It centres on the life of the entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre and his total devotion to studying insect behavior, travelling from Avignon to Paris, from Paris to his death in Sérignan. He is honoured by the French president Raymond Poincaré and his patience, obstinacy and knowledge are also recognised by Napoleon III, the publisher Charles Delagrave and the philosopher John Stuart Mill. They reach their climax in his book, Souvenirs entomologiques.
Director:
Pierre Fresnay
M. Fabre
Élina Labourdette
La comtesse de la Porte
André Randall
John Stuart Mill
Georges Tabet
Le directeur du collège
Pierre Bertin
Napoléon III
Espanita Cortez
Eugénie de Montijo
France Descaut
Antonia Fabre
Olivier Hussenot
Le censeur d'Avignon
Denise Kerny
Aglaë âgée
Paul Bonifas
Le ministre Victor Duruy
Jacques Emmanuel
L'éditeur Charles Delagrave
Pierre Magnier
Charles Delagrave
Guy Haurey
Jules
Andrée Lafayette
Henry Laverne
Le maire
Solange Varenne
La deuxième femme
Pierre Moncorbier
Hubert Noël
Le fiancé d'Antonia
Albert Culloz
Le petit Jules Fabre
Catherine Culloz
Aglaë Fabre
Jean-Pierre Maurin
Le prince impérial
Patrick Dewaere
Yves-Marie Maurin
Elisabeth Hardy
Marie Fabre
Fernand Blot
L'aubergiste (uncredited)
Pierre Derome
(uncredited)
Roberto Rossellini
(uncredited)
Roger Vincent
(uncredited)
