Manon of the Spring
A grown shepherdess turns the Provençal countryside into the arena for a long-delayed reckoning with the family that helped destroy her childhood.
Overview
A tale of love and revenge unfolds in the picturesque landscapes of Provence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- austere
- intimate
- classic cinema night
- arthouse evening
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a successful and emotionally powerful continuation of Jean de Florette, praised for completing the larger story through strong performances and French rural atmosphere.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The shepherdess Manon and the Soubeyran family pursue their conflicts across the Provençal countryside and cultivated fields.
Manon plots revenge against Ugolin, César, and the wider town after the consequences of the family’s past actions.
Ugolin’s love for Manon develops within the shadow of his family’s exploitation and her hostility toward him.
Manon’s actions leave the whole town in despair and force collective confrontation with the past.
Films like Manon of the Spring, and why
Jean de Florette
shared rural drama, intergenerational conflict, revenge, and richly observed French provincial life
The Horseman on the Roof
shared pastoral setting, tragic family secrets, moral consequences, and literary French drama
The Secret of the Grain
shared slow-burning vengeance, village tensions, and emotionally intense period melodrama
Movie Details
- Director
- Claude Berri
- Release Date
- 1986-11-19
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (581)
Cast
- Yves Montand
- Daniel Auteuil
- Emmanuelle Béart
- Hippolyte Girardot
- Margarita Lozano
- Yvonne Gamy
- Ticky Holgado
- Jean Bouchaud
- Elisabeth Depardieu
- Gabriel Bacquier
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Manon of the Spring about?
- A grown shepherdess turns the Provençal countryside into the arena for a long-delayed reckoning with the family that helped destroy her childhood.
- What is Manon of the Spring like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Manon of the Spring as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Manon of the Spring violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Manon of the Spring as mild.
- What did critics think of Manon of the Spring?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a successful and emotionally powerful continuation of Jean de Florette, praised for completing the larger story through strong performances and French rural atmosphere.
- Which films are like Manon of the Spring?
- Films with a similar feel include Jean de Florette, The Horseman on the Roof, and The Secret of the Grain.
- How long is Manon of the Spring?
- Manon of the Spring runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Manon of the Spring?
- In United States, Manon of the Spring streams on Criterion Channel.
