Jean de Florette

I was 10 when my parents rented this and it's sequel the first time. They tried to make me watch it, but I refused. Subtitled movies are for cultured people was my thoughts at the time. I came down a few hours later when they had just started Manon De Sources. Emanuelle Beart had just started playing harmonica. If you've seen this then you'll know why I was instantly captivated. Before I realized what was happening I was caught up in the tale. For many years I have remembered the film, and meant to see it again, it made such an impression on me. I finally saw them again today, and they were magnificent.

I watched them both, one after the other. The scenery is spectacular, and the story is so spellbinding that time will fly. I am usually an action junkie, but these films just appealed to me as no other ever has.

Even if you hate subtitles I guarantee that you will love this film, and an hour later you'll remember the characters speaking in English. No matter how tough you are, if your heart doesn't break for Jean, then it never will.

I really enjoyed this movie and was worried the sequel, Manon of the Spring would be a letdown--so often, sequels just can't compare to the originals. However, I say watch this movie so you can really enjoy just how wonderful the sequel is! So my advice is to see this film and then rush out and see the follow-up film.

Considering that this film is from a script by the great Marcel Pagnol (who was responsible for many of the best French films), it's not at all surprising that this is a wonderful film. It's a sad and despicable story about greed. A man (Yves Montand) concocts a scheme to ruin an innocent man (Gérard Depardieu) and his family in order to force them off the land. It's even worse because the man and his family are so decent and deserve better. However, despite this being morally wrong, this plan was created because Montand wanted this land to remain in his family and be passed on to his descendants. Nice scheme, huh? The acting, writing, cinematography and pacing are superb--so good that I was EAGER to find the sequel. So, watch this movie and understand it only gets better in part 2!

The reason why I was watched this film is because I read both "la gloire de mon pere" and "la château de ma mere", two other books written by Marcel Pagnol, and I found them fascinating.

This film is a fabulous portrayal of one man's greed over another man's dream. The performances given in this film are mesmerising, from Depardieu's hunch back to Montand's le papet. Although this film is sublime, I think it would be a wise choice to see the following film, Manon des Sources, as it gives the whole story through both the films.

The film really goes to show how far some people will go to get what they want, whether it's le papet trying to secure a legacy for his family's name, or Jean de Florette trying to get his amazing ideas on farming to work.

Everything comes together so well in this film-the score, the storyline and the performances, something modern movie makers should take note of.

Marcel Pagnol was rightly admitted into the Acadamie Francaise, just about the highest honor a French writer can receive. No less a major force than Orson Welles described Pagnol's own movie 'La Femme du Boulanger' (The Baker's Wife) as the greatest movie ever made. For someone with a limited canvas - Provence, its small hamlets, the port of Marseilles, and the people who lived there - he sure extracted the maximum mileage. Jean de Florette and its sequel Manon des Source has now arguably become the highest profile of all Pagnol's work eclipsing even the great trilogy 'Marius', 'Cesar' and 'Fanny' featuring the great Raimu, and his two autobiographical works My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle. It is very gratifying for someone with a healthy streak of cynicism in their makeup to read such glowing tributes to this movie. If French cinema NEEDED an ambassador, which it doesn't, then these two titles - shot back to back as Montand's wife, Simone Signoret, lay dying - could not be bettered. To add any superlatives to those already posted here would be superfluous so just let me say that Montand is at the top of his game and that is saying something. Superb entertainment with terrific ensemble playing. An all-time great. 11/10

Jean de Florette is a magnificently acted, superb film with fine music and excellent cinematography. The colors used are vibrant and the red carnations are a stunning adjunct of the movie. Its sequel, Manon of the Spring, is even better, and its dramatic ending is quite well written and enacted. Together, these two films are amongst the finest to come from France.