Toni (1935)

Director:

Jean Renoir

Writers:

Jean Renoir (screenplay) &
Jacques Levert (story)
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In the 1920s, the Provence is a magnet for immigrants seeking work in the quarries or in the agriculture...

Cast

Charles Blavette	...	Antonio Canova dit 'Toni'
Celia Montalván	...	Josefa (as Celia Montalvan)
Édouard Delmont	...	Fernand (as Delmont)
Max Dalban	...	Albert (as Dalban)
Jenny Hélia	...	Marie (as Jenny Helia)
Michel Kovachevitch	...	Sebastian (as M. Kovachevicht)
Andrex	...	Gabi
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bozzi	...	Le jouer de guitare (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean Renoir

Writing credits
Jean Renoir		screenplay &
Jacques Levert		story
Carl Einstein		uncredited

Produced by
Marcel Pagnol	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Paul Bozzi		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Claude Renoir

Film Editing by
Suzanne de Troeye		(as S. de Troeye)
Marguerite Renoir		(as Marguerite)

Production Design by
Leon Bourrely

Set Decoration by
Marius Brouquier

Production Management
Pierre Gault	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Georges D'Arnoux	....	assistant director (as G. d'Arnoux)
Luchino Visconti	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bardisbanian	....	sound recordist
René Sarazin	....	assistant sound recordist (as Sarrazin)

Camera and Electrical Department
Roger Ledru	....	assistant camera (as R. Ledru)

Other crew
Albert Assouad	....	technical director
Bébert	....	technical consultant

Production Companies

• Les Films Marcel Pagnol

Distributors

• Films Marcel Pagnol (1935) (France) (theatrical)
• M. Kurz (1936) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Eureka Video (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• French Motion Picture Company (1936) (USA) (subtitled)
• Metropolis Pictures
• Pathé Contemporary Films (1968) (USA) (re-release)
• Pioneer LDC (2000) (Japan) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Toni (Austria) [de]

Country:

France

Language:

French | Italian | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | Finland:K-16 (1965)

Company:

Les Films Marcel Pagnol

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film (1999) (V)

Quel Jumelle elles ont le Toni

There is more than a touch of the Pagnols here, both geographically and literally, indeed the print I saw even credited Pagnol as 1) a producer or (and more probably) 2, the use of his studio space. For reasons best known to himself Renoir chose to set a triangular love story in Pagnol turf, le midi and though the result is creditable it is difficult if not impossible to view a movie like this in the 21st century, with our knowledge that by the time it was shot Pagnol had seen his own trilogy on similar themes produced on both stage and screen. Nevertheless and despite ageing prints this remains well worth seeing and obligatory for the Renoir scholar. 6/10