1986 ( Switzerland | Italy | France ) ( Drama )
( French with English subtitles )
Starring: Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil
Director: Claude Berri
A French film evening, featuring two films, firstly ‘Jean de Florette’ starting at 4.15pm. This is then followed by a French style buffet including French wine, cheese, pate and French bread at 6.15pm. The second film completing the story, ‘Manon of the Spring’ will start at 7.45 pm. The ticket price will be £10 to include both films and the buffet.
Confusingly released as two discrete films, “Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring” are really two equal parts of a singular movie that should be watched in one sitting.
Jean de Florette tells the story of how the greedy Cesar Soubeyran (Yves Montand) and his dim-witted nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) conspire to steal a water-rich property away from the hunchbacked Jean Cadoret (Gerard Depardieu), a former city dweller who has moved to the country with his wife Aimee and their small daughter Manon. Visually resplendent and magnificently acted, Jean de Florette has all the trimmings of a great Greek tragedy.
The high-budget picture (the most expensive French film ever made at the time) exquisitely captures the natural setting, social customs, and personal prejudices of French villagers whose source of spring water is manipulated at different times by nefarious individuals.
(2hr 0min)