Jean de Florette

Jean de Florette (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃ də flɔʁɛt]) is a 1986 French period drama film directed by Claude Berri. It is the first part of a diptych with Manon of the Spring (Manon des Sources), released the same year. Both are the adaptation of Marcel Pagnol’s 1962 two-part novel The Water of the Hills, with the second part also being adapted from Pagnol's original 1952 film Manon of The Spring. Berri's version was the first attempt at adapting the whole saga, including the first part, Jean de Florette, which was originally written as a prequel to the novelization of Manon of The Spring.

The story takes place in rural Provence in the 1920s, where two local farmers plot to trick a newcomer out of his newly inherited property. The film starred three of France's most prominent actors – Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, who won a BAFTA and a César award for his performance, and Yves Montand in one of his last roles.

The film was shot back to back with Manon des sources, over a period of seven months. At the time the most expensive French film ever made, it was a great commercial and critical success, both domestically and internationally, and was nominated for eight César awards, and 10 BAFTAs. The success of the two films helped promote Provence as a tourist destination.

The story takes place outside a village in Provence, in the south of France, shortly after the First World War. Ugolin Soubeyran returns from his military service and throws himself into a project to grow carnations on his property in the mountains. His uncle César, referred to as Le Papet (meaning "the grandfather" in the local dialect), is at first skeptical; but is convinced when the flowers get a good price at the market. They decide the project is worthy of expansion, and together they go to see the neighbouring farmer, Pique-Bouffigue, to buy his land. The land in question is apparently dry, but Papet knows of a spring that could solve that problem.

Pique-Bouffigue angrily refuses to sell, and an altercation breaks out. In the fight, Pique-Bouffigue is killed by Papet. After the funeral, Papet and Ugolin plug with cement and earth the spring that could water the land. Unknown to them, they are seen blocking the spring by a poacher.

The property is inherited by Pique-Bouffigue's sister, Florette, who left the area long ago, but she dies very shortly afterwards and the inheritance goes to her son, Jean Cadoret, who works in the city as a tax collector. Ugolin, according to local custom, refers to him as Jean de Florette – Florette's Jean. To discourage Jean from taking up residence, Ugolin damages the roof of the house.

Jean, who is hunchbacked, arrives with his wife, Aimée, and young daughter, Manon. He makes it clear that he has no intention of selling: having left the tax administration in order to live a more "authentic" life as a farmer, he wants to make the farm profitable within two years, breeding rabbits and growing their produce himself. Ugolin finds Jean likeable and strikes up a friendship of sorts with him, but keeps going along with his uncle's plans. Papet does not get acquainted with Jean - whom he only meets once, fleetingly, in the village - but observes him from afar cultivating his farm, and laughs at the city dweller's inexperience. 

Jean does not know about the nearby blocked spring, only of one that is further, two kilometres away, though still on his land. He is reliant on rainfall to fill a cistern to supply the livestock and irrigate the crops. Ugolin and Papet keep secret from Jean the fact that the area where Jean's farm lies rarely gets any rain. Meanwhile, they work to turn the local community against Jean, because the late Pique-Bouffigue has cousins in the village who know about the blocked spring and would tell Jean about it if they became friendly with him.