French playwright, novelist, and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol (1895–1974) created one of the most celebrated trilogies in cinema with his epic love story set in a waterfront community in Marseille. Based on his stage plays, each film was produced separately and can be appreciated individually for its own self-contained story. Shot in a realistic style later adopted by Jean Renoir and the French New Wave, seen together (although each chapter can be seen alone) they tell a single tale rich with Gallic warmth, humanism, humor, and unforgettable characters.