Jean De Florette
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Movie Reviews of Jean De Florette
Movie Review: A Light Operetta, Part I.
Summary: 5 Stars
Jean De Florette takes you into a bucolic environment of hypocrisy and superficial envious interests towards dismissed ones, among green French landscapes of farmer's adversity against any foreigner, an Stigma that means both loneliness and passive psychological aggression, greedy and unwelcoming, micro cells of rejection and unfair judgment. Jean Cadoret comes to take on the land he inherits from his late mother Florette, along with his wife (Aimee Cadoret) and daughter (Manon), Jean initiates a utopia of peace and beauty, contemplation and inner state of grace. Little does he knows the faithful tragedy this countryside means, every effort to overcome is a step closer to despair, poor Manon, such an unnecessary faith, the Hunchback is finally aside their mean intentions. After doing his time in the army, Ugolin comes back to meet his only alive relative, Cesar Soubeyran (Le Papet), with a little red torn plan to become rich, and it is in this moment when Papet sets Ugolin to carry on his will for the sake and perdurability of the Soubeyran strong and respected name, only one obstacle stands in, the necessary land, and most important, an spring overwhelming enough to drank the flowers towards their red adult state, this is Florette's land, now in the hands of his son, the Hunchback, known here as Jean De Florette. And so, Ugolin fakes a friendship with Jean, only to systematically destroy this man's fair dream, Jean Cadoret will die ignoring the existence of the spring that could have turned on his despair into a bliss. Revenge will be at Manon's hands.
Directed by the audacious Claude Berri (his directorial credits includes, A Man and a Woman 1966, and Germinal 1993), the film narrates the perils and sorrows of a man and his determination to confront adversity within hope and emotion, cruelty is the other side of an envy worthy of any cold hearted patriarch, and Papet represents the director's composure of the survival instinct. Rhythm and straight sense conveys the images into a poem of loss, Magnificent. A greening accurate scenery, along with an amazing and light photography, makes justice to every countryside frame, it is both exquisite and delicate, perfectly blended into images, a little shining jewel enhanced by an smooth and classical music score by Jean-Claude Petit (including the overture of Giuseppe Verdi's Opera: La Forza del Destino, or The force of Destiny, 1862).
The film carries on the strong and near perfect performances of its three huge protagonist, the late Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, and Daniel Auteuil. Montand commands all his actor experience and knowledge into a mesmerizing portrait of envy and supremacy, and absolute masterful performance, Depardieu expresses with histrionic sense and candor, all the sweetness and tragic personality of that beautiful character that is Jean De Florette, a brilliant work, and last but not least, Auteuil conveys the slimy ways and contradictory conscience of Ugolin, bringing to screen a versatile view of this man, a much keen and deep superb work. Take into consideration, that these three actors are the best ones of their respective generations, big words to say. The supporting cast also brings artistry and intensiveness to the story. Based on The Water of the Hill, by Marcel Pagnol, the screenplay is one of those very strange occasions when an adaptation is as good as the original text, and the film is the cinematographic equal to the novel.
The Region 1 DVD is good, Widescreen Letterbox Edition 2:35.1, with Dolby Digital 2.0. offers a fine choice, but an improve version can make more justice to this great film.
Jean De Florette is only half of the story, the second part, Manon of the Spring, continues this unforgettable tale of envy and true introspect of greedy behavior. A real lesson for those ones that don't care for nothing more than their own interests.
Movie Review: Beautiful, Sad Tale of Rural Provence
Summary: 5 Stars
It's difficult to be a big movie fan in America because most of the movies that get spoon fed to us through the media are American movies, and the vast majority of those--even those that come with good reviews--are predictable, unbelievable, and dull. It is such a great pleasure, therefore, to stumble across a film like this, which is smartly told, wonderful to look at, original, and unpredictable. Needless to say, it is not an American film.
The first joy of this film is the cinematography. It takes place in Provence, in the rural, farming area of this region. Between the rolling hills and the flowers and the trees and the ancient-looking farmhouses, it is just lovely to look at. It is a place which seems to draw you in, like a beautiful dream. You find yourself wishing you could be there, to live there, to grow carnations or raise rabbits there, as the characters do. The soundtrack conveys this as well, with the always and ever present sound of bees and crickets and songbirds in the air. It is very evocative, and truly plays a part in the events of the plot as well.
For the plot has to do with a man, a city-dweller, who inherits a farm in this area, and with his wife and young daughter, decides to make a go of it. He is, however, frustrated by his neighbor, who secretly covets the farm because of the spring on it he wishes to have for himself. The neighbor blocks up this spring before the city man arrives, in the hopes that he can drive him out for lack of water. This is the story. We watch as the city man relentlessly attempts to survive in this place with its neverending short supply of water, and knowing that the solution to his problems is on his own property. It is a sad, beautiful, heart-breaking tragedy.
The acting all around is superb, but that of Depardieu, the city man, is magnificent. His indefatigable, cheerful optimism in the face of adversity is uplifting and infectious, enveloping his wife and child and ultimately ourselves. He refuses to give up: futilely digging wells, walking for miles daily in order to get water from a far away cistern, praying for rain in the darkness, and scheming with his wife to find ways to get money in order to make it for one more month, one more week, one more day. We empathize with him whole-heartedly, able to see, through the magic of cinema, the beauty of the place through his eyes.
But alas, he loses. It almost comes as a shock, so used as we are to the typical, tie-up-the-loose-ends, sugar-coated, phony-baloney Hollywood ending. It seems very sad, and unfair, but unfortunately, life is often this way. It is greatly to this film's credit that it treats us as thinking adults, as opposed to childish adolescents on a roller-coaster ride. Very refreshing. By the way, I would disagree with those reviewers who feel it is necessary to see Manon of the Spring in order to appreciate this film. In my opinion, it works perfectly well on its own terms.
Movie Review: A tale of good versus evil .. Build versus destroy!
Summary: 5 Stars
Jean de Florette is a moving and poignant story of a city tax collector who recently inherits land and a home for his wife and daughter. He loves nature, has farming knowledge, follows a plan, and exudes a desire to become successful and profitable. What he is unaware is that he is up against an evil landowner Cesar Soubeyran and his nephew, Ugolin, who with greed, scheme and plot to take the land away.
The soil is rich, but the supply for water has been plugged by Soubeyran and Ugolin. As Ugolin, the middleman sets up the evil deeds, he watches with interest how de Florette's farming techniques prove successful. He provides assistance, loaning his mule and water to Florette. Impressed, Ugolin tends to show a little more heart than his uncle Soubeyran. Every step is a challenge as Florette manages his plan, addresses struggles, loses the land's water, and yet he still prays for rain. He is driven to the ultimate torment with devastating consequences.
The acting by the main actors, Montand, Depardieu and Auteil brings a greater depth to the story of good versus evil. The acting by the three leads is excellent, the costumes perfected to the period, and the scenery is beautiful mountainous countryside. French actors Depardieu and Auteil have starred in comedies, Auteil The Closet and Depardieu was lead actor in an 80s American film, Green Card and 1998 The Man in the Iron Mask.
Based on a novel by Marcel Pagnol, the film was made in 1986 and takes place in France after World War in the village of Providence. The film has won numerous awards. It is followed up by the continuing saga, Manon of the Spring, where 10 years later, de Florette's beautiful daughter is the interest of the man involved in the scheme to destory her father. See this one only after watching Jean de Florette. ....Rizzo
Movie Review: One of the most heartbreakingly beautiful films ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first half of a two-part movie, the second half being MANON OF THE SPRING. One of the things I love about this movie is that you don't really realize what it is about until the very end of the second film. When you reach that point, and all secrets have been revealed, the story that the film tells is seen to be both extraordinarily beautiful and horrifically tragic. The first film is a story of pure rapacious greed that stoops to subterfuge and cruelty to obtain its desires. Yves Montand, in the last great achievement in a remarkable career, plays a grower who covets the water on an adjoining property, and with the help of his subservient relative Daniel Auteuil, they plot to frustrate the attempts of the land's new tenant, a middle-class hunchback named Jean de Florette, played by Gérard Depardieu, to work the property. Jean, who is goodhearted, generous, and kind, is a firm believer in scientific principles, and hopes to make a success by applying the most up-to-date methods in his efforts. Unbeknownst to him, the spring that was to provide him with most of his water is blocked by his neighbors, and his experiment is doomed to failure, with tragic consequences.
The plot of the two films is one of the best I know of in the past several decades, but unfortunately to relate it would be unfair to those who have not seen the film. I'll content myself with saying that the film contains several major surprises, but surprises that are not there simply for the sake of shocking, but fulfill the potential of the story as a whole, and give the film a rich and deep significance.
Gérard Depardieu is extraordinary as the unhappy Jean de Florette, and Yves Montand despicable as Le Papet, the neighbor. Although throughout most of his career known as a sophisticated, debonair, and charismatic leading man, in this film Montand plays completely against type. He is thoroughly convincing as a covetous, petty, and vicious rustic.
This film can definitely be seen on its own, apart from MANON OF THE SPRING, but one must remember that doing so will leave many hidden aspects unexplored and resolved. Together, these two movies represent one of the great cinematic experiences of the past couple of decades.
Movie Review: What Goes Around.....Comes Around.
Summary: 5 Stars
This beautifully filmed and acted masterpiece must be seen with its companion film and conclusion of the story, Manon of the Springs, to be fully appreciated. Although each film stands on its own, it is the full story that they, combined, tell that makes the experience of the film so profound. It is a crime that they are not offered together.The story of greed and deception, of cruel avarice leading to tragic consequences, is further enhanced in the terrible irony and effect of mistakes and devastating secrets revealed in the second film. However, this film is complete in telling the first part of the story as we watch a kind and humane man, albeit naive, the Jean of the title (Depardieu) undone by two neighbors (Montand & Autielle) who covet his farmland. Jean's desperation and anguish as he struggles to keep his dream alive is achingly conveyed by Depardieu in a brilliant performance.
The two films also gave that old master, Yves Montand, one last magnificent role to cap his career. He is simply wonderful as a shrewd and coldly calculating patriarch, his lazily sly eyes bitterly amused by his manuevers, setting in motion events that will reverberate and return to him in ways he could not possibly fathom. It is so rich and full a performance, that spans both films, that you will be surprised by your different emotions about this man. Montand's work here should not be missed by anyone who loves great acting. He is ably matched by Daniel Autielle as his torn, sad, and conflicted nephew.
Directed with great care and beautifully filmed in the countryside of southern France, Jean de Florette is a fine film by itself. But, when seen with Manon of the Springs, the two together make a masterpiece of the consequences of cruelty and greed.
Let's hope they get Manon on DVD and box them together. 4 stars each, 5 together.