Around the Island

Movies at the Library: A French cinematic treat

Sill image from 'The Well-Digger’s Daughter,' a 2011 film directed by Daniel Auteuil. (Courtesy photo)
Sill image from ‘The Well-Digger’s Daughter,’ a 2011 film directed by Daniel Auteuil. (Courtesy photo)

“Great movies, known and unknown” has been the guiding principle for selecting films to be shown in the Movies at the Library series. “The Well-Digger’s Daughter,” a 2011 film directed by Daniel Auteuil, who also plays the male lead, to be shown on Tuesday, November 15, fits this category to a tee.  

Based on a 1940 novel and film by Marcel Pagnol, one of France’s most highly regarded 20th century writers, it remains both great and unknown. Pagnol excelled in almost every medium: memoir, novel and film including two more familiar movies, “Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring.”  “The Well-Digger’s Daughter” is a particularly timely film about honesty, family, class and honor set in the seductive beauty of the Provençal countryside. Titled in French, “La Fille du Puisatier,” it has English subtitles and is just under two hours in length.

Auteuil, who also adapted and directed this love story which is set at the time of World War I, plays the part of Amoretti Pascal, a hard-working well digger, a widower who is father to six daughters. The second oldest is Patricia, played by Astrid Berges-Frisbey. Patricia has the good fortune to be befriended by a rich Parisian woman who enables her to attend a convent school in the city. Patricia emerges as a cultured and stylish woman of 18.

When she returns home to the country, however, her father tries to convince her to marry his long-time employee and good friend, Felipe. Felipe knows the odds are against winning her heart so he buys a car and offers to take Patricia to an air show in a nearby town.

The inevitable happens. Jacques Mazel, a pilot and dashing young son of the wealthy owner of the local general store, is smitten by Patricia and, in no time, poor Felipe’s cause is lost. Jacques sweeps Patricia off her feet and onto his motorcycle. They motor into the countryside, falling in love, with inevitable consequences.

That same night, Jacques is summoned to the front to rejoin his unit and fight in the air war. Miscommunications result in a hasty departure and without a proper goodbye to Patricia. She is put in a quandary, having to confess her pregnancy to her father.

Amoretti gathers the family together and they confront Jacques’ parents who are aghast. They do not believe their son would ever do such a thing, especially to the daughter of a lowly well digger. Patricia has no one to turn to. She is a “lost girl” and she leaves to bear her son in another town. Jacques is declared missing in action and Felipe, who also went away to the war despite his age, returns home. He learns of Patricia’s fate and volunteers to marry her and legitimize her child. But Jacques unexpectedly returns home to find …

Well, you just must come to the Library on Tuesday evening to see the conclusion for yourself.

Manohla Dargis in The New York Times writes, “that the scenario doesn’t develop as expected is one of the minor pleasures of [this film], a pastoral wrapped in gauze, sunlight and sentimentality.”

It is a lovely movie.

So join Shelter Island’s movie fans in the lower level of the Library. See you then!

– Ken Pysher and Ann Dunbar