Jean de Florette ***** (1986, Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, Elisabeth Depardieu) – Classic Movie Review 5284

Director Claude Berri’s magnificent first episode of his 1986 two-part film of the book by Marcel Pagnol tells an epic tale of greed in the French Provençal countryside. It is a French modern classic movie, thanks to spellbinding acting, vibrant direction, gorgeous cinematography by Bruno Nuytten and a screenplay by Claude Berri and Gérard Brach that is overflowing with life.

Gérard Depardieu is at his compelling best as Jean de Florette, the stubborn, hunchbacked inheritor of a farm, who just will not give up when a greedy neighbouring farmer called ‘Le Papet’ (Yves Montand) and his pitiful simpleton nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil)) conspire to block the only water source and deprive his crops of water.

Thus they want to bankrupt him, force him to sell and drive him out. But Jean fails to see the neighbours’ plot as his health deteriorates during the hot summer while he desperately tries to keep his crops watered from far away wells.

Also in the cast are Elisabeth Depardieu as Aimee Cadoret, Ernestine Mazurowna, Margarita Lozano, André Dupon, Marcel Champel, Pierre Nougaro, Didier Pain and Armand Meffre.

The saga continues and concludes with Manon des Sources (1986).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5284

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