Cheap Jean De Florette (DVD) (Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu) (Claude Berri) Price

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Customer Reviews of Jean De Florette

Guy de Maupassant would have loved this
The acting-pick any of the three stars, Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil-is superb, and the supporting cast excellent. But what makes this and its sequel, Manon des Sources (1986), jewels of the French cinema is the story and the characterizations, which go hand in hand. There is genius in how naturally and almost inevitably the story unfolds. Although I haven't read the novel by Marcel Pagnol, I'm sure he's the genius. And this is not to slight Claude Berri's direction which is invisible and at the same time in total control, so that the film is simply a work of art. The characters are true to themselves, and what they do seems natural because of who they are. Jean Florette (Depardieu) fails because he puts too much faith in science, knowledge and the good will and fairness of his fellow man. (He should have listened to his suspicious wife!) Ugolin (Auteuil), whose selfishness and little guy envy lead him to do the harm that he does, is not a despicable character. We do not hate him the way Manon understandably does. He is a man of weakness who gave into greed. Papet (Montand), believes in the lineage of man, in property, money-all the standard burgher values. He is led to do his dirty deeds because of who he is. What is so, so superior in "Florette" compared to most movies is the lack of propaganda, the lack of adherence to some political or philosophic preconception. What shines forth is people living their lives and falling into some very human traps. I am reminded of Balzac and Guy De Maupassant in the depiction of the petit bourgeois life of the French peasantry and attendant psychology.

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Jean de florette...a few corrections
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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One of the sublime masterpieces in any time
What can we add about that glorious movie? Wonderful script, powerful message, exceptional landscapes, superb cast. In fact, Depardieu gives one of his finest goals (at the level of Danton, Cyrano, Vatel or Novecento). This film also threw to the sand to Daniel Auteil and Montand might have given the best acievement of his career as the greedy father.
The story is very simple. Depardieu tries to find a new life in a farm on the hills of a village whose peole dont see him very well due his hauntchback.
The epic spirit he awakes and all the crowd of situations make tis story and this film a must reference when you consider the best eighties french movies.
Watch this film and not forget Manon the second part,