Jean de Florette Totally Explained

Everything about Jean De Florette totally explained

Jean de Florette is an award-winning 1986 French film adaptation of the 1966 novel by Marcel Pagnol.

Synopsis

The story takes place in a small village of Provence in Occitania, the south of France, shortly after the First World War. César Soubeyran - also known as Papet - and his nephew, Ugolin, are desperate to buy a neighbouring farm, for its water source. While negotiating with the original owner, a fight breaks out, and Papet accidentally kills him. The farm is then inherited by Jean, a hunchbacked tax collector from the city. Learning this news, César and Ugolin block up the spring with concrete to force Jean to sell his land. Although Jean valiantly tries to reap the harvests of his land, struggling to bring water from a well many miles away and trying a modern approach to agriculture based on his book knowledge, the hunchback, his wife, and daughter are reduced to poverty and desperation by the lack of water, while Soubeyran and his nephew remain tight-lipped about the spring under Jean's land. In the end, Jean is killed in an accident as a result of an explosion while attempting to dig his own well to supply water to his land. Jean's young daughter, Manon, has always been suspicious of the Soubeyrans. Her suspicions are proven right when, following her father's death, César and Ugolin finally buy the farm at a deep discount and force Jean's widow and young daughter (Manon) off of the land. The film ends as Manon discovers César and Ugolin opening up the water source that could have saved her family.
The sequel, Manon des Sources, tells the story of how Manon gets her revenge on César and Ugolin.
Ugolin or Galinette, after his military duty is complete returns to les Bastides Blanches. Ugolin isn't married and is the last Soubeyran after César. His uncle is César Soubeyrab or the Papet. Ugolin must continue the family’s fortune.

Primary cast

Yves Montand - César Soubeyran/'Le Papet'
Gérard Depardieu - Jean Cadoret
Daniel Auteuil - Ugolin
Elisabeth Depardieu - Aimée Cadoret
Margarita Lozano - Baptistine
Ernestine Mazurowna - Manon Cadoret

Awards

Award wins

BAFTA Award for Best Film

United States National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film

César Award for Best Actor - Daniel Auteuil

BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Daniel Auteuil

BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography - Bruno Nuytten

BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay – Claude Berri & Gérard Brach Award nominations

BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film

César Award for Best Film – Bruno Nuytten

BAFTA Award for Best Actor - Yves Montand

BAFTA Award for Best Actor - Gérard Depardieu

BAFTA Award for Best Direction - Claude Berri

César Award for Best Director – Claude Berri

BAFTA Award for Best Make Up Artist - Michèle Dernelle & Jean-Pierre Eychenne

BAFTA Award for Best Production Design – Bernard Vézat

César Award for Best Cinematography – Bruno Nuytten

César Award for Best Music Written for a Film – Jean-Claude Petit

César Award for Best Sound – Pierre Gamet, Laurent Quaglio, Dominique Hennequin

César Award for Best Screenplay - Claude Berri & Gérard Brach Acclaim

The film was selected by the New York Times as one of "The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made."

Sequel

The film's sequel, Manon des Sources, was filmed simultaneously with Jean de Florette, and released to equal acclaim.

References in Popular Culture

In Episode 7G13 of The Simpsons, 'The Crepes of Wrath', Bart goes on exchange in France and stays with two evil winemakers named Ugolin and Cesar.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Jean De Florette'.

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