Jean de Florette

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Jean de Florette

PG

Released Jun 26, 1986

2h 2m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In this acclaimed French drama, the enterprising Ugolin Soubeyran (Daniel Auteuil) returns to his native countryside after the serving in the military. Intent on growing expensive flowers, he conspires with his uncle, Cesar (Yves Montand), to gain access to a hidden spring on a neighboring property. When their initial attempt to buy the land fails, they must contend with Jean de Florette (Gérard Depardieu), who arrives with his family to work the coveted plot and turn it into a profitable farm.

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Jake Cole

Slant Magazine

The edenic landscapes provide an ironic contrast for the heavy use of Biblical imagery and the xenophobic and greedy villagers’ religious superstitions that highlight their sanctimony.

Apr 11, 2025

Full Review

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Jean de Florette doesn’t have the motor of a work conceived as a film. It’s a copy, with no life of its own.

Sep 13, 2023

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The point of the film is not to create suspense, but to capture the relentlessness of human greed, the feeling that the land is so important the human spirit can be sacrificed to it.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Ángel Luis Inurria

El Pais (Spain)

Despite its aspects of humanity, the characters seem cold and distant, making one yearn for those that populated Renoir's rural universe. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 22, 2020

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

[VIDEO ESSAY] "Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources" is an emotionally potent movie whose lush depiction of Provence captures your imagination in such a tangible way that you feel as if you are living there during the period.

Rated: A+

Jul 16, 2015

Full Review

Dan Jardine

Cinemania

Jean de Florette is as melodramatic as any soap opera, but its treatment is just a little askew, just off-center enough for the film to evolve into a moving and powerful pastoral tragedy.

Rated: 77/100

Dec 27, 2014

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Matthew L

If you wonder whether a movie critic is worth their salt, see how they rated Jean de Florette - a true masterpiece that unfolds like the best Thomas Hardy tragedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

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Debi M

Loved this movie and have watched it many times. It is a beautiful, tragic, love story hitting many different cylinders. This movie reveals human nature at its worse, yet the ending hints at payback retribution, possibly yet to come.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

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The D

Such a simple and powerful story. So well directed, acted and shot that it's become a French classic. Probably the most successful French movie ever made, and deservedly so!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/02/24

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Aender S

A compelling story in beautiful scenery delivered with great acting, especially Daniel Auteuil's.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/15/24

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Peter G

This two part masterpiece JEAN DE FLORETTE & MANON DE SOURCES needs to be seen in order so it's cumulative affect can be realized.. These are among the greatest French films in my experience & it treats the themes of naivety, greed, betrayal, & revenge in a powerfully affecting manner all the way to its conclusion. Depardieu does some of his best work here as a decent & somewhat handicapped city dweller who moves his family to the country in search of eking out a living as a farmer but is unfortunately naive in dealing with his neighbors many of whom are unwelcoming towards him. Montand gives his last great film performance & is matched by Daniel Auteuil, as his pathetic nephew who becomes involved in his uncle's unscrupulous schemes. Emmanuelle Beart plays the adult Manon in the second film & gives a vivid characterization as well. Adding to both of the film's atmosphere is the continuing use of a particular musical motive from Verdi's LA FORZA DEL DESTINO (The Force of Destiny) which underscores the various themes within the film. Berri, the Director, has made an enduring masterpiece that is moving in its depiction of man's inhumanity but through his sensitive filmmaking an overall humanity is nonetheless still permeates the proceedings, IMO.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/24

Full Review

Leaburn O

Characters and parable are both luminous. An easy watch with beautiful scenery. Looking forward to the second part as I bought both in a double pack DVD some time ago. Sat on the shelf over a year I watched and that's a shame because it was a fantastic opener.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/13/23

Full Review

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Claude Berri

Director

Yves Montand

Cesar Soubeyran

Gérard Depardieu

Jean de Florette

Daniel Auteuil

Ugolin

Elisabeth Depardieu

Aimee Cadoret

Ernestine Mazurowna

Manon Cadoret

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Synopsis

In this acclaimed French drama, the enterprising Ugolin Soubeyran (Daniel Auteuil) returns to his native countryside after the serving in the military. Intent on growing expensive flowers, he conspires with his uncle, Cesar (Yves Montand), to gain access to a hidden spring on a neighboring property. When their initial attempt to buy the land fails, they must contend with Jean de Florette (Gérard Depardieu), who arrives with his family to work the coveted plot and turn it into a profitable farm.

Director: Claude Berri
Producer: Alain Poiré
Distributor: Orion Pictures
Production Co: DD Productions, RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, Films A2
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2017
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Surround

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