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Summary: Truly Groundbreaking
Review: The common misconception with foreign films is that they are lurid and difficult to relate to. This film delves into the evils that all men possess, and the beauty which exists on the fringe of reality. This is truly an international masterpiece, and one that I have amazed friends with over ten times. And each time I walk away from watching this series, Manon Des Sources included, my jaw is left dangling and those others in the room, especially first-timers, watch desperately as if another scene would follow to relieve their anguish. Jean De Florette possesses too much dimension to be called an action film, and too much suspense to be shrugged off as a drama. It is, in all its entirety, a reflection of the human spirit, and a documentary on what forces bend and break us all.
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Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: I watched both "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des Sources" as a part of my French class this year. I have never seen better films. The acting is incredible and truly, I didn't even notice that I was reading subtitles. The views of the Provencal countryside are beautiful. The movies are among the saddest that I have seen, but they are masterpieces of their time.
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Summary: A masterpiece -- See this movie.
Review: Not to be missed. This is one of those sub-titled movies that you watch and don't even realize it's sub-titled -- kind of like The Red Violin, another of my all-time favorites.I cried buckets while watching this movie.
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Summary: A must-see movie
Review: Truly, this is one of my all-time favorite movies. It is a realistic story that has made it possible for me to see how one thinks and how one acts in life, and how everything has its reason in the end. Highly recommended movie, Cheers, Branko Miros
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Summary: a brilliant film of its time
Review: I saw this film in french class a few years ago. It was a brilliant movie and so thought of doing it for my final french exam
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Summary: beautiful deep movie
Review: A masterpiece especially after watching its equally wonderful and surprising sequel, Manon of the Spring. The realism and attention to detail not to mention the scenery make the difference. The story starts as a city man moves his family to the countryside of Provence to start a new life. His enthusiasm for this venture is contagious but eventually is not enough. Auteuil, Depardieu, Montand are marvelous in their roles.
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Summary: Riveting plot, beautiful cinematography, and fine acting.
Review: The story takes place in Provence where the landscape is both barren and bountiful. The characters reflect these attributes as one seeks self-sufficiency while his neighbor plots to drive him off. If you can't visit Provence in the spring, this is the next best thing.
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Summary: TRAGEDY FOLLOWS IDEALISM IN BITTER SWEET LIVES
Review: The "official review"above is a somewhat misleading in writing, " ... peasant farmer (Gérard Depardieu) who comes to the countryside to tend the land he has inherited ... " In fact, Depardieu in one of his best roles plays a kindly, devoted city clerk whose dream is to build a better life for his family as a farmer. Meanwhile a scheming, greedy neighbor convincingly well played by an aging Yves Montand carries the tension and apprehension of the film throughout. Much of the panoramic landscape beauty of the French countryside, intended for big screens in movie houses, is lost on small TVs. But after a short while the story absorbs the viewer and all of that is forgotten. This may have been one of Depardieu's best films, before he went to Hollywood to make big money. With a relatively small cast, the movie focuses on a friendly and trusting man who cannot think bad things about his scheming neighbor; secretly plotting to drive him and his family off their land. The little family can endure every hardship because their mutual love and respect provides them with a strength that promises to conquor all adversity. Wrong! The bitter sweet film has a sad ending, but one must see the sequel to find out how things turn out. "Jean De Florette" is only half the story. But it is well worth sitting through this very long saga because the story is beautifully filmed, well acted and perfectly directed. If you don't speak French you'll have to read the English subtitles. However, in this film the dialogue is very sparse and much of the film's story is told visually. Perhaps that is what makes it a great film. Pictures rather than too many words mainly tell the story. But you may as well order "Manon of the Spring" at the same time you get ""Jean De Florette" or you'll not be able to sleep until you find out what becomes of the sweet young and beautiful daughter and her long suffering mother. You will want to know what happens to the child and her mother as the young girl enters womanhood on their farm that her father always dreamed she would grow up to love. How will she deal with the unrelenting neighbor (played to the end as the perfect villain by Yves Montand)?
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Summary: Jean de florette...a few corrections
Review: This is undoubtedly one of the best films ever to come from France... The film takes place in Province, & tells the story of a Hunchback (jean De Florette), who inherits an old farm from his late uncle. He has previously worked in the city as a tax inspecter & decides to bring his wife & daughter to the farm to start a new life, raising rabbits to support the family. (Not Carnations).His neighbours block up the only water source that the farmland has, so his job is made virtually imposible, hence the scenes of carrying water to the farm... The neighbours want to buy the land from him to grow carnations, so that they can sell them themselves... The tale of hardship & deceit that unfolds is very touching, & the story is truly one of the classics in French literature. The film closely follows the original story by Marcel Pagnol, & the photography in this film is truly stunning...this is what Province really looks like... Buy it!... The film "Manon des sources" is the concluding part of this powerful story.
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Summary: My Favorite French Film
Review: I caught this film around ten years ago on PBS and was blown away by it. Every single actor here could not have been better and the story was probably the most moving one I had ever seen since I was cried for several days after seeing it. I'm not kidding! I just couldn't get the story out of my head. Jean de Florette is the first part of the story and then you have to purchase Manon of the Spring to see the conclusion. Gerard Depardeu is not only the best actor in France but one of the very best in the world. He moves me in just about every film I've ever had the pleasure to see him in. Even in the excellent comedy Green Card I enjoyed him immensely. I really dig that man and find him incredibly handsome! Buy this DVD or at least rent and enjoy this extraordinary film, you won't regret it.
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