Jean de Florette

Story Line

In a rural French village, an old man and his only remaining relative cast their covetous eyes on an adjoining vacant property. They need its spring water for growing their flowers, and are dismayed to hear that the man who has inherited it is moving in. They block up the spring and watch as their new neighbour tries to keep his crops watered from wells far afield through the hot summer. Though they see his desperate efforts are breaking his health and his wife and daughter's hearts, they think only of getting the water.

“For some men, land and water are more precious than flesh and blood.”

Top Cast

Yves Montand

César Soubeyran, aka 'le Papet'

Gérard Depardieu

Jean Cadoret, hunchback, son of Florette

Daniel Auteuil

Ugolin Soubeyran, nephew of Papet

Elisabeth Depardieu

Aimée Cadoret, wife of Jean

Margarita Lozano

Baptistine, Piedmontese of the cave

Ernestine Mazurowna

Manon Cadoret, daughter of Jean & Aimée