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From Amazon.co.uk
Daniel Auteuil made the jump from in front of the camera to behind it with The Well Digger’s Daughter, choosing to adapt Marcel Pagnol’s story for the big screen. Pagnol also penned the source material to Jean De Florette and Manon Des Sources, two of the most acclaimed and popular French films of the past few decades. And while The Well Digger’s Daughter doesn’t sit side by side with them, it’s still a commendable piece of cinema.
Unashamedly old fashioned in its style, The Well Digger’s Daughter is set around World War II, with Auteuil himself playing the well digger of the film’s title. One of his daughters, meanwhile, is Patricia, and it’s she who begins a short relationship with the son of a wealthy family. He soon disappears, she discovers that she’s pregnant, and from there, the film’s core drama ensues.
You’d hardly call The Well Digger’s Daughter a hard-nosed tail, though, with Auteuil opting for a gentle tone, and an unfussy style for his feature. He recruits a strong cast, too, not least Astrid Berges-Frisbey, who previously made her Hollywood debut in Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
To Auteuil’s credit, it’s a beautifully shot film, one that gently deals with issues of class and standing, even if it’s never got any intention of landing a heavy punch. Still, the film is ultimately a strong, well-mounted production, albeit one that might not linger too long in your brain afterwards. It really is lovely to look at, though. --Jon Foster
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 5.1 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: It's the beginning of the WWII. South of France. Beautiful village girl Patricia (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), 18, is the oldest daughter of a well-digger, Pascal (Daniel Auteuil), who considers her a princess because of her moral qualities. She's kind, devoted. One day, she briefly meets a young man, Jacques, the son of Mazel, owner of the shop where her father buy his material. He's handsome and teasing. Her father's friend, Felipe, would love to marry her, and he invites her to an aviation show. She accepts his invitation only because she knows Jacques is a pilot and will be there. Soon, she'll carry his child, and he'll be gone, and the family will have to deal with this out-of-wedlock pregnancy... ...The Well-Digger's Daughter ( La fille du puisatier ) ( The Well Digger's Daughter )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
An absolutely beautiful and stunning film. From the moment the film opens, with the shot of Patricia (the eldest daughter of the well digger and superbly played by Astrid Berges-Frisbey) walking across a Provencal field strewn with poppies to take her father his lunch, it was obvious that one was in for a cinematic treat. The scenes of the Provencal countryside are magnificent. Daniel Auteuil is marvellous - both as actor in and director of this piece - an adaptation of a novel, set in Provence in 1940, by Marcel Pagnol. The rest of the cast, including Nicolas Duvauchelle as Jacques, the young French fighter pilot with whom Patricia falls in love, do not disappoint. All were excellent in their respective roles, making this one of the best adaptations ever of a Pagnol novel. It should not be missed. Quite why this film failed to gain any awards, other than that of the World Soundtrack Award for 2011, beats me. It should have swept the board.
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Antenna
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Set in the sundrenched Provence countryside near the town of Salon at the outbreak of World War 2, this soft-centred but often surprisingly moving tale follows the well-worn trail of the innocent young girl who falls for a wealthy cad. In this case, Patricia, daughter of a simple but fiercely proud well-digger finds herself pregnant after Jacques, spoiled son of the owner of the local hardware store, has been sent off to fight at the front. How will her father react when he learns that his "angelic princess" is no better than other girls? Will Jacques's doting mother feel her son should "do the decent thing" and marry the girl? As the well-digger observes, "You can't trust people who sell tools but don't use them."
Patricia is more than just a pretty face. In addition to receiving a period of education in Paris with a wealthy benefactor, she has a strong sense of honesty and integrity which may pierce Jacques's worldly cynicism, although you wonder whether he would be capable of being faithful to her in the long run.
There are some entertaining further plot twists in the dogged devotion to Patricia of Félipe,assistant to the well-digger Pascal. In turn, Félipe is loved in longsuffering silence by Patricia's younger sister Amanda. Then there is Pascal's blend of shrewdness and stubborn stupidity, his rueful shouldering of the burden of six daughters after his wife's death.
We see an exploration of some of the dilemmas of French rural society. It is shameful for a daughter to have a bastard child, yet a man's dearest wish is to have a boy child to bear his surname, even if at one remove as a grandson....... Read more ›
Patricia is more than just a pretty face. In addition to receiving a period of education in Paris with a wealthy benefactor, she has a strong sense of honesty and integrity which may pierce Jacques's worldly cynicism, although you wonder whether he would be capable of being faithful to her in the long run.
There are some entertaining further plot twists in the dogged devotion to Patricia of Félipe,assistant to the well-digger Pascal. In turn, Félipe is loved in longsuffering silence by Patricia's younger sister Amanda. Then there is Pascal's blend of shrewdness and stubborn stupidity, his rueful shouldering of the burden of six daughters after his wife's death.
We see an exploration of some of the dilemmas of French rural society. It is shameful for a daughter to have a bastard child, yet a man's dearest wish is to have a boy child to bear his surname, even if at one remove as a grandson....... Read more ›
40 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. Ian A. Macfarlane
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Like 'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon des Sources', this film is based on a story by Maurice Pagnol. Like those two films also, it is beautifully filmed in very pretty French countryside where it does not seem to rain (and perhaps it doesn't in real life, or not much). Visually, it is lovely. It is also a feel-good film with a pleasant dash of French quirkiness. Daniel Auteuil plays Pascal Amoretti, the well-digger of the title, a very decent man with an old-fashioned and rather whimsical set of rural values, who has brought up six pretty daughters - the youngest is four years old, the oldest, Patricia, eighteen. With his assistant Felipe, an entirely good-natured and kindly man, he plies his energetic trade. Patricia meets Jacques Mazel, the son of the local store-keeper, charming and rather dashing (and trustworthy?). She is then fairly rapidly pregnant, he is sent off to war, and they are separated. In any case, the social gap between them is significant, and the Mazels want nothing to do with Amoretti and his family. This leads to Major Complications. The plot works itself out and it all ends .... well, I shouldn't say, so I shan't. It is a thoroughly pleasant film with excellent acting from Auteuil and the other principals. It does not quite have the sharp edge of 'Manon des Sources' and 'Jean', but the course of true love does not run smoothly and it is not a sentimental film #except where the baby is concerned ; he cries as little as it rains in his part of the world#. It is surprising and amusing in places, and there is genuine tenderness in some scenes, especially where the well-digger and his daughter are concerned. I don't think it's a great film, but it is a good one and well worth a look.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Well-Digger's Daughter is a brilliant film. Just go for it. I have not the faintest idea why french films hardly ever reach Danish Movie Theaters or Danish Television, because films like this, is just the best. They knock out any Hollywood production by miles and miles.
And this is a new Pagnol Classic. It will last for years to come.
And this is a new Pagnol Classic. It will last for years to come.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Seen at this year's Alliance Francaise French Film Festival, glorious cinematography a feast for the eye. Some reviewers compare to Jean de Florette, Manon de Sources, there are some comparisons to be drawn: visually similar in scenery and colour tone, Auteuil is in these, and M.Pagnol wrote the source material for these original films. Those comparisons to one side, let this film stand on its own merits. It's a beautiful film about Family, and how they handle and resolve their own conflicts and joys. Each actor is convincing. It's just wonderful.
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A sweet little film
Very touching, rather too long and languid! The acting was good, but it lacked a sense of the period (First World War), despite the comings and goings from the Front.
Published 16 days ago by J Z O
5.0 out of 5 stars
please Hollywood ingnore this film
If ever a film should be a "one of" this is it.A beautifully photographed film shot in a beautiful part of the country it's based in. Read more
Published 16 days ago by tu nombre es
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Lovely Story
I bought a few copies of this film for my daughters for Christmas. We all like Daniel Auteuil and just love the story.
Published 1 month ago by Sanfidele
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quite Brilliant
Although with sub titles, this does not detract from a touching story, full of humour, set in beautiful French countryside.
Published 1 month ago by country mouse
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Well Digger's Daughter [DVD]
Arrived promptly. Well packaged. Gentle film set before the first world war in France in a small country village setting. Highly recommended. Beautifully acted.
Published 2 months ago by Mr. S. Coooke
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pagnol en images
One of the most charming adaptation of a French novel.....As good as Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources...Beautifully written and acted. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Hawcubite
5.0 out of 5 stars
French language film - very beautiful
I loved the film. The language is easy to follow if you speak some french and of course there are subtitles.
Published 2 months ago by WendyWu
5.0 out of 5 stars
A feel good film.
Its a lovely film that all the family enjoyed. It was quite moving and reminded me of Amelie. A joy to watch.
Published 2 months ago by Linda Margaret Hall
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent movie
Ideal family movie.Excellent story and acting.Have passed on movie to my grand children and it gave them as much enjoyment.
Published 3 months ago by Edmund Puddifer
5.0 out of 5 stars
french film
a fine piece of cinema with great scenic effects and good cinema photography with excellent acting by the father and daughter
Published 3 months ago by eric auld
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