The Well Digger's Daughter (La Fille du puisatier) (PG)
- Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Kad Merad, Sabine Azéma, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Emilie Cazenave, Marie-Anne Chazel
- Director: Daniel Auteuil
- Duration: 107mins
- Year: 2011
Twenty-five years after hemade his name acting in Claude Berri’s adaptations of two of Marcel Pagnol’s most famous novels, Jean de Florette and Manon des sources, Daniel Auteuil returns to the world of simple country life in Provence (and the place of his own childhood) for his first feature as a director. La fille du puisatier, originally made as a film by the writer himself in 1940, deals with an unmarried girl, Patricia (Astrid Berges- Frisbey), the daughter of the well-digger Pascal Amoretti (Auteuil),who gets herself pregnant just after turning 18. The father-to- be, Jacques (Nicolas Duvauchelle) is not around, having been called up as a fighter pilot in the war and he has gone missing, presumed dead. Since he is also the son of a wealthy businessman,MrMazel (Jean-Pierre Darroussin), the chances are that since the young couple were only together on two occasions, neither the boy nor his family – and certainly not his mother (Sabine Azéma) – are likely to admit to having anything to do with the pregnant daughter of a humble well- digger.
Reviews
Alison Rowat's Review
Daniel Auteuil, that well kent face of French cinema (Jean de Florette, Un Coeur en Hiver) makes his directorial debut with this bucolic period drama. He does a stint front of camera too as Pascal, digger of wells in the south of France parish where the tale is set.
Pascal desires two main things in life – to keep his good name and to see his eldest daughter Patricia (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) married to a good man of working class stock. When she falls for the spoiled son of one of the richest families in the village, papa fears the worst. To complicate matters further, the Second World War is marching closer.
Auteil’s film is nicely locked to a time and place but the tone is all over the shop, ranging from spells of light comedy banter to grand dramatic speeches, most of which he reserves for himself.
But the mix of soapy plotlines and bonnets should keep costume drama aficionados going till the Downton Abbey Christmas special, and the sun drenched setting is warm-your-bones spectacular.