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A Magnificent Life

Play trailer Poster for A Magnificent Life PG-13 2025 1h 30m Biography Animation Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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62% Tomatometer 21 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
In 1955, Marcel Pagnol was over sixty and had just ended a prolific film career to return to his childhood love, the theatre. But his last two plays had suffered two resounding failures in quick succession. He is beginning to doubt the public's interest in his work, and thinks it might be time to make way for the younger generation. During a friendly dinner, the editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine commissioned him to write a weekly literary serial about his childhood, his Provence, his first loves. A few days later, when the ELLE messenger came to ask him for the famous pages at the beginning of his story, Monsieur Pagnol rushed to write them. He realized that his childhood memories were escaping him.

Critics Reviews

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Justin Clark Slant Magazine Nov 20
2/4
Sylvain Chomet provides only a scant sense of Marcel Pagnol’s creative inklings, such as the ideas and themes that fuel the films that he fights so vehemently to make. Go to Full Review Peter Debruge Variety Jun 9
Chomet honors the man’s achievements but fails to convey why those who don’t already possess some level of fascination with Pagnol should care. Go to Full Review Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com May 21
Chomet is careful to avoid overt melodrama. He’s made a film that’s reverential of a smart, artistic man, but doesn’t place him on too high a pedestal for us to see him. Go to Full Review Manuel Betancourt FilmWeek (LAist) Dec 31
It feels like you're just reading a Wikipedia page of Pagnol. Go to Full Review Charles Solomon FilmWeek (LAist) Dec 31
It's kind of like roller skating through an art gallery that you don't really have time to see something develop. Go to Full Review Rachel Wagner Hallmarkies Podcast Dec 25
It gets lost in business which is not that interesting or exciting. A real disappointment Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Nov 21 The worldwide gross is $1,224,724.00. See more Read all reviews
A Magnificent Life

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Cast & Crew

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Sylvain Chomet

Director

Laurent Lafitte

Marcel Pagnol

Géraldine Pailhas

Augustine Pagnol

Sylvain Chomet

Screenwriter

Ashargin Poiré

Producer

Lilian Eche

Producer
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A Magnificent Life

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1955, Marcel Pagnol was over sixty and had just ended a prolific film career to return to his childhood love, the theatre. But his last two plays had suffered two resounding failures in quick succession. He is beginning to doubt the public's interest in his work, and thinks it might be time to make way for the younger generation. During a friendly dinner, the editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine commissioned him to write a weekly literary serial about his childhood, his Provence, his first loves. A few days later, when the ELLE messenger came to ask him for the famous pages at the beginning of his story, Monsieur Pagnol rushed to write them. He realized that his childhood memories were escaping him.
Director
Sylvain Chomet
Producer
Ashargin Poiré, Lilian Eche, Valérie Puech, Aton Soumache
Screenwriter
Sylvain Chomet
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
What The Prod, Picture Box, Bidibul Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Some Suggestive Material|Brief Violent Content|Smoking|Language)
Genre
Biography, Animation, Drama
Original Language
French
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 30m