Jean de Florette

Released 1986
Stars Gerard Depardieu, Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Elisabeth Depardieu, Ernestine Mazurowna
Directed by Claude Berri

Proud, cocky French farmer schemes with his simple-minded nephew to acquire some nearby farmland by making sure the new owners never discover an all-important natural spring on the property. Richly textured, emotionally powerful adaptation of Marcel Pagnol novel, exquisitely and meticulously filmed, with galvanizing performances--especially by Depardieu as the doggedly optimistic novice farmer. Story continues in Manon of the Spring.

Summary by Leonard Maltin

This is a wonderful film about how two greedy, petty men systematically crush the spirit of an eternally optimistic man. I liked how the two Soubeyrans were not portrayed as purely evil. They both had moments during their three years of plotting when their consciences nearly betrayed them, but they managed to keep their minds on their goal of obtaining the land. Stories are so much more interesting when people are portrayed as a mixture of good and bad, since that's what we all are. This story does an excellent job of creating the characters, and all of the actors are outstanding. Gerard Depardieu shines as the indomitable spirit who won't fail. His mind refuses to give in even as his body crumbles from the daily grind. He's a modern day Sisyphus as he hauls water from the grotto to his farm each day only to have to repeat the process the next day because it won't rain. If only he had a spring...

It's so sad to watch these greedy bastards destroy this good man and his family, but the film holds the audience at arm's length. We merely observe the story without being drawn into it emotionally, because the film wants us to observe human nature in general instead of in this particular case. Then it ends with the big surprise that it's part one of two. I don't remember seeing a movie that ended with a planned part two before. --Bill Alward, September 4, 2001