Jean de Florette
A visually radiant Provençal tragedy in which a family's hunger for land and water exposes the devastating reach of rural greed.
Overview
A gripping tale of ambition and desperation unfolds in the sun-drenched fields of Provence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- brooding
- melancholic
- oppressive
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Claude Berri's faithful adaptation, richly drawn characters, small-cast performances, and Bruno Nuytten's extraordinarily beautiful cinematography, while some found its deliberate buildup frustrating as a standalone first chapter.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Papet and Ugolin obstruct the spring because access to its water is essential to their flower cultivation and their plans for the land.
Bruno Nuytten's celebrated images of the Provençal landscape contrast striking natural beauty with calculated exploitation.
The Soubeyrans knowingly watch Jean's family suffer while pursuing cheap control of the property and its spring.
The blocked spring initially appears as a local obstacle, while its role in the Soubeyrans' scheme gradually defines the conflict.
Films like Jean de Florette, and why
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
period rural drama focused on class, land, and corrosive ambition
The Horseman on the Roof
evocative landscape, village social tensions, and morally complex drama
The Leopard
tragic rural melodrama driven by inheritance, family conflict, and social power
Movie Details
- Director
- Claude Berri
- Release Date
- 1986-08-27
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (629)
Cast
- Yves Montand
- Gérard Depardieu
- Daniel Auteuil
- Elisabeth Depardieu
- Margarita Lozano
- Ernestine Mazurowna
- Armand Meffre
- André Dupon
- Pierre Nougaro
- Jean Maurel
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Jean de Florette about?
- A visually radiant Provençal tragedy in which a family's hunger for land and water exposes the devastating reach of rural greed.
- What is Jean de Florette like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Jean de Florette as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Jean de Florette violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Jean de Florette as mild.
- What did critics think of Jean de Florette?
- Critics broadly praised Claude Berri's faithful adaptation, richly drawn characters, small-cast performances, and Bruno Nuytten's extraordinarily beautiful cinematography, while some found its deliberate buildup frustrating as a standalone first chapter.
- Which films are like Jean de Florette?
- Films with a similar feel include The Tree of Wooden Clogs, The Horseman on the Roof, and The Leopard.
- How long is Jean de Florette?
- Jean de Florette runs 122 minutes.
- Where can I watch Jean de Florette?
- In United States, Jean de Florette streams on Criterion Channel.
