Reviews (9)

An Early Solo Classic from Jerry Lewis
Long before "Mr. Mom" or "Kramer vs. Kramer", Jerry Lewis made a great argument for fathers to have as much say in the raising and nurturing of their children as mothers. This delightful comedy (with just enough drama added in for good measure) is about a man who goes beyond expectation to care for three baby girls who are left at his doorstep.

Moreover, this is not merely a comedy, but a musical, with songs that deserve the right to be as well remembered as any from "The Wizard of Oz" or "The Sound of Music".

This, among other Jerry Lewis classics, should be issued on DVD, but until they are VHS still looks pretty good.

Excellent and I'm not even a big Jerry Lewis fan!
This is one of my all-time favorite movies and I'm not even a big Jerry Lewis fan. My children and I laugh until we're crying every time we watch this movie.

From the other reviews you know it's about a guy trying to take care of baby triplets on his own. It's an EXCELLENT family movie with a sweet story as Clayton Poole (Jerry Lewis) does everything in his power to take care of these little girls. Sure, it's hilarious but it also has a strong family theme as the Clayton, the babies' aunt and grandfather do whatever they can to do what's best for the babies. Even the mother realizes in the end that the babies are what's most important.

There is definitely something for everyone in this movie.

Why, oh why don't they put it on DVD???

Ohhhh!, Baby!
It's tough to choose which Jerry Lewis movies is my favorite, but I have to start with this one. It's sweet, darlin' and romantic all rolled up into one. It's about Clayton Poole (Jerry Lewis) a bumbling TV repairman, who by surprise becomes an adopted father to triplet baby girls. Clayton's former girlfriend turned movie star, Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell) springs the surprise when she leaves them on his doorstep. Noble Clayton tries to keep everything a secret but all mayhem cuts loose. And Clayton's other love interest Sandy Naples (Connie Stevens) helps Clayton out of his dilemma and from the suspicions of their father Gigi (Salvatore Baccaloni). I'll leave the ending for you to see. If you love the wacky antics of Jerry Lewis and romantic comedy by all means go for it!

Jerry is funny!
My children and I love this movie! Jerry is funny and adorable. This is definatly one of his best (it's so hard to pick a favorite!)In the movie Gerry is left to raise tripplet girls who are babies until there mother finishes shooting a film in which she star's. In the funny and famous style that only Jerry can do he makes it heaps of fun that you never get tired of watching. A good clean, funny movie for everyone.

Whoa Baby!
This video is awesome. My kids love to watch it and laugh hilariously. It is great for all ages (even me). It is about a man (Jerry Lewis) who is stuck helping raise 3 babies and it is really funny. If you buy this video, you won't be sorry. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles Trilogy was adapted into a Broadway musical in the mid-'50s; a few years later, that show's producer, Joshua Logan, turned it into a film... without the songs. Although it pales in comparison to the French trilogy, Fanny captures the original's bittersweet mix of romance and regret. Curiously, it retains the slightly stagy quality of an adapted musical. Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier revel in their juicy autumnal roles, and--thanks to Logan's fondness for rapturous close-ups--Leslie Caron never looked more beautiful. Harold Rome's Broadway score plays underneath many scenes (without the lyrics, that is), but what gives the movie its lilt is the color photography by the great Jack Cardiff. The Marseilles waterfront, where Boyer's café is scenically located, becomes a wonderfully bustling backdrop for the funny/sad story. Fanny was nominated for five Oscars^®, including best picture, but seems mostly forgotten today, and ready for rediscovery by romantics. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (15)

charming, romantic fairytale
A charming romantic fable, FANNY is based on the "Marseilles Trilogy" by Pagnol and the Broadway musical from 1954.

Leslie Caron plays Fanny, the impish daughter of Honorine (Georgette Anys), who sells fish on the waterfront. Marius (Horst Bucholtz) and his father Cesare (Charles Boyer) own the bar overlooking the bay.

When Fanny proclaims her love for Marius, they plan to marry, when Marius is tempted away through his desire to become a sailor. He leaves Fanny and his unborn child to an uncertain fate.

A relief comes in the form of wealthy and kindly Panisse (Maurice Chevalier) who offers to marry Fanny and raise the child as his own.

A charming, hypnotic tale that boasts stellar performances. Boyer was nominated for Best Actor here, but why was Caron not nominated? She gives probably one of the finest performances of her career here.

Directed by Joshua Logan (SOUTH PACIFIC), FANNY is one very entertaining movie.

a magnificent movie
What a wonderful love story, it stays with you several days after you've seen it. The french flavor of this story, along with the innocence and sincerity of all the players, especially the two young lovers and the little boy that is their son. make it a memorable movie. I do believe there is a young girl named Fanny, a boy named Marius. I would give this movie 10 stars if I could. I'll watch it over and over again.

LAMOUR ETERNAL ......
Probably Chevalier's best [well, in this one he does get 'GiGi', err 'Fanny' be-it a May/December parachute though!]. He has never been better and more charming, and shows those often doubted acting chops vividly ~ same applies to Boyer, a different flavor [of course] but still so seductive .... the one's [Boyer] a parent to a young hothead [Marius/Bucholtz] with dreams [soon to evaporate] the other [Chevalier] a wealthy man - but newly-widowed and seemingly childless forever - THEN there's FANNY [LESLIE CARON at her best - she too is vivid as the now not so gamine teen blossoming overnight [yeah, why not?] into womanhood, courtesy of Marius [Bucholtz], the ocean, the breeze, whatever .....

He leaves [not knowing about her 'situation']; she tentatvely explores possibilities [suicide? no!] - and the kindly rich old guy picks up the tab and an heir!

BEST scene? Chevalier's ancient, elder brother thanking Fanny [just recouperating] for providing an heir .... just beautiful!

A movie you can visit over and over again as the decades past, first you might relate to Marius or Fanny .... then later the parents ....

Ah Love!

Please restore this gem to it's original splendor in widescreen with all the bells and whistles!

[Now what ever happened to an early, early Caron - "The Story of Three Loves" with a young teen named Rick Nelson???]

FAAAAAABULOUS!!!!!!!!
OK, so 'innocence' flew out of the window a few decades ago ... BUT to recapture some of it [although this one ain't too innocent] ... here we have CHEVALIER, BOYER, CARON, BUCHOLTZ, and then sum!

JUST wish this one would poke out as a DVD release now that the original is forthcoming in three parts [as it usta did!].

SENTIMENTAL? Sure? POINNANT? Yah bet!

CARON reaches her zenith as Fanny, the innocent too soon impregnated, but rescued by the older man only to find that the May/December 'thing' can work!

Bringing up the rear so to speak is Horst Bucholtz [lately lamented] and SO, SO overlooked as a prime performer .... just a smattering of James Dean here .....

Then there's CHARLES BOYER {'Lilliom'} ..... mature but so seductive as Papa to Bucholtz ....

SUPERBLY LENSED AND COSTUMED.

Negelcted Treasure ... waiting rediscovery!

Fanny, Marius, Panisse, and Cesar
I love love stories. Joshua Logan's 1961 production of Fanny is one of my favorites. Fanny was adapted from the series of novels by Marcel Pagnol called the Marseilles Triloy. Each of the novels were adapted as films in the 1930s in Europe. In 1954 the novels were adapted for Broadway in a musical called Fanny.

Fanny stars Leslie Caron as Fanny, a young woman who sells fish on the Marseilles waterfront with her mother when she is not flirting with old men to try to make Marius, the guy she loves, jealous. Marius is played by the German actor Horst Buchholz. He runs a small bar also on the waterfront with his cantankerous dad Cesar, played by Charles Boyer. The wealthy old widower, Panisse, who loves to come down and slum it with Cesar and his other old buddies at the bar is played by Maurice Chevalier.

Fanny loves Marius. Marius loves Fanny and the sea. And Panisse wants to get married to Fanny for one last ditched effort to provide an heir for the Panisse family fortune. The story has some very unexpected twists and returns, which I will leave as a mystery.

The cast of Fanny is all excellent. The real show stealers are the aging Charles Boyer and Maurice Chevalier.

More than anything Fanny is the story of several different types of love: erotic, paternal, maternal, love of the sea, selfish love, self- sacrificing love, and the love of family and friends.

Fanny was made in 1961 before there was any sex or nudity on the screen. Nevertheless, the scenes between Horst Buchholz (Marius) and Leslie Caron (Fanny) are more erotic even though they are dressed than anything probably being made in Hollywood today.

Fanny is a rare gem. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

One of Judy Holliday's best !
A delightful, genuinely heartwarming comedy, starring Judy Holliday and Richard Conte as a young couple about to have a child, yet still struggling to define what their family life will mean to them, and Salvatore Baccaloni as Conte's broadly portrayed Italian Papa. Fans of Judy Holliday will love this film -- she leaves her "dumb blonde" character aside in favor of a much richer role; she gets some great comedic moments in early on, acting out the clumsiness and moodiness of late-term pregnancy, yet also portrays a smart, intuitive young woman who provides the rational and emotional glue which holds her family together. There are a lot of subtle touches to this film; nothing is overplayed or hackneyed, and although it is set in the white-picket fence era of the early '50s, the issues addressed in the script will ring true for many viewers for decades to come. Recommended!

John Fante's sell out
Watching this movie was a tragedy for me. John Fante was a magnificent novelist of the 30's and 40's who wrote two of my favorite novels Ask the Dust and The Road to Los Angeles. He sold his talent to Hollywood in the 50's. In the 70's he had a short comeback with West of Rome and Brotherhood of the Grape, but the damage was done.
Yes Full of Life was a book written by him, but one I wouldn't dare read. It's about a good father dealing with his wife's pregnancy. John Fante wasn't the perfect sort though. His cynical Bandini is what makes his books so appealing. A disappointment. Judy Holliday fans should pick another movie as she is talented. Try The Solid Gold Cadillac or Born Yesterday instead.
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JUDY, JUDY, JUDY...
ATTACH JUDY HOLLIDAY TO A FILM AND EVEN A BAD FILM ELEVATES TO ART!

"The Baby"
I was so excited to see I could find this movie. I am the "baby" at the end of the film. I was born at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica and when the film crew needed a baby they came searching at the hospital. Unlike the "red haired" boy referred to in the movie, I was actually a blonde haired girl. But, what the heck!

A little story from the 50s
Dated way more than most. See attitudes evolve from the 19th century to the 20th in the 21st without the artifice of a historical drama. ... Read more