“Fanny” begins mere seconds after the events concluding “Marius”, so if you are not familiar with the first play, this is going to be full of spoilers…
Marius has just left, following his dream to sail the seas and see the world, leaving Fanny heartbroken. She soon realizes that she is pregnant with his child, a scandalous situation for a single young woman in the 1930’s. Her mother Honorine pushes her to accept the proposal of Panisse, who is much older than her but also very prosperous and kind. This would save the family’s honor and ensure that the child would be taken care of. Fanny hates the idea of taking advantage of Panisse and decides to tell him the truth before marrying him. Several months later, Marius returns and visits Fanny, hoping to convince her to leave Panisse for him. But for the sake of her child, she refuses to leave and Marius goes back to his ship, defeated.
This play is just as good, if not better than “Marius”. The characters are more developed, the dialogue is sublime and heartbreaking. With the heroine of the trilogy, Pagnol created an incredibly strong female character. Fanny’s love for Marius is unwavering, but she would rather sacrifice her own happiness than see him miserable, which leads to his departure and her so-called dishonor. When she learns of her pregnancy, her first instinct is to raise her child by herself until the father comes back, an almost unthinkable thing to do in that day, age and place. Panisse’s complete acceptance of her situation, born out of his own desire to have a child, and the way his entire family is grateful to finally have an heir, is as much blessing as it is a trap. When Marius realizes the terrible mistake he has made, it is too late: his son it now the little prince an entire clan have hoped for and made one of their own, and how can a mother leave her son behind, even for the sake of her great love.
My praises don’t do it justice: read it for yourself and enjoy! The Daniel Auteuil directed remakes of “Marius” and “Fanny” from 2013 are very good, but if you are lucky enough to find the original movies, treat yourself, you won’t regret it!