Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring (MGM World Films)

Description

Disc 1 Side A: **Widescreen Feature Film - Jean de Florette

Disc 2: **Widescreen Feature Film - Manon of the Spring

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece.......2007-09-10

Profound and moving. A victory for mainstream french cinema! It would be difficult to comment fully on these films without ruining the ending. Just watch them - It is impossible to be disapointed.

Simply the best.......2007-08-23

If you are a lover of foreign, character-driven movies, you'll love these two. You must see both, because "Jean de Florette" sets up the conflict, and "Manon des Sources" resolves it [in a most unexpected manner, I might add].

Amazing Films Re-Released.......2007-08-08

For those who haven't seen these films originally released in the 80s, I give them my highest review. They're well worth seeing and everything from the story to the characters to the beautiful cinematography in the French village and countryside is exceptional. Another reviewer pointed out that the translation is a bit off in the subtitles. I've watched these films many times over the years both with and without subtitles and while there are obvious differences, I don't have a problem with them to the extent that the other reviewer did. Examples of differences that I picked up are quoting lengths in inches (presumably for an American audience) rather than the original centimeters. Several slang terms and phrases are also not translated literally sometimes eliminating little jokes and so on, but I don't think that detracts from the film at all.

Now as for the packaging, this new release is bare bones. Technically the picture, and sound are improved over previous releases in my opinion. It's presented in widescreen though not in an HD format. Refer to the other reviews for the technical mumbo-jumbo, but it looked great to me. The two subtitling choices are English and Spanish. Jean de Florette is on one side of the disc and the sequel on the other. That's it. There's nothing else. They could certainly have dome more here, but for the price, who's complaining?

Highly recommended!!!!! (one exclamation point for each star)

Yes, These ARE Anamorphic... but still not quite perfect.......2007-07-29

Two big steps forward, and one 1/2 step back. Contrary to the impression from the disc specs on the back of the jacket, the new MGM/Fox double feature disc DOES present the films 16:9 enhanced. They are also, surprisingly a big step up from the earlier R2 PAL discs , which for the longest time were the only way to satisfyingly watch these on a widescreen display or front projector.
Unfortunately they still aren't a home run. The picture in general consistently looks a little too 'hot' - contrast is jacked up which blows out the details in the highlights in many shots- also there is an at times over bearing yellow tint to the image in the countryside exteriors. Some EE and ringing are also visible in a few shots. Fine detail on the other hand is much improved over the PAL disc and artifacts related to compression are a monumental improvment over the first MGM release.
These should have been color timed a bit cooler- but on the whole, this new release easily represents the most watchable versions of these two classics yet (at least, not counting the widescreen Image laserdisc set that is now long out of print).

Its a shame that this release is so close, and yet still misses the mark. At least this one will suffice for a few years until the film are (hopefully) properly presented on one or both of the High Def formats.
The films themselves get 5 stars easy- the new disc gets 3.5 for PQ and AQ.

These ARE anamorphic and picture looks great!.......2007-07-28

Just wanted to write a quick review to let people know that these are anamorphic and the picture looks great. I was almost scared off from buying this by all the reviews from people who obviously hadn't seen this disc yet but decided to write a review anyway claiming it was not anamorphic.

Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring - 2 DVD Set

Average customer rating:

Jean De Fleurette
Magnificent
The source of love is within not without

Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring - 2 DVD Set
Director: Claude Berri
Manufacturer: Euro Cinema
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Product Features:

Jean de Florette dvd
Manon of the Spring

ASIN: B000K9DLRK

Product Description

Jean de Florette is an evocative adaptation of the highly regarded French novel. Two 1920s farmers engage in a bitter rivalry as one tries to tend to a plot of land and the other deviously undermines his efforts in order to conceal a valuable spring. The peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited is a naive and trusting soul seeking only to provide for his wife and daughter, while his neighbor (Yves Montand) is intent on doing whatever he can to discourage and demoralize the farmer so that he can take the land for himself. This simple tale unfolds in a wrenching fashion to a tragic conclusion, bringing forth questions about human nature and the prevalence and price of greed. Along with its follow-up, Manon of the Spring, this film will leave an indelible impression on anyone who sees it.

Customer Reviews:

Jean De Fleurette.......2007-08-09

Have seen this film and it's sequel five times over a period of years. It is of such quality I had to own it that I might share it with my friends. It is realistic, earthy, interesting, well acted and directed. A PG rating is appropiate. Try it you'll love it...

Magnificent.......2007-05-08

These two movies combined are the most beautiful I have ever seen in every respect. Gerard Depardieu has long since established himself in many genres, but as the poor guy who takes all the hard knocks and keeps on getting back up again, he's as good as they get. Emanuelle Beart is absolutely gorgeous as (adult) Manon, the scenery of the Luberon is amazing, and when I was offered a chance to visit that area by friends in France I jumped at it purely based on the wonderful memories of this movie experience. I had been hoping to get a copy on dvd for as long as dvds have been an option and have had the book for many years now. I am a true fan of this very special story which surely could not be depicted any more beautifully than it is here.

The source of love is within not without.......2007-04-16

Jean de Florette

This film is in two parts (the second called Manon des Sources) but it is best seen as one film running over 230m. It tells of the tragedy overtaking two families over three generations in Provence during and after the first world war, all because of a lost love letter. Because he thinks he's lost the love of his life Cesar pins all his hopes on his only relative, and feels hatred for Florette's son by another man. He ruins him, only to find too late he's made a terrible mistake. It's a story of love turning to bitterness and spite, which leads in the end to self destruction.

Both films benefit from three of the greatest performances in French cinema, from Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu and Yves Montand.

The first film, Jean de Florette, suffers however from some major defects. The plot lurches on from unlikely coincidence to unlikely coincidence (we are asked to believe that the conspirators accidentally kill not one but two owners of the land they covert). At the end we see Manon just happening to come upon them as they just happen to unblock the spring, and understanding all - in the second film, Manon des Sources, Manon seems to have forgotten this, as she is upset when she just happens to overhear two poachers expounding the plot to one another about midway through that film. And pacing flags in the first film as we see Jean exhausting himself trying to deal with the drought, with lots of close ups of his suffering face while dramatic music swells from the soundtrack. We wonder why he's the only one affected by this drought, as all the other farmers seem to spend their time gambling and drinking in the pub. Some of these idlers do mention they might lose crops, but apparently aren't prepared to do anything much about it.

Regarded as a separate film, Jean de Florette can plausibly be accused of exploitative melodrama to an excessive degree (and very effectively done too). Seen as part of a longer film however the slowness and even the excesses add to the cumulative force of the denouement, as the story of what happened all those years ago is gradually revealed. The direction in the second part of the film (Manon des Sources) is much surer, as Berri, freed from the need to establish character, brings the tragedy to a devastating climax. Even if you cavil at the likelihood of a French peasant girl in the 20s or 30s dancing naked in the fields (her mother has abandoned her to go off and be an opera singer) or object to the clumsiness of a comedic treatment of an expert sent to advise on the drought who baffles the villages by spouting geological technicalities, there is no denying the skill with which Provincial farming life is depicted. Anybody who sees the film will understand how its people fall in love with this landscape, and will very likely do so themselves. It is perhaps important to reflect that this is a tragedy, with implications for all walks of life, and not just a story of meanness and double dealing among French farmers.

Average customer rating:

Poor lip synchronization
Perfect and Shattering
Beautiful Provence (with Conniving Farmers)
With MANON of the SPRING an unstoppable force of classic tragedy
Perfect

Jean de Florette (Original French)

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ASIN: B000A890A8

Product Description

Editorial Review ~ Amazon.com ~ A truly impressive French film destined to become a modern masterpiece, Jean de Florette is an evocative adaptation of the highly regarded French novel. Two 1920s farmers engage in a bitter rivalry as one tries to tend to a plot of land and the other deviously undermines his efforts in order to conceal a valuable spring. The peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited is a naive and trusting soul seeking only to provide for his wife and daughter, while his neighbor (Yves Montand) is intent on doing whatever he can to discourage and demoralize the farmer so that he can take the land for himself. This simple tale unfolds in a wrenching fashion to a tragic conclusion, bringing forth questions about human nature and the prevalence and price of greed. Along with its follow-up, Manon of the Spring, this film will leave an indelible impression on anyone who sees it. --Robert Lane --[This text refers to the VHS Tape edition.] Officially licensed South Korean release features original FRENCH audio with Optional Subtitles in English, French, Spanish and Korean.

Customer Reviews:

Poor lip synchronization.......2007-08-21

The DVD of "Jean de Florette" made in the Republic of Korea has a technical fault that is maddening. The sound track is not synchronized with the lips of the actors. As a student of French, you lose a great deal in trying to understand this difficult sound track, replete with the Provençal accent. The result is an excellent film with shoddy mastering. It should be withdrawn from sale. SPDawkins

Perfect and Shattering.......2006-12-21

Don't listen to anyone who says that the two films stand on their own. That's like saying you can appreciate Hamlet even if you skip every other line. The ending of Manon of the Spring is essential to making complete sense of the tragedy of Jean de Florette--a tragedy so complete and so devastating that I believe it ranks with King Lear in its complete annihiliation of the man destroyed. Depardieu is NOT the main character here: Yves Montand is, and it is his tragedy that we witness across the two films and across the years the action describes. This is a great work of art.

Beautiful Provence (with Conniving Farmers).......2006-08-22

Jean de Florette inherited a farmhouse and land in Provence from his mother. A former tax collector in a nearby city, he gave up the city life to live naturally. He does not suspect that his neighbor farmer, Cesar Soubeyran covets his property but more importantly ... the natural spring which used to flow through it. Something happened to the natural water source on this farm before Jean relocated there. With little rain during the summer, the land is arid, water is a necessity for the crops to grow for life to be sustained on a farm. The villagers remain aloof from the newcomers ... several know of some treachery regarding the spring which used to flow on the property but remain silent. They all watch as the city dweller tries to squeeze a living out of the land ... They expect him to give up, sell the land and move back ... They underestimate Jean de Florette ... The casting is superb. The cinematography leaves nothing to be desired - the beauty of the French countryside speaks for itself.

Jean is befriended by Soubeyran's nephew who comes to help him which is a case of deception. He lets him have water from his well ... Jean reads books, makes plans based on statistics to achieve his goals. In the meantime, he and his family live off his mother's inheritance until it runs out, then his wife's beautiful necklance is pawned to help make ends meet. Jean works hard in the heat of the summer and hopes for rain ... Cesar Soubreyan bides his time, until all of Jean's hard work comes to naught as the crops fail and the corn dries up. As a last ditch effort, Jean attempts to divine a water source ... to make a well or deep cistern. An unfortunate accident occurs ... Manon, Jean's young daughter walks for the last time around the property before she and her mother leave. By chance, Manon is shocked to learn all her father's efforts were thwarted by the treachery of his neighbor ...

The story is a magnificent drama about greed, jealousy, deception and the treachery of men. It also depicts the naivite, simple honest trust of some people. There are some humorous comedy moments as well. As good as it is, the story is not finished. It continues in part two, "Manon of the Spring" which I look forward to viewing. Erika Borsos (pepper flower)

With MANON of the SPRING an unstoppable force of classic tragedy.......2006-08-20

This story stands on its own write as inevitable Grecian tragedy building on the prideful ignorance of Jean, the main character. He does not know of the spring which was blocked and concealed by the neighbor who desires not only his land to grow chrysthanthemums upon, but one day when she blooms, his daughter Manon. With the conspiracy of friends, this covetous neighbor blocks the spring which would bring life and fertility to the farm. Jean tries everything including tragically dynamite to bring the waters to flow with abundant life.

When all is too late we discover unknown family ties which would have made Jean not a rejected outsider intruding upon and rejected by this enclosed and impoverished mountain farming community but embraced as a lost son. The inevitable development and tragedy of these two films together is as stately as as horrifying as a trilogy of ancient Greek plays, as profound and as universal and as timeless. Watch them carefully and rivers of understanding will wash you with renewed humanity.

Perfect.......2006-03-21

Jean de Florette (Gerard Depardieu) is a tax inspector who inherits a farm from his uncle. He moves there with his family with plans to breed rabbits and live a natural life. What he does not know is a couple of locals (Yves Montand and Daniel Auteuil) want the farm and in particular it's spring for themshelves. They block up the spring and watch as the incomer goes from high hopes to hardship to a tragic end.

IT is however hard to feel that Depardieu, at least in part, the author of his own failure. He fails to see the hardship he is inflicting on his wife and daughter by continuing with his dream of the rural life. He is a dreamer, unfit for the harsh life of a Provencial peasant. The locals laugh at the fact that he uses gloves when working in the fields,

Auteuil and Montand are by contrast, practical men. Montand is in particular a cunning and patient man willing to wait for his plans to mature. He even believes that he is doing Depardieu a favour, because by helping him to fail the tax inspector will have to give up his foolish hopes of the rural life and return to his former job.

The performances of all of the three main actors are first rate. Auteuil in particular shows himshelf as an actor of the highest quality. Slow moving but gripping and shot against the beautiful French countryside Jean de Florette is a first class film which will leave you aware of lifes richness.

Average customer rating:

Manon of the Spring - Korean version
lovely story
Revenge and Other Surprises in Provence
UNFORTUNATE THESE REVIEWS SEE NO MORE THAN BLURRED NUDE SCENE
French with English subtitles

Manon of the Spring (Original French)

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ASIN: B000AAQR7A

Product Description

Editorial Reviews ~ Amazon.com ~ Less a sequel than a seamless continuation of its predecessor, Jean de Florette, Manon of the Spring brings with it a more epic scope as it depicts the growth to womanhood of the daughter (Emmanuelle Béart) of the doomed farmer of the first film. As she discovers the truth of what happened to her father as a result of the scheming of their neighbor (Yves Montand), who took the land for himself, she vows revenge, realizing that the neighbor's deeds have irrevocably shaped the course of her life. Her moves toward avenging her father's demise provide an ironic twist to this harsh and thought-provoking saga, and French director Claude Berri perfectly illustrates the lasting consequences of deceit, greed, and revenge. Manon of the Spring is a very special foreign film choice, destined to be revered for years to come. --Robert Lane -- [This text refers to the VHS Tape edition.] This officially licensed release from South Korea includes subtitles in English, French, Korean and Spanish as well as the original audio track in FRENCH.

Customer Reviews:

Manon of the Spring - Korean version.......2006-12-22

This together with Part I, Jean de Florette. is one of the greatest movies of all time. I am rating this version 3 stars instead of 5, because of some curious censorship in this version. The theatrical release has a brief nude scene of the exquisite Emmanuelle Beart. This scene is not only essential in revealing her beauty and innocent joy, it is essential to understand Ugolin's growing madness regarding her. In the Korean version, the nude scene is blocked out, as if we are looking through a translucent piece of glass. Very strange. Still, as the American version has inexplicably gone out of circultion, the Korean version is all that is available right now.

lovely story .......2006-12-13

For one who likes a lovely but exciting type of story Revenge and Other Surprises in Provence.......2006-09-01
Manon, the daughter of Jean de Florette returns to Provence and lives in a small cottage on the property of her father. In the previous film, her father had died trying to make the farm work but without a source of water, it was impossible. The farmhouse and certain lands were sold at decreased value because of the lack of water. The neighbor Cesar Soubeyran bought the farm and unblocked the spring ...

Soubeyran's nephew, Ugolin Gallette, who was part of the conspiracy to drive Jean de Florette from the land falls in love with Manon as he watchers her tend her flock of goats and while she wanders the hillsides of Provence, setting traps for birds that she sells in the market. Manon keeps a distant eye on a newcomer, the teacher in the town who walks among the hills, examines the soil and takes a general interest in his new home. The teacher loses his knife which Manon finds ... they meet and she returns the knife which he insists she keep with all its fancy gadgets. A mysterious chemistry develops between them ... Meanwhile Ugolin behaves uncharacteristically claiming to be ill. His Uncle prods and eventually discovers he is in love. Ugolin finally admits with whom. Cesar gives him advice, dress like a hunter, impress Manon, talk to her nicely ... Ugolin botches it up as he stammers out his declaration of love.

When a small goat drops from the hillside among the rocks below ... Manon strives to save it. She discovers a cave and cavern which is the source of the water supply for the spring. She works hard to block it up which eventually dries up the water source not only for Ugolin and his precious carnations (cash crop) but for the whole town. It causes an uproar to the point of a government official visiting who promises a large supply of bottled water to solve the needs of the people. It upsets some farmers who want more done stating the spring supply needs to be restored so they can continue to farm and save their crops. The official checks the records and proves there is no spring on the survey maps ... Meanwhile, someone may have confessed to the local priest about the unusual circumstances regarding the death of Jean de Florette associated with the blocked up spring in the past. In his sermon the priest admonishes the community that G-d may be punishing them for their sins ... One farmer accuses Cesar Soubeyran of having caused the problems claiming he saw them block up the spring and heard the discussion with his nephew. Cesar denies it and adamantly claims Jean died of an accident ... After the community prays and the devote partake in a religious ceremony, Manon unblocks the spring with the help of the school teacher. In effect, they brought about the miracle which the religious people had prayed for ... Cesar Soubeyran suffers a sad but not unexpected devasting event involving his nephew. During a visit to the cemetery, a local blind woman sits next to him on a bench and reminicses about the past, particularly his youth when he fell in love with Florette, who left the village and married a blacksmith in another town. Cesar receives information which brings the final and eternal blow to his life ... It is a phenomenal surprise ending which finalizes the unanticiapted revenge, one from beyond the grave. This is a superb film with much depth, mystery, and unexpected twists, a totally satisfying and excellent viewing experience. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
UNFORTUNATE THESE REVIEWS SEE NO MORE THAN BLURRED NUDE SCENE.......2006-08-20
Please see this film in conjunction with Jean de Florette, which pictures the tragedy of Manon's father unjustly stripped of his inherited farm by a covetous poor farmer who wishes to take it and grow chrysanthemums upon it, and so stops up the hidden spring with a rock.

The nude scene mentions comes after this vile character steals the land for nothing when it is abandoned due to driness, when he releases the spring, and Manon, now grown sneaks back onto her former family property to bathe in the previously unknown spring. THen the vile character covets her as well.

This story of the first film, Jean de Florette, runs as inevitable Grecian tragedy building on the prideful ignorance of Jean, the main character. He does not know of the spring which was blocked and concealed by the neighbor who desires not only his land to grow chrysthanthemums upon, but one day when she blooms, his daughter Manon. With the conspiracy of friends, this covetous neighbor blocks the spring which would bring life and fertility to the farm. Jean tries everything including tragically dynamite to bring the waters to flow with abundant life.

When all is too late we discover unknown family ties which would have made Jean not a rejected outsider intruding upon and rejected by this enclosed and impoverished mountain farming community but embraced as a lost son. The inevitable development and tragedy of these two films together is as stately as as horrifying as a trilogy of ancient Greek plays, as profound and as universal. Watch them carefully and rivers of understanding will wash you with renewed humanity.
French with English subtitles.......2006-05-26
Loved this film, but should be seen after "Jean de Florette" which is the first in the series to fully undertand the plot.

Wonderful story, beautiful scenery and interesting French culture.

Average customer rating:
Jean De Florette - Original Theatrical Version [Import, All-Region] (Dvd)
Director: Claude Berri
Manufacturer: PS KR
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Manon of the Spring (Manon des sources) - Original Theatrical Version [Import, All-Region] (Dvd)

Manon of the Spring (Original French)

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"A Savory Tale Of Fate...Like No Other Film You've Seen." -The New York Times

Original version released in theaters

Import from Korea made for the USA/Canada marketplace (NTSC, All-Region)

ASIN: B000MUBGKG

Product Description
Yves Montand (The Wages Of Fear) and Gerard Depardieu (The Man In The Iron Mask) star in this timeless tale of greed, survival and fate. Winner of four British Academy Awards including Best Film and nominated for eight French Cesar Awards, Jean de Florette is "richly textured and emotionally powerful, exquisitely and meticulously filmed, with galvanizing performances" (Leonard Maltin). Set amidst the rugged hills of Provence, this epic saga follows the heroic efforts of Jean Cadoret (Depardieu), who inherits a farm from his mother, Florette, and leaves his city job behind, hoping to create a "new Eden" with his wife and daughter. But, unbeknownst to Jean, his greedy neighbor, Cesar Soubeyran (Montand), is plotting to steal the land out from under him. With the help of a corrupt nephew (Daniel Auteuil), the clannish villagers and the added effects of a severe drought, Cesar hatches a wicked scheme that drives Jean to the brink of madness.

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Jean de Florette / Manon Des Sources (Original French ONLY Version - NO English Options)
Director: Claude Berri
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000O3JFCC

Average customer rating:

Jean De Florette

As powerful, universal and revealing of humanity as any trilogy of Greek tragedies

Greed in a Small Town

Old Mac Le Papet had a farm ...

The Carnations of Wrath, Part 1

Jean De Florette
Starring: Yves Montand , Gérard Depardieu , Daniel Auteuil , Elisabeth Depardieu , and Margarita Lozano
Director: Claude Berri
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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Manon Of The Spring (1986 Film)

Manon of the Spring (Original French)

My Mother's Castle

My Father's Glory

Cyrano de Bergerac

ASIN: B000053VBN
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Amazon.com
A truly impressive French film destined to become a modern masterpiece, Jean de Florette is an evocative adaptation of the highly regarded French novel. Two 1920s farmers engage in a bitter rivalry as one tries to tend to a plot of land and the other deviously undermines his efforts in order to conceal a valuable spring. The peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited is a naive and trusting soul seeking only to provide for his wife and daughter, while his neighbor (Yves Montand) is intent on doing whatever he can to discourage and demoralize the farmer so that he can take the land for himself. This simple tale unfolds in a wrenching fashion to a tragic conclusion, bringing forth questions about human nature and the prevalence and price of greed. Along with its follow-up, Manon of the Spring, this film will leave an indelible impression on anyone who sees it. --Robert Lane
Customer Reviews:

Jean De Florette.......2007-07-09
Adapted from Marcel Pagnol's two-volume novel, Claude Berri's magnificent "Jean de Florette" (and its sequel, "Manon of the Spring"), center on the bounty we owe to water, comprising two parts of one rich story. The great Yves Montand delivers a memorable, nuanced portrayal of the scheming "Le Papet," while the equally brilliant Depardieu tugs at the heartstrings as determined hunchback Cadoret, who struggles against impossible odds to make his farm a success . Stunningly picturesque, "Jean" reaches a high watermark for period drama.
As powerful, universal and revealing of humanity as any trilogy of Greek tragedies.......2006-08-20
This story stands on its own write as inevitable Grecian tragedy building on the prideful ignorance of Jean, the main character. He does not know of the spring which was blocked and concealed by the neighbor who desires not only his land to grow chrysthanthemums upon, but one day when she blooms, his daughter Manon. With the conspiracy of friends, this covetous neighbor blocks the spring which would bring life and fertility to the farm. Jean tries everything including tragically dynamite to bring the waters to flow with abundant life.

When all is too late we discover unknown family ties which would have made Jean not a rejected outsider intruding upon and rejected by this enclosed and impoverished mountain farming community but embraced as a lost son. At that point the characters can only stand back and lament their realization come far too late. The inevitable development and tragedy of these two films together is as stately as as horrifying as a trilogy of ancient Greek plays, as profound and as universal. Watch them carefully and rivers of understanding will wash you with renewed humanity.
Greed in a Small Town.......2006-01-04
I have a general rule when it comes to Gerard Depardieu, if he's playing sexy then pass but if he's playing a character then keep.

Depardieu is the title character in Jean de Florette. Jean has inherited his mother's family farm. He is bringing his wife and young daughter Magnon. Jean did not grow up in the area so even though it is his family farm, he is an outsider.To further complicate things, he has a slight hunchback, which the villagers take as a curse.

Caesar (Yves Montand), the farmer next door and his nephew (Daniel Auteuil) would like to buy the land and expand their holdings.But Jean looks at this as a chance to build a new life and refuses. Therefore Caesar plots to force Jean out, including stopping up his spring.

Jean's new life is hard but he makes it work. That is until there is a drought. Jean eventually works himself to death. His widow sales the farm to Caesar. The final scene is Caesar and his nephew unplugging the spring but unknown to them, little Magnon sees this.

Claude Beri is on of the great French directors. He has captured the flavor the rural France at the turn of the century. This is Depardieu's finest performance and is the first film that brought future French superstar Daniel Auteuil to the American filmgoer. And it is nice to see Yves Montand again.

This is part one of two films call Pagnol's Water Stories. The second is the even better, Magnon of the Springs. But both films stand alone and you do not need to see both - but it is recommended.

DVD EXTRAS: NONE

Old Mac Le Papet had a farm ..........2005-12-02
This movie has the simple feel of a provincial or pastoral folktale. A farmer, Le Papet (played by Yves Montand) and his nephew, Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) scheme against the city inheritor, Jean Cadoret (Gerard Depardieu) of a neighboring farm, keeping secret from him the whereabouts of a hidden spring. Ugolin wants the land to grow flowers on; Jean has plans for breeding rabbits and growing vegetables. Jean comes with his books and statistics about crops and the weather; he has faith in his knowledge, but believes in God's providence, too. He is a hunchback as well, which only adds to our sympathies. A drought comes and sure enough the lack of water ruins him and the farm is sold to Ugolin. But Jean's little daughter learns of the spring just before they leave, which sets up the action for the sequel: MANON OF THE SPRING.

Like all good folktales, the story here is simple and straightforward, and the telling is always interesting. The characters are all well developed and their motivations are complex enough to keep them human and not types. The movie is a real throwback to pre-New Wave classics such as HARVEST (1937). A comparative fortune was spent in making this movie, but it was money well spent. Definitely worth a watch.
The Carnations of Wrath, Part 1.......2005-10-09
Jean de Florette (1986) is the screen adaptation of Part 1 of Marcel Pagnol's superb novel, L'eau des Collines (The Water from the Hills, 1963). It is the story of two competing projects, one carried out by the city-dweller Jean Cadoret, and the other by the peasants Ugolin and Cesar Soubeyran, set in the rustic and picturesque environment of Provence in the 1920s. Since I assume that by now everyone is familiar with Pagnol's story, let us briefly examine what makes this story so compelling.

A good story must have a plot, a compelling conflict, and characters that we care about who change as a result of their experiences. This particular story qualifies unquestionably as a good one, on all the points. One of the main reasons for its success is the fact that the viewer is kept in suspense, continuously questioning the outcome of the story. We can see that a large part of the scriptwriter's role is to ask questions, and then provide the right answers at the right time. These answers can be partial, ambiguous, even contradictory, in order to reinforce the viewer's suspense and questioning.

The first question posed in Jean de Florette concerns the success of Ugolin and Cesar in their "carnation project." Will they succeed in getting the critical water necessary for the cultivation of these flowers? This question interests us because these two characters have been introduced as somewhat likable, worthy of our support. Later on in the film, we have second thoughts about the integrity of Ugolin and Cesar, who now appear to us as violent and deeply unprincipled. However, the positive, first impression made by the two Soubeyrans still persists within us.

A second question rises with the arrival of Jean Cadoret. Will his project of raising rabbits, a project directly in conflict with Ugolin's, succeed? Although we may have considered at first Jean as an intruder who comes and upsets Ugolin's plan, we also realize that the dice are loaded in Ugolin's favor, and our sympathy slowly shifts toward Jean. But we still keep a somewhat favorable image of Ugolin and Cesar, still hoping for positive answers to the first two questions that are raised.

Pagnol now determines that the progress of the drama toward its conclusion, that is to say the answers to these two questions, will depend on subjective, internal factors, such as the personalities or the stubbornness of the characters, and not on external or providential circumstances.

Thus, the new questions now being posed are about the nature of the characters. Can Ugolin carry out his duplicitous game to its conclusion? Will he make a mistake and be discovered, or will he be overcome by a sense of guilt and help Jean by revealing the presence of the spring at "les Romarins?" The viewer hopes that in the end Ugolin will give in to his positive instincts. As for Cesar, the spectator knows that he will never abandon Ugolin's project. Yet the viewer has detected something peculiar concerning Cesar's reaction when Florette's departure from the village is mentioned. We therefore suspect that somehow Florette's past relationship with Cesar could bring about a positive change in his behavior. Independently, Jean's character will also dominate the outcome of the story. We wonder if his enthusiasm, boundless optimism, and his erudition will somehow contribute to his failure

We are torn between the two conflicting wishes for the success of two conflicting projects. This is the originality of Jean de Florette and what distinguishes this story from the usual, vulgar Manichaean novels or films.

The themes are the city versus the country, modern versus traditional, good versus bad, and memory versus oblivion.

Jean, returning to the country to cultivate the "othentic," is an idealist, more or less in the Jean-Jacques Rousseau tradition. He has abandoned the city life to return to his country roots. His knowledge has all been acquired in books. He speaks in the idiom of the bureaucrat that he was. He constantly quotes statistics to guide his project and to convince himself and his listeners how Nature should and will behave. He tackles his project with a definitively modern, scientific approach, having made the proper calculations for his project. Nothing is left to chance: everything is anticipated and calculated.

To Ugolin, Cesar, and the villagers, because of his language, education, and culture, Jean is a kind of pedantic usurper colliding with the peaceful, traditional aspects of their village life. They make fun of Jean because his knowledge was acquired in books, not by experience. Their conversations, Cesar's in particular, are peppered with old, colorful sayings and local proverbs. The villagers are isolated from Jean's world by their hills and seldom leave their village. They are attached to the land they have worked for centuries and to their way of life. The peasants use their traditional methods to cultivate their vines, fields, and fruit trees by hand, without the benefit of any machinery.

In concluding the first part of his story, Pagnol, by presenting us with Jean's failure, seems to distance himself from the intellectual tradition. However, at the same time, he does not consider the country life as a perfect universe, without conflicts. He illustrates the violence that can result from the peasants' deep attachment to their lands. Pagnol exposes us to the tribal mentality of the villagers against "foreigners," such as the inhabitants of the nearby village of Crespin. Finally, Pagnol shows us the deep motivation of Ugolin and Cesar that is also easily understood by a city-dweller: making money.

Average customer rating:
Jean De Florette [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]
Director: Claude Berri
Manufacturer: Umbrella Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Manon of the Spring (Manon Des Sources) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]

ASIN: B000A3Y9OK

Product Description
Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o English (subtitles) o English (Dolby Digital 2.0) o French (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: The plot of Jean de Florette is as melodramatic as any soap opera, but its treatment is just a little askew, just off-center enough for the film to evolve into a moving and powerful pastoral tragedy. The film is a naturalistic story about the dehumanizing effect of greed on a community and on the human soul. Watching the hunchbacked Jean de Florette (Grard Depardieu) struggle against all odds to keep his small farm alive, maintaining to the bitter end his optimism and nave faith in his reference books, is like watching Sisyphus make his daily toil up the hill. Only here, it is not the gods who have trapped the victim, but the xenophobia and covetousness of his neighbors. Director Claude Berri shoots the countryside in grand scope, dwarfing the human figures whose daily exertions hardly make a mark on it. As the story moves inexorably to its tragic conclusion, the wicked plotting of the simultaneously likable and vicious father (Yves Montand) and son (Daniel Auteuil) leaves the audience pleading for divine retribution. However, humans created this cruel world in Provence, and they will have to mete out their own justice. The sequel, Manon of the Spring, realizes this desire for revenge with perfectly poetic magnitude. Nominated for nine British Academy Awards (BAFTA) in 1988, Jean de Florette took home three awards. Special Features: o Interactive Menu o Trailer(s)

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Jean De Florette / Manon Des Sources (2 DVD Set) [PAL, Region 2, Import]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Region 2 encoding (Europe, Japan, South Africa and the Middle East including Egypt).

Requires multi-system DVD player in the US.

ASIN: 8360082391

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Jean De Florette

As powerful, universal and revealing of humanity as any trilogy of Greek tragedies

Greed in a Small Town

Old Mac Le Papet had a farm ...

The Carnations of Wrath, Part 1

Jean de Florette [Region 2]
Starring: Yves Montand , Gérard Depardieu , Daniel Auteuil , Elisabeth Depardieu , and Margarita Lozano
Director: Claude Berri
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Auteuil, Daniel | ( A ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Depardieu, Elisabeth | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Depardieu, Gerard | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lozano, Margarita | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Meffre, Armand | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00004RJEK

Amazon.com
A truly impressive French film destined to become a modern masterpiece, Jean de Florette is an evocative adaptation of the highly regarded French novel. Two 1920s farmers engage in a bitter rivalry as one tries to tend to a plot of land and the other deviously undermines his efforts in order to conceal a valuable spring. The peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited is a naive and trusting soul seeking only to provide for his wife and daughter, while his neighbor (Yves Montand) is intent on doing whatever he can to discourage and demoralize the farmer so that he can take the land for himself. This simple tale unfolds in a wrenching fashion to a tragic conclusion, bringing forth questions about human nature and the prevalence and price of greed. Along with its follow-up, Manon of the Spring, this film will leave an indelible impression on anyone who sees it. --Robert Lane
Customer Reviews:

Jean De Florette.......2007-07-09
Adapted from Marcel Pagnol's two-volume novel, Claude Berri's magnificent "Jean de Florette" (and its sequel, "Manon of the Spring"), center on the bounty we owe to water, comprising two parts of one rich story. The great Yves Montand delivers a memorable, nuanced portrayal of the scheming "Le Papet," while the equally brilliant Depardieu tugs at the heartstrings as determined hunchback Cadoret, who struggles against impossible odds to make his farm a success . Stunningly picturesque, "Jean" reaches a high watermark for period drama.
As powerful, universal and revealing of humanity as any trilogy of Greek tragedies.......2006-08-20
This story stands on its own write as inevitable Grecian tragedy building on the prideful ignorance of Jean, the main character. He does not know of the spring which was blocked and concealed by the neighbor who desires not only his land to grow chrysthanthemums upon, but one day when she blooms, his daughter Manon. With the conspiracy of friends, this covetous neighbor blocks the spring which would bring life and fertility to the farm. Jean tries everything including tragically dynamite to bring the waters to flow with abundant life.

When all is too late we discover unknown family ties which would have made Jean not a rejected outsider intruding upon and rejected by this enclosed and impoverished mountain farming community but embraced as a lost son. At that point the characters can only stand back and lament their realization come far too late. The inevitable development and tragedy of these two films together is as stately as as horrifying as a trilogy of ancient Greek plays, as profound and as universal. Watch them carefully and rivers of understanding will wash you with renewed humanity.
Greed in a Small Town.......2006-01-04
I have a general rule when it comes to Gerard Depardieu, if he's playing sexy then pass but if he's playing a character then keep.

Depardieu is the title character in Jean de Florette. Jean has inherited his mother's family farm. He is bringing his wife and young daughter Magnon. Jean did not grow up in the area so even though it is his family farm, he is an outsider.To further complicate things, he has a slight hunchback, which the villagers take as a curse.

Caesar (Yves Montand), the farmer next door and his nephew (Daniel Auteuil) would like to buy the land and expand their holdings.But Jean looks at this as a chance to build a new life and refuses. Therefore Caesar plots to force Jean out, including stopping up his spring.

Jean's new life is hard but he makes it work. That is until there is a drought. Jean eventually works himself to death. His widow sales the farm to Caesar. The final scene is Caesar and his nephew unplugging the spring but unknown to them, little Magnon sees this.

Claude Beri is on of the great French directors. He has captured the flavor the rural France at the turn of the century. This is Depardieu's finest performance and is the first film that brought future French superstar Daniel Auteuil to the American filmgoer. And it is nice to see Yves Montand again.

This is part one of two films call Pagnol's Water Stories. The second is the even better, Magnon of the Springs. But both films stand alone and you do not need to see both - but it is recommended.

DVD EXTRAS: NONE

Old Mac Le Papet had a farm ..........2005-12-02
This movie has the simple feel of a provincial or pastoral folktale. A farmer, Le Papet (played by Yves Montand) and his nephew, Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) scheme against the city inheritor, Jean Cadoret (Gerard Depardieu) of a neighboring farm, keeping secret from him the whereabouts of a hidden spring. Ugolin wants the land to grow flowers on; Jean has plans for breeding rabbits and growing vegetables. Jean comes with his books and statistics about crops and the weather; he has faith in his knowledge, but believes in God's providence, too. He is a hunchback as well, which only adds to our sympathies. A drought comes and sure enough the lack of water ruins him and the farm is sold to Ugolin. But Jean's little daughter learns of the spring just before they leave, which sets up the action for the sequel: MANON OF THE SPRING.

Like all good folktales, the story here is simple and straightforward, and the telling is always interesting. The characters are all well developed and their motivations are complex enough to keep them human and not types. The movie is a real throwback to pre-New Wave classics such as HARVEST (1937). A comparative fortune was spent in making this movie, but it was money well spent. Definitely worth a watch.
The Carnations of Wrath, Part 1.......2005-10-09
Jean de Florette (1986) is the screen adaptation of Part 1 of Marcel Pagnol's superb novel, L'eau des Collines (The Water from the Hills, 1963). It is the story of two competing projects, one carried out by the city-dweller Jean Cadoret, and the other by the peasants Ugolin and Cesar Soubeyran, set in the rustic and picturesque environment of Provence in the 1920s. Since I assume that by now everyone is familiar with Pagnol's story, let us briefly examine what makes this story so compelling.

A good story must have a plot, a compelling conflict, and characters that we care about who change as a result of their experiences. This particular story qualifies unquestionably as a good one, on all the points. One of the main reasons for its success is the fact that the viewer is kept in suspense, continuously questioning the outcome of the story. We can see that a large part of the scriptwriter's role is to ask questions, and then provide the right answers at the right time. These answers can be partial, ambiguous, even contradictory, in order to reinforce the viewer's suspense and questioning.

The first question posed in Jean de Florette concerns the success of Ugolin and Cesar in their "carnation project." Will they succeed in getting the critical water necessary for the cultivation of these flowers? This question interests us because these two characters have been introduced as somewhat likable, worthy of our support. Later on in the film, we have second thoughts about the integrity of Ugolin and Cesar, who now appear to us as violent and deeply unprincipled. However, the positive, first impression made by the two Soubeyrans still persists within us.

A second question rises with the arrival of Jean Cadoret. Will his project of raising rabbits, a project directly in conflict with Ugolin's, succeed? Although we may have considered at first Jean as an intruder who comes and upsets Ugolin's plan, we also realize that the dice are loaded in Ugolin's favor, and our sympathy slowly shifts toward Jean. But we still keep a somewhat favorable image of Ugolin and Cesar, still hoping for positive answers to the first two questions that are raised.

Pagnol now determines that the progress of the drama toward its conclusion, that is to say the answers to these two questions, will depend on subjective, internal factors, such as the personalities or the stubbornness of the characters, and not on external or providential circumstances.

Thus, the new questions now being posed are about the nature of the characters. Can Ugolin carry out his duplicitous game to its conclusion? Will he make a mistake and be discovered, or will he be overcome by a sense of guilt and help Jean by revealing the presence of the spring at "les Romarins?" The viewer hopes that in the end Ugolin will give in to his positive instincts. As for Cesar, the spectator knows that he will never abandon Ugolin's project. Yet the viewer has detected something peculiar concerning Cesar's reaction when Florette's departure from the village is mentioned. We therefore suspect that somehow Florette's past relationship with Cesar could bring about a positive change in his behavior. Independently, Jean's character will also dominate the outcome of the story. We wonder if his enthusiasm, boundless optimism, and his erudition will somehow contribute to his failure

We are torn between the two conflicting wishes for the success of two conflicting projects. This is the originality of Jean de Florette and what distinguishes this story from the usual, vulgar Manichaean novels or films.

The themes are the city versus the country, modern versus traditional, good versus bad, and memory versus oblivion.

Jean, returning to the country to cultivate the "othentic," is an idealist, more or less in the Jean-Jacques Rousseau tradition. He has abandoned the city life to return to his country roots. His knowledge has all been acquired in books. He speaks in the idiom of the bureaucrat that he was. He constantly quotes statistics to guide his project and to convince himself and his listeners how Nature should and will behave. He tackles his project with a definitively modern, scientific approach, having made the proper calculations for his project. Nothing is left to chance: everything is anticipated and calculated.

To Ugolin, Cesar, and the villagers, because of his language, education, and culture, Jean is a kind of pedantic usurper colliding with the peaceful, traditional aspects of their village life. They make fun of Jean because his knowledge was acquired in books, not by experience. Their conversations, Cesar's in particular, are peppered with old, colorful sayings and local proverbs. The villagers are isolated from Jean's world by their hills and seldom leave their village. They are attached to the land they have worked for centuries and to their way of life. The peasants use their traditional methods to cultivate their vines, fields, and fruit trees by hand, without the benefit of any machinery.

In concluding the first part of his story, Pagnol, by presenting us with Jean's failure, seems to distance himself from the intellectual tradition. However, at the same time, he does not consider the country life as a perfect universe, without conflicts. He illustrates the violence that can result from the peasants' deep attachment to their lands. Pagnol exposes us to the tribal mentality of the villagers against "foreigners," such as the inhabitants of the nearby village of Crespin. Finally, Pagnol shows us the deep motivation of Ugolin and Cesar that is also easily understood by a city-dweller: making money.

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