The period and location are the same, the port of Marseilles, as in the earlier 1931 film. But in color the drama looks great even as one may harbor nostalgia for the old black and white. The casting does the rest to involve us in the wonderful Pagnol characters.

Auteuil appropriates the role of César for himself as the operator of a waterfront bar, where his son Marius works. (The role in the original film was played by the great Raimu.) At first César seems overly grumpy and unpleasantly authoritarian. But as the film moves along, he grows more amusingly warm and human in the spirit of Pagnol.

Marius, played by the very handsome and appealing Raphaël Personnaz, dreams about escaping from the confines of his life with father and going out to sea to experience the world beyond. He has committed himself secretly to joining a crew when the opportunity arises.

But love has been brewing. Fanny, portrayed by the very beautiful and endearing Victoire Bélézy, has long been sweet on Marius, and he has been attracted to her, but has kept emotions in check in view of his seagoing obsession. The charm in the film grows from the growing expression of passion and commitment that conflict with Marius’s worldly longings. Lurking is the marriage proposal Fanny has from the elderly Panissse (Jean-Pierre Darroussin).

Comedy stems from the machinations of César and others, and Marius’s attempt to deceive his father. When Marius and Fanny are spotted in bed, we can imagine what the sequel “Fanny” will entail. Fanny’s mother is hysterical at the fear that she is now a ruined woman.