A Year in Provence

The amount of French language is enormous for an English language production, and that makes it fun to listen and try to understand, because much of the French in conversation is not translated fully. The things that one expects from Provence are all there, and when the expected ending of a story plot does not come and the twist is even more inventive than the simple negation of a stereotype, the narrative really shines. Peter runs the plumber out and you would think that this is the beginning of a rancorous feud, but it's not. Winning at bowling turns out not to be winning after all. The production does its best to include some of the most pointed vignettes of the book. It manages to capture the flavor very well overall. For the strongest sense of the continuity, I recommend that you read the book first; then, when you watch this on VHS/DVD, you can bask in the extra time and story added here to add depth to this stranger and his wife in a foreign land desperately trying to become local and belong.

I was worried that this A&E production would lack the charm of the book. As it turned out, the aesthetics of this film were spot on, even if the French humor was not as well adapted for the screen compared to all those wonderful passages that were peppered throughout the book.

I read the book many years before seeing the film, but remarkable, the details were still fresh in my mind, thanks to Mayle's gift of description.

I still gave this 4 stars because they did a great job of presenting Provence exactly the way it is and the way one pictures it while reading the book.

But it's the book that will always have a special place in my heart.

~NN

I haven't read the book however I liked the series as a genuinely honest depiction of how the French and English get on. I have visited France many times and my parents now live there half the year. In a way I think the series may have been influenced too much by the French cast for English viewers tastes. The episodes are very innocent but really are about a couple getting on with their lives in a new environment and the obstacles they overcome. It saddens me greatly that people don't warm to this series more but I think it may have been a bit too ahead of it's time. With greater understanding of language and culture I believe this will appeal to viewers more as the years go on.

If you've ever harbored a fantasy of living in a foreign country, A Year In Provence is a must see. I've owned the A&E DVD set for awhile and watch this series at least once a year; it's like taking a vacation to a now familiar place where I have friends and know the ropes. I treasure this series as it shows just what it might be like to try to re-settle in a foreign land where you know no one, don't speak the language very well, and, in this case, in a rural area where the residents aren't fluent in English and where you have to conform to their habits, schedules, and priorities. One sees very quickly that moving to a large city might make such a transition easier where services, multi-lingual inhabitants, and common ground are more quickly found. But the charm of this story is watching the husband & wife find their way, played superbly by Lindsay Duncan and John Thaw. Their civilized British take on things is perfectly tuned. They are the strangers in a strange land and their adjustment to a new and very different lifestyle is always interesting. So many kinds of "normal" behavior are depicted and it is the rural French version that delights; never has normal made me smile so much.

The story flows seamlessly through the four seasons of a year and, while the pace is relaxed, there is an assembly of characters and situations that adds just the right spice to keep your attention. Like a fine French meal in the country of origin, by the end you know you've experienced the unique flavor and texture of not only the local food, but also the people, culture, and dilemmas of living country style in Provence. Likely, you'd be able to translate many of the events to almost any country that has indoor plumbing. This is a trip worth taking. 9* out of 10*

Great scenery, and a decent sense of place. Unfortunately, John thaw just calls in his performance, with lots of face pulling and yelling. Lindsay Duncan is much better, but isn't given a lot to do. The French locals are drawn too broadly, and are actually a distraction when on-screen. Still an enjoyable watch though, for the settings and scenery.