The Well Digger's Daughter Reviews

After a lower class man's daughter becomes pregnant, he must reconcile the mores of his time with his love for his family.
Daniel Auteuil's directorial debut is a delightful, life-affirming film with an understated complexity. The film encounters class issues deftly, as the main conflict involves two nouveau riche men assuming that they should feel a put-upon shame greater than they feel a real love. Sweeping shots of beautiful countryside and finely crafted scenes (though too talky at times) worthy of the stage abound, and Auteuil proves himself to be a very good director. Auteuil and Astrid Berges-Frisbey deliver compelling performances as father and daughter.
Overall, this is a nice film to see with nice people to spend time with -- a fine end to a tough week.

a truly cute and charming story with a funny side onto it. Bravo! Really loved it!

This movie is the essence of great "French style" cinema.: slow paced, understated and totally charming... I loved it. The scenery and acting was superb.

Genial and witty old-fashioned French charmer!

oh the best movie of the french cinema.. cultural.. moral... beatiful....

One of the most beautiful and well-acted French films we've ever seen. I can't recommend it highly enough. Don't give any credence to the puffed up "reviewers". Its a film to love and revel in. No shoot ups and perpetually flowing F-words. imagine that!

Breathtaking drama, as expected. Another Auteuil keeper.

An exquisite film, perfectly made, the story perfectly told. Auteuil takes his place as one of the greatest actor/directors in the history of film.

What a beautiful and picturesque love story! Bravo!!

A love story from a time when respect and respectability prevailed. Astrid Berges-Frisbey is positively enchanting, and the love story is not only between her and her "rich" beau but between her and her provincial father.

What a nice surprise to find an excellent re-make of Marcel Pagnol's classic film. The trauma of an unwanted pregnancy upon a lower middle class family is very moving and makes you realize the hardship on a decent family because of the social impact during the early part of the century. This brings to mind the harrowing theme of ORANGES AND SUNSHINE, another excellent film that deals with the injustices to the children of an unwanted pregnancy. The most interesting aspect of THE WELL DIGGER'S DAUGHTER is the reconciliation at the end between the upper and lower middle classes. An important lessen which is much needed today. Only problem with the film is the too small English subtitles which are almost impossible to read even on a 52 inch Sony. These should have been re-done to be easily readable of the smaller screen as they are okay for theatres but nearly impossible to read on a television screen.

looks interesting, i want to see it

I enjoyed this movie. It is beautifully filmed. Many of the outdoor scenes are very attractive. The movie has the look of a film made in the 40s or 50s. It seems to be set abt the time of the beginning of WWI. All of the major actors are competent, to very good.

The story is fairly predictable. Its a simple romantic comedy. But, the unfolding of the story is still entertaining. The director, and lead actor, is Daniel Auteuil. He is in virtually every scene, and is very good as the well-digger of the title, Pascal. The daughter of the title is Patricia (Astrid B-Frisbey). She gives a subtle, believable performance.

Some problems arise w/ some of the other actors. Another daughter appears much older than her nominal teenage years. Pascals younger, employee/apprentice, appears much older than Patricia and does not fit very well into his part. The supposedly, dashing and handsome pilot, Jacque Mazel, is slight of build, a bit short; and is not particularly handsome.

The story revolves around the unwed pregnancy of Patricia. This event is rendered in such an oblique manner; it is not clear that any love-making has occurred. It is surprising that a European film about physical passion, would be rendered in such a conservative way.

It was an OK trip to the flics. It could have been better.

Beautiful movie! Daniel Auteuil is superb.

loved manon de la source can't wait to see this one

They just don't make movies like this anymore, it was just so refreshing and timeless. I really loved all the characters, even when they were wrong, they were all so sincere and interesting.

Great flick. Amazing costumes and cars.

Simply superb! Daniel Auteuil and Astrid Berges-Frisbey were magnificent. And the story on which the film is based is a time-honored classic.

A superb debut from Auteuil. Captures the era and the area totally. Berges-Frisbey is magnificent. A genuine must-see #10.

I was so surprised to have such a different experience than the professional critics, even the ones I usually respect. I found The Well Digger's Daughter boring, predictable and overly sappy. I kept waiting for the moment when I would feel something other than disbelief. I speak French fluently and love French films usually and wondered halfway through if this was a sort of parody. This is a classic example of a film that "tells" instead of showing. Rather than give us interesting scenes and actions, we're told everything. I was particularly floored in the scene where Andre's parents come to make amends. It was all dialogue without any sense of action or tension. I'm not one for made up conflict, but this felt very dry and inauthentic. I was particularly disappointed in the acting by "Patricia" who must have been told to just look at the camera and be pretty. Where was the fire? Where was the real Patricia? Sure, she's kind...but show me her fire, too.

Daniel Auteil is in too many scenes, the doe-eyed daughter Patricia does little else than look at the camera and other actors petulantly or with too much submission and the rest of the daughters say hardly anything at all. The romance between Patricia and Andre has little passion and the film is devoid of tension or conflict. Everything goes according to plan after a few hitches here and there.

The only moment of interest is when Andre's mother disobeys her son earlier in the film. There we see some spunk. But it's never brought to its potential. I left feeling disappointed in Auteil's directorial debut and in the critics who see this as a great old fashioned film. To me it felt old fashioned simply in its orchestration.