Manon Des Sources (DVD)

...my Jean De Florette / Manon Des Sources review. I'm hoping you've read that one first; if not, go back and read it! This won't make sense unless you've read that one first, just as watching Manon Des Sources won't make much sense unless you've first watched Jean De Florette. They're two parts of the same story, and really, this is just the second part of the same review.

Also, I have to warn you, it's virtually impossible to give any ...
...it.

So, Manon Des Sources. Again, it's directed by Claude Berri, adapted from the novel by Marcel Pagnol, and stars Yves Montand and Daniel Auteuil. This was released in the same year as the other, 1986, and this was also nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Baftas. Unfortunately, both films lost out in this category to Offret (from Sweden), whilst Jean De Florette picked up several major awards. I'm not really surprised due to the ... more

So here's the concluding part of my Jean De Florette / Manon Des Sources review. I'm hoping you've read that one first; if not, go back and read it! This won't make sense unless you've read that one first, just as watching Manon Des Sources won't make much sense unless you've first watched Jean De Florette. They're two parts of the same story, and really, this is just the second part of the same review.

Also, I have to warn you, it's virtually impossible to give any analysis of this film without revealing the major plot details of the first film, but I'll try my best not to ruin it.

So, Manon Des Sources. Again, it's directed by Claude Berri, adapted from the novel by Marcel Pagnol, and stars Yves Montand and Daniel Auteuil. This was released in the same year as the other, 1986, and this was also nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Baftas. Unfortunately, both films lost out in this category to Offret (from Sweden), whilst Jean De Florette picked up several major awards. I'm not really surprised due to the nature of both films, but personally I found Manon Des Sources to be the better film.

The story picks up roughly ten years after the events of the first part. Jean's daughter, Manon, has grown into a beautiful young woman (played by Emanuelle Béart). Whilst her mother has moved away to revive her career as an opera singer, Manon has remained in the hills of Provence, where she spends her days herding sheep and sleeps at the home of that elderly couple from the first film.

Meanwhile, in a neat progression from the first film, César and Ugolin (Montard and Auteuil) are both fairly wealthy now that Ugolin has a field full of carnations growing, as well as a plentiful supply of water to support his business. Ugolin watches Manon in the hills, leaves her dead animals as gifts, and professes his love for Manon to his uncle.

But Manon has her eye on the new schoolteacher in the village, and besides, she never really liked Ugolin since she was a young girl. As a young woman, she hates him more than ever, and gets revenge by blocking the local spring, thus depriving Ugolin and all the rest of the village of their only water supply, and anger soon turns to suspicion. Will the guilty be brought to justice and reveal their sins to the rest? It soon becomes clear that there is more to it than the villagers first think.

In many ways, Manon Des Sources is extremely similar to Jean De Florette, as you would expect. It looks the same, it feels pretty much the same, it keeps the same wonderful main theme, and all the fantastic acting from the two main leads remains.

However, I think there is one big change: the mood has become a lot more sombre. This is mainly due to the development of the plot; Manon's revenge is quite sinister and darkly ironic in its own way, and obviously the events of the last film still hang over all the characters.

There are also one or two big twists and surprises along the way which are genuinely emotional. The ending is particularly sad, since it puts a whole new light on everything that has happened over the two films, and makes the audience think about the tragic effect greed can have on people.

Manon Des Sources is generally a more adult film. Ugolin's love for Manon, which he realises will come to nothing, drives him mad, and he performs some bizarre acts, one of which is quite gruesome to watch. Daniel Auteuil grew a moustache to show the ten years of aging, and his performance is a lot more subdued and more serious than comic. His facial expressions are still manic and drippy, but also show how getting older has affected him.

That's not to say there aren't funny moments; the villagers are still amusing in their simple ways, especially in one scene where a geology expert comes to find the cause of the draught and holds a passionate public meeting.

Yves Montard gives another wonderfully natural performance as the aging César Soubeyran, and the new member of the cast, Emanuelle Béart, lights up the screen with her beauty. Her character is very strange, especially in comparison with the Manon of the first film, but she convinces as a wild, natural creature. She hardly speaks until the later stages of the film, but she does make some funny goat-herding noises, crawl around a lot, and at one point dance around naked.

That fantastic harmonica tune is still in evidence, and again is only used at exactly the right moments; maybe to even more emotional effect than its predecessor, if that's possible. The film also looks a lot darker visually (a lot of it takes place at dusk or inside caves), although it still has some stunning views of the hills and countryside.

As I said, I'm not surprised that Jean De Florette is more well-known and won more awards, since it has the star name of Gérard Depardieu, it's easier to enjoy, and it tells the main part of the story, making it possible to watch it as a stand-alone film. Manon Des Sources is really just an extension of that story (albeit a good extension), and relies on you having seen that film.

Personally though, I think this has more emotion, a better pace, and a twist that really puts the icing on the gateau, and perfectly finishes what is a truly wonderful story. The two films really are French cinema classics, and I'd thoroughly recommend them to viewers of any age, with or without any interest in foreign films.

The cheapest price you can buy this for online is £5.95, from www.dvd.co.uk. You can buy the two films together as a set for £11.97 from www.amazon.co.uk.

Directed by: Claude Berri

Starring:

Yves Montard … César Soubeyran
Daniel Auteuil … Ugolin
Emanuelle Béart … Manon
Elisabeth Depardieu … Manon's mother

Running time : 113 minutes

Classification : PG (although it does have some violence and nudity)

My Rating: 5 stars
 

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