From the opening frame which establishes the themes that will drive it through to its conclusion -- a coffin, a scattered bunch of red carnations and those first few notes of that lyrical, haunting score -- Manon des Sources is unforgettable. Combined with its prequel, Jean de Florette, the two are richer than all other preceding filmed epics, including Gone With the Wind and Dr Zhivago. Not just in terms of human drama, but in their command of energy, detail and sheer thematic scope.
But even without Jean de Florette, Manon des Sources is still a great film. You do not need to see the prequel to understand the immensity of human emotions involved: love, passion, revenge and regret. Drenched in the gorgeous clarity of Provencal light, an absorbing tale unfolds with the insistence and precision of a Greek or Shakespearean tragedy, with no scene or line of dialogue wasted and every shot imbued with an ominous prescience and irony. A letter lost decides not just lives, but the fate of entire generations. The farm at Romarins nutures blood-red carnations, the flower of funerals. When ugly, foolish Ugolin (Auteil) first sees Manon (Beart), he swings from the tree at Romarins in delight. On her rejection, he choses the same tree to hang himself and leaves her Romarins -- her childhood home -- in his will.
Yet the pervading weight of tragedy is offset not just with the sheer delight in which director Claude Berri takes in re-creating a rustic Provence, but also with the film's bittersweet humour. Ugolin is not just a creature designed to elicit our sympathy, he is a comic foil. And a scene at the height of the village's disaster -- a council meeting held to discuss what is to be done about the water shortage -- verges on the slapstick.
Nothing else directed by Berri is as compelling as his two adaptations of Marcel Pagnol's literary classic. Nowhere else is his eye so fixed on nature, Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu (in Jean de Florette) Daniel Auteil or the beauty of Emmauelle Beart. Despite her paucity of lines, Manon is one of Beart's most mesmerising roles, but even her wild, innocent beauty is eclipsed by the late, great Yves Montand. His commanding presence as Papet imbues Manon des Sources with humanity on a scale rarely seen on screen.
Reviewed by Monika Maurer
Reader comments about Manon des Sources
becs (afunkifidechique@icqmail.com) writes:
we just finished watching in my french class at school, and we all loved it! we saw jean de florette as well, but manon des sources was just great! it showed us (we are currently in year 10)the beautiful countryside of france, it has helped us with our french and it is truly an all round good movie. i recommend that anyone from around my age (15) upwards should see this movie. even if you dont speak or understand french you can read the captions. without understanding what they say you aren't put at a major disadvantage, you still feel the emotions that are portrayed in this film. manon des sources rocks big time baby!!
mary lee (marylee@premierhousewares.fsnet.co.uk) writes:
I have just finished watching Manon des Sources on TV (having never heard of it)and bawled my eyes out. I have not cried like that since watching The Champ when I was 10 years old (I know you can't really compare The Champ with Manon on cinematic merits). What a truly wonderful film. I can't wait to go to Provence!
writing an english paper (Email address withheld) writes:
im doing a paper applying Jean De Florette and Manon des Source
to traditional greek tragedy. we watched the movie in class and i went home the night we finished them and bought them online. It is a spectacular movie i LOVE whoever that AWSOME french guy was who played Papet...possibly the greatest actor i have ever had the pleasure to watch...i dont speak french but without even LOOKING at the captions i felt the core emotion of the entier film through him.
phred (Email address withheld) writes:
We're watching this in French class right now... We just finished watching Jean de Florette.
These are excellent movies! I highly reocommend them to everyone
Justin (Email address withheld) writes:
Manon des Sources is one of the best movies i have ever had the priviledge of viewing. I also watched Jean de Florette, which places second in relationship to Manon des Souces. Both movies are wonderful. The actor who played Papet (Yves Manand) is wonderful. So are Ugolin(or Galinette) and Manon. There is nothing i could say that would be negative towards this film. It is simply extravagant.
Brittany (Email address withheld) writes:
We just finished Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources in french class. I found both of them exciting and very good.
If you ever have a chance to watch either of them...I highly recommend doing it!!!
Serge (sergiosndvl@hotmail.com) writes:
The film Manon des Sources is wonderfull I loved it but I wish their was a second part because at the end you don't know what happend to Manon but its a great film.
Lin (Email address withheld) writes:
Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources are 2 of the best movies i have ever watched. My French class just finished watching these 2 movies, and everyone was moved by it. I am currently writing a review about it (en Francais) for my French class. Manon des Sources est un film tres bon!!
Laura (Email address withheld) writes:
Je pense que ces films (Manon des Sources et Jean de Florette) etaient tres tres bon. Je les recommande aux individus qui aiment voir les bons films - independament de s'ils parlent le francais ou l'anglais. Je viens de les regarder dans ma classe, et tout le monde pensent qu'ils sont excellents!
ben (Email address withheld) writes:
We watched Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources in French and I was skeptical, since i don't usually enjoy movies we are shown in school, but i loved it. the first one was ok, but Manon des Sources was an excellent movie. The plot, especially the suprise at the end, was incredible. And Manon is beautiful!
andrew (Email address withheld) writes:
our french class has just finished watchign this film and we thoroughly enjoyed it. For some of us, like myself, this is our second time through the movie. Even though we have seen it already, we still enjoyed watching it. However, Jean de Florette, the prequel to Manon, is not as strong as Manon itself, but it is necessary to watch it first, so that you can understand all of the connections within the movie itself
Lisa Bissonnette (thisislisa@hotmail.com) writes:
We just finished watching these two movies in my french class and i loved them! I'm usually not overly interested in old french movies but these two caught my attention. I have to say that jean to florette comes second to manon des sources.... just because manon des sources had more suspense. Manon is absolutely beautiful, she reminded me so much of one of my favorite singers Shakira. I recommend these two movies to everyone! and what's great is that u don't even have to speak french to understand because they have captions.... absolutely brilliant!
Nobby (nobbybernard69@hotmail.com) writes:
I studied french and italian and have watched a lot of very poor films but Manon des Source was absolutely fantastic. i couldn't belive how griped i actually was. I would go as far as to say that Manon Des Source is awe inspiring
kiya (Email address withheld) writes:
manon des sources et jean de florette etaient superbe! i am a french student in gr 11 and we watched them in french class. i loved whoever played manon.. she was so creepy, like ophelia in hamlet. watch both of these movies if u can... especially manon des sources
Ailen (ailen121@yahoo.com) writes:
I also watched both Manon of the Spring and Jean de Florette in french class. They are both great movies and I like both of them. However, Manon of the Spring was a little too long, it should have ended the moment Papet found out that Jean was his son. So I think that Jean de Florette was better then Manon of the Spring. However, I still think they're both great!
alison (Email address withheld) writes:
Jean de florette was the saddest film that I have ever watched. Manon de sources was not quite as good, but still, it was a good movie. The drama is not over acted, and the scenery is superb. We just recently finished watching both the movies in class.
Jade (Email address withheld) writes:
Manon des sources was an excellent film and I was glad I was given the opportunity to watch it in my french class because I wouldn't have known about it otherwise. I highly recommend it!!!!
paulle collard (paullecollard@aol.com) writes:
comment s appelait ugolin dans le film oruginal je pense que c etait relly film magnifique
mark harrison, thompson MB Canada (Email address withheld) writes:
I watched this on CBC, 15 Sep 04, and as everyone says, it is a great film. Now that I have read the excellent review, I'll need to watch it again & pay more attention to the little details mentioned. Too bad the sound was muffled and I found it difficile de comprendre le francais. Voir dans un cinema sera mieux.
ss (Email address withheld) writes:
Manon des Sources was a typical love story but what made it unique was the deeply taught lessons pertaining to life. I could feel the passion that the actors put into the portrayel of the characters and I would definetely reccomend it.
Chris (addresse gardé / address withheld) writes:
Tout les deux... quelles filmes magnifiques! Je crois qeu il DOIS voir ces filmes, n'importe pas si on parle le français! J'adore Manon des sources... Tout ma famille était dégoûtés par Pepet et Ugolin... et, au fin, par Manon elle-même! Ma mère a beaucoup fleuré dans Jean de Florette. Encore une fois: Magnifique!
For you non-Francophones:
Both of them... what great films! You HAVE to see these, whether you speak French on not! I loved Manon of the Springs... all my was desgusted by Pepet and Ugolin, and at the end by Manon herself! My mother cried a lot in Jean de Florette. And for one last time... Excellent!
Meg (Email address withheld) writes:
Manon des sources est un film/roman extraordinaire! Il est difficile a croire que le film a etait fait avait le livre! Les personnages sont tres developpe et plusieurs themes magnifiques sont presenter. Je recommande cette film a toutes les personnes de tout age. Il est simplement incroyable!
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