A Magnificent Life

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A Magnificent Life

PG-13

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1h 30m

Biography

Animation

Drama

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63%

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52 Reviews

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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.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

Mar 27

Chomet’s gift for deftly caricatured faces, expressive movement, and clever compositions hasn’t deserted him, and there are many flat-out beautiful bits scattered throughout, but this is altogether a work that’s best appreciated with the sound off.

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Beatrice Loayza

New York Times

Mar 26

Sure, it’s a way of extending an olive branch to English-language viewers, but who, if not a Francophile, would enjoy such a meticulous recreation of Pagnol’s life and times?

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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.

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Sean P. Means

The Movie Cricket

1d

3/4

Through the episodes of Pagnol’s life, people come and go — and the ones who go via the grave join the spirit of the young Marcel. This parade of spirits becomes a metaphor for Pagnol’s work.

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Colton Peregoy

MovieJawn

2d

A satisfying watch for any fans of French cinema and its historic influence over the medium as a whole.

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Marlon Wallace

The M Report (WBOC.com)

Mar 30

This is perhaps a good introduction to Marcel Pagnol, but not as good as an honor or tribute as one might hope.

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jesse v

5d

Very interesting art style with old English dialogue and European dialects, though this desperately needed to be a one season tv show to give at least one scene to breathe.

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James D

6d

gorgeous and moving, but feels a bit rushed because there is so much to cover. I loved the concept.

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Nick N.

@Nicodemo 4d

I loved every second of “A Magnificent Life”. 5/5. Intelligent, witty, sexy, creative and fun. An absolute joy.

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Sylvain Chomet

Director

Laurent Lafitte

Marcel Pagnol

Géraldine Pailhas

Augustine Pagnol

Sylvain Chomet

Screenwriter

Ashargin Poiré

Producer

Lilian Eche

Producer

A Magnificent Life: Trailer 1

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A Magnificent Life: Teaser Trailer

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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: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 21, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m