Jean de Florette (1986)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Claude Berri

Writers:

Claude Berri (adaptation)
Gérard Brach (adaptation)

Release Date:

August 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A greedy landowner and his backward nephew conspire to block the only water source for an adjoining property in order to bankrupt the owner and force him to sell.

Plot Keywords:

Water | Spring | Flower | Nephew | Rural

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 10 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Yves Montand	...	Cesar Soubeyran dit 'Le Papet'
Gérard Depardieu	...	Jean de Florette (as Gerard Depardieu)
Daniel Auteuil	...	Ugolin
Elisabeth Depardieu	...	Aimee Cadoret
Margarita Lozano	...	Baptistine
Ernestine Mazurowna	...	Manon Cadoret enfant
Armand Meffre	...	Philoxéne
André Dupon	...	Pamphile, le menuisier (as Andre Dupon)
Pierre Nougaro	...	Casimir
Jean Maurel	...	Anglade
Roger Souza	...	Ange
Didier Pain	...	Eliacin
Pierre-Jean Rippert	...	Pascal
Marc Betton	...	Martial
Clement Cal	...	Méderic

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

France | Switzerland | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Norway:12 | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Ansouis, Vaucluse, France

Company:

DD Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jean is first fixing his roof and he bends over, the outline of the padding used to make his hunchback is clearly visible.

Quotes:

Cesar Soubeyran: Now let's talk about other things. I'm going to write to Scratcher.
Ugolin: Who's she?
Cesar Soubeyran: You don't know her because she left here before you were born. She had the body of an angel. They called her Scratcher because when the boys tried to kiss her she scratched their faces. She used to sharpen her nails especially. But because of this she ended up a spinster and when her parents died she went to work for the priest at Mimet. About 4 or 5 years ago the pope moved him to Crespin and she should still be with him.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: The Crepes of Wrath (#1.11)" (1990)

excellent film

Certainly one of the best examples of French cinema. A searing powerful story of greed, and its effects. All the actors are excellent, Yves Montand is especially heartbreaking. This movie and its sequel are two of the best films of the 1980's. By the way it's about time they were re-released on DVD i want to add them to my collection.I do not understand why such films are released and the go out of print these are important wonderful films that deserve new audiences, and a new generation of admirers. If it is a business decision that they don't create as much revenue as most of the garbage that comes out of Hollywood, they should be ashamed of themselves.