Jean deFlorette (1986)

Directed by: Claude Berri | 120 minutes | drama | Actors: Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, Elisabeth Depardieu, Margarita Lozano, Ernestine Mazurowna, Armand Meffre, André Dupon, Pierre Nougaro, Jean Maurel, Roger Souza, Didier Pain, Pierre-Jean Rippert, Marc Betton, Clement Cal, Benedetto Bertino, Marcel Champel, Chantal Liennel, Fransined, Marcel Berbert, Christian Tamisier, Jo Doumerg

Based on the book “L’eau des collines” by writer Marcel Pagnol, ‘Jean de Florette’ has become a masterpiece in the hands of director Claude Berri. Together with the sequel ‘Manon des Sources’ (which was recorded at the same time, but set ten years later), an epic portrait of a rural community in Provence is sketched.

It all starts rather innocently: the elder César Soubeyran (Yves Montand) welcomes his cousin Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil), who returns to the village after his military service. Ugolin carries flower bulbs with him to grow carnations. His own land does not have enough water, so an elderly neighbor is approached if he wants to give up his land. After a scuffle, the neighbor is suddenly dead under a tree. César and Ugolin now expect César’s old flame Florette (who left the village and married one Cadoret) to be the heir. But then her son Jean Cadoret (Gérard Dépardieu) shows up, a hunchbacked tax inspector determined to farm the land himself. Jean de Florette, as he is called, wants to breed rabbits and grow vegetables. Jean brings his wife Aimee (Elizabeth Dépardieu, also Gérard’s wife in real life at the time) and daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna) with him. Manon will later play the lead role as an adult woman in ‘Manon des Sources’.

Thus, the pieces have been placed on the board for the greedy moves of César, who wants to keep the family name and land ownership of the Soubeyrans for his cousin and only heir Ugolin. Montand and Auteuil’s subtle play is pleasing to the eye and even though their actions are reprehensible, their fantastic acting is presented as very logical. Auteuil even has a lot of sympathy for the hunchback Jean and even helps him move and set up his farm. But in the end, the pressure of César and the enchantment of making a lot of money with his carnations dominate and Ugolin eagerly helps Jean’s downfall.

Dépardieu plays one of his best roles as the disabled tax man, who tries so hard to make something of his rural life. His wife doubts his plans are feasible, the village looks down on his urban views and the farming techniques he borrows from books and goes against their centuries-old traditions, but Jean continues to believe in his own strength and the possibilities of the land. He never finds out about the cunning plan to get him off the ground financially – and which will eventually destroy him physically and mentally.

Berri and cameraman Bruno Nuytten portray the beautiful landscape of Provence as advantageously as possible and the film looks stunning. Nature is almost a character in itself, the way the landscape and the weather are portrayed. ‘Jean de Florette’ is much lighter in tone than the sequel, mainly due to Dépardieu’s lively style of acting and the optimistic nature of his character. As a result, the tragedy of the man comes to the fore when a tipping point occurs halfway through and the events take on a dark hue. Berri shows in great detail what people are capable of in pursuit of selfish gain. He could have won Jean’s pitiful battle against the forces of nature, but he is no match for the sneakiness of human nature. This provides a nice prelude to the sequel. Together, ‘Jean de Florette’ and ‘Manon des Sources’ belong to the pinnacle of French cinema and highlights in the careers of the actors and creators.