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Summary

In a rural French village, an old man and his only remaining relative cast their covetous eyes on an adjoining vacant property. They need its spring water for growing their flowers, and are dismayed to hear that the man who has inherited it is moving in. They block up the spring and watch as their new neighbour tries to keep his crops watered from wells far afield through the hot summer. Though they see his desperate efforts are breaking his health and his wife and daughter's hearts, they think only of getting the water.

Cast

Yves Montand

César Soubeyran, aka 'le Papet'

Gérard Depardieu

Jean Cadoret, hunchback, son of Florette

Daniel Auteuil

Ugolin Soubeyran, nephew of Papet

Elisabeth Depardieu

Aimée Cadoret, wife of Jean

Margarita Lozano

Baptistine, Piedmontese of the cave

Ernestine Mazurowna

Manon Cadoret, daughter of Jean & Aimée

Armand Meffre

Philoxène, mayor

André Dupon

Pamphile, joiner

Pierre Nougaro

Casimir

Jean Maurel

Anglade, believer

Roger Souza

Ange, hydrant man

Didier Pain

Eliacin

Pierre-Jean Rippert

Pascal, hydrant man

Marc Betton

Martial

Clément Cal

Méderic, bar boss

Benedetto Bertino

Giuseppe

Marcel Champel

Pique-Bouffigue

Chantal Liennel

Amandine, César Soubeyran's servant

Fransined

Florist

Marcel Berbert

Notary

Christian Tamisier

Doctor

Jo Doumerg

Muleteer

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Claude Berri

Novel

Marcel Pagnol

Screenplay

Gérard Brach

Reviews

nutshell

May 22, 2020

sub·tle (adjective) Definition: making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something. One of the most celebrated French films of the 1980s, and with good reason. I don't think there's ever been a film that better depicts evil so subtlety well as Jean de Florette, specifically in terms of greed, covetousness, and selfishness. It is not at all a "thriller", but an engrossing drama that envelops you with its deep characterizations and tragic story. Directed and co-written by Claude Berri, and starring Yves Montand and Gerard Depardieu (both of them just excellent). This film, viewed along with it's sequel Manon of the Spring, reward the viewer with roughly 4 hours of one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences ever. This is the Pathé 4K Restoration.