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Jean de Florette

Just completed our first viewing of Claude Berri's Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. Looking back at these again you are struck by the beauty of the Bruno Nuytten's photography, the gorgeous settings, but above all the quality of the acting, especially the duo of Yves Montand and Daniel Auteuil. The poignancy of the climax, barely hinted at in the first movie, still brings a tear to the eye. Berri's direction is subtle, never showy, never mawkish. I suppose the film is, above all, an examination of human nature in various forms: avarice, love, vengeance, ambition, self-delusion, moral confusion. The characters are intimately bound up with the land they live on, subject to the whims of nature, still wary of God. It's all down to Marcel Pagnol's vision of course.

The films were rewarded in 1987 with eight Césars and, a year later, with four BAFTAs. I was interested to read:

"Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources have been interpreted as part of a wider trend in the 1980s of so-called 'heritage cinema': period pieces and costume dramas that celebrated the history, culture and landscape of France. It was the official policy of President François Mitterrand, elected in 1981, and particularly his Minister of Culture Jack Lang, to promote these kinds of films through increased funding of the ailing French film industry. Berri's pair of films stand as the most prominent example of this effort." (Wikipedia)

Comments

  1. theosmama29 June 2011 at 18:52

    oh! I love these films still and recently watched them with my higher ability Y8s. Was really surprised that they really got into them - showed them Jean de Florette and they begged to see Manon des Sources afterwards; there were audible gasps at the denouement. Very enjoyable.

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