The Yocum Library has a large foreign film collection.
In the French selections, there are two sets of French Classic films.
One set is “Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring.”
The other set is “La gloire de mon père” (My Father’s Glory) and “La château de ma mere.”
“Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring” are in the first set. Both movies are in one DVD and in the original French with subtitles: English, Spanish. Closed-captioned.
Set in the 1920s, the village is in the picturesque Provence region of France. There are a lot of conflicting issues, good versus evil, big city living versus small village life and progress or past ways.
The movie viewer will see the closeness of the rural village neighbors to each other, but yet at the same time the polite distance they maintain between themselves.
The viewer gets to see actor Gerard Depardieu’s early work in “Jean de Florette.”
In the second movie “Manon of the Spring,” Jean’s daughter Manon seeks revenge on the village and the Soubeyrans family for killing her father. The viewer will learn why the village did not say or do anything to stop the Soubeyrans. The ending is unexpected.
“Jean de Florette” -1986
*Cast : Montand, Yves,, Depardieu, Gerard,, Auteuil, Daniel., Berri, Claude., Pagnol, Marcel.
*Summary: A man's efforts to farm land inherited from his mother are thwarted by greedy and corrupt neighbors, clannish villagers, and a severe drought.
“Manon of the Spring” - 1986
*Cast : Berri, Claude., Montand, Yves,, Auteuil, Daniel., Depardieu, Gérard,, Beart, Emmanuelle., Petit, Jean-Claude.
Summary: Ten years have passed since the tragic events of Jean de Florette. Jean's daughter Manon, now a beautiful young shepherdess in the nearby hills, appears to accuse the Soubeyrans of killing her father. Tragedy results before César, the neighbor who destroyed Jean, learns the truth of his actions.
The second set of the French Classic Films are set in the turn-of-the-century Provence region of France, The movie viewer see’s life through the eyes of a young Marcel Pagnol. Each movie is in its own case and the DVDs are in the original French with English subtitles.
“La gloire de mon père” (My Father’s Glory) and “La château de ma mere” (My Mother’s Castle) are based on autobiographical novels by Marcel Pagnol and how he spent his childhood at a cottage in Provence (France).
La gloire de mon père (My Father’s Glory) – 1990
*Cast : Robert, Yves,, Poiré, Alain., Tonnerre, Jérôme., Nucéra, Louis,, Caubère, Philippe,, Roussel, Nathalie., Pain, Didier., Liotard, Thérèse., Ciamaca, Julien., Cosma, Vladimir.
Summary: The enchanting story of Marcel Pagnol's childhood in the south of France, and a very special summer when he was 11 years old. In the countryside of Provence he fell under the spell of the rugged hills, made new friends and strengthened the unique bond with his father.
La château de ma mère (My Mother’s Castle) - 1990
*Cast : Robert, Yves,, Poiré, Alain., Tonnerre, Jérôme., Caubère, Philippe,, Roussel, Nathalie., Pain, Didier., Liotard, Thérèse., Ciamaca, Julien., Darras, Jean-Pierre., Cosma, Vladimir.
Summary: Sequel to La gloire de mon père, the story continues of Marcel Pagnol's childhood holidays in Provence. During a Christmas in the region Marcel's affection for the area deepens and he also learns to love and appreciate his mother's true nature.
