhood memories of noted film director and writer Marcel Pagnol. While attending school in Marseilles, Marcel Julien Ciamaca daydreams about the nearby hills where he and his family spend vacations at a cottage. It is not enough to sojourn there over Christmas, Easter, and summer holidays; Marcel wants to be there all the time, to roam the fields, climb the rock faces, and enjoy other simple pleasures with his mother, father, and siblings. And then something marvelous happens. His mother Augustine (Nathalie Roussel) persuades his father Joseph (Philippe Caubere), a schoolteacher, to allow the family to spend each weekend at the cottage. Because they have no car, they must ride public transport part of the way, then walk the remaining five miles. However, a former pupil of Joseph's shows them a shortcut that crosses private estates and reduces the distance to only one mile. So the family enjoys weekend after wonderful weekend in the hills. Marcel plays with a country boy, picks thyme for the family's alfresco dinners, and meets a girl whom he rescues from spiders. Though she is an imperious little lass, Marcel is quite taken with her and even performs feats of derring-do to impress her. These carefree weekend outings continue until one day a heartless watchman charges the Pagnols with trespassing on an estate on their way to the cottage. Woe is Joseph. He believes his very proper school will fire him. But when the school officials call him in, they promote him! They know nothing of his trespassing, for Joseph's former pupil has tricked the watchman into dropping the charge. Then more good news comes; Marcel has won an academic prize. The film has a bittersweet ending in which Marcel, as an adult, reviews what has happened to the family members since those wonderful days when life was good and all was right with the world. ~ Mike Cummings, Rovi
- Directed By
- Yves Robert
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Art House & International, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Oct 26, 1990 Wide
- On DVD
- Sep 2, 2003
Critic Reviews
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Show how the embrace of place enables us to nourish our inner identity and to stretch our consciousness
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Philippe Caubère
as Joseph
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Julien Ciamaca
as Marcel Age 11
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Nathalie Roussel
as Augustine
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Didier Pain
as Uncle Jules
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Therese Liotard
as Aunt Rose
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Victorien Delamare
as Paul Age 5
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Joris Molinas
as Lili des Bellons
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Jean Carmet
as Old Estate Guard
- André Chaumeau
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Paul Crauchet
as Edmond Des Parpaillouns
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Raoul Curet
as Monsieur Vincent
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Jean-Pierre Darras
as Marcel
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Benjamin Detriche
as Paul Age 3
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Victor Garrivier
as Parish Priest
- Ticky Holgado
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Maxime Lombard
as Monsieur Arnaud
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Michele Loubet
as Mademoiselle Guimard
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Rene Loyon
as Monsieur Besson
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Pierre Maguelon
as Francois
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Benoît Martin
as Marcel Age 5
- Jean Maurel
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Michel Modo
as le facteur
- Jean Rochefort
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Jean Rougerie
as Secondhand Dealer
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Julie Timmerman
as Isabelle
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Philippe Uchan
as Bouzigue
- Georges Wilson
- Gerard Moulevrier
- Patrick Préjean
- Ivan Romeuf
- Louis Lalanne