Fanchon the Cricket

Streaming video - 1915

Based on the 1863 novel LA PETITE FADETTE by George Sand, Mary Pickford plays Fanchon, a young woman who lives in the woods with her grandmother who is reputed to be a witch. The village children snub Fanchon because of her grandmother's reputation and her own unkempt appearance. In turn, Fanchon plays pranks on the children. At a May Day picnic, she first frightens and then intrigues Landry, the son of a rich merchant. After Fanchon saves Landry's idiot brother Didier from mistreatment and rescues Landry himself from drowning, Landry professes his love. He tells his parents that he wants to marry Fanchon, but they want him to wed the priggish Madelon. Although she longs for love, Fanchon proudly tells Landry she will not marry hi...m until his father asks her. This edition of FANCHON THE CRICKET was restored through a unique partnership between the Pickford Foundation and the Cinematheque Francaise, who held a 35mm print of the film. An incomplete nitrate print was preserved at the British Film Institute and, with their cooperation, L’ Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory in Italy photochemically and digitally restored the film, using the highest quality available elements, scanning the film onto 4K high definition. The missing English intertitles were reconstructed by translating from the French on the dupe negative. The Mary Pickford Foundation commissioned a new score by Julian Ducatenzeiler and Andy Gladbach. more