Unrequited love is the theme, but in a twist, or from an angle that's decidedly French. A man marries even when he knows his true love is getting wed to another at the same time and place (a double wedding saves money). As he will come to admit later, the fault is all his because he didn't love enough to make a play for his amour when she was still available. At any rate, his love for her stays true even as she takes up with yet another lover in addition to her husband. Yet there's no judgmental tone as we observe her actions, just a woman doing what she wants, or at times, must. Our eponymous hero, Toni, finally gets to prove his love through sacrifice for the woman and his godchild, fulfilling the norms of the Latin melting pot that Provence was at this time. The movie sets up the story wonderfully; indeed, the best part of the film is the efficient and sly way the story is put in motion when all we think is happening is an introduction of characters. The slower ensuing pace, lack of music, stagy scenes and silent film-like shots all date the movie; it's not a timeless classic. But it's still an enjoyable, efficient testament to universal themes told through a decidedly un-American prism.

"Streaming along Paul Bozzi's folksy strains, what TONI lacks is a refined protagonist by using mostly nonprofessionals, Blavette is too anonymous an actor to carry the weight of a leading man, but Montalván has a fierce visage that is both dramatic and cinematic, and when all is said and done, it is Andrex, as the shiftless Gabi, Josepha's cousin, who effortlessly brings some sophistication and cunningness into the fray, because as primitive as Toni is, Renoir's penchant of heroizing him while subtly imputing his downfall to Josepha's congenital promiscuity may deter some audience to warm this otherwise, rather groundbreaking forebear of Nouvelle Vague."

read the full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks