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Best movie of this year hands down!

People are voting emotionally.

How sad is this?

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Claude Berri did it again with the sequel to "Jean de Florette." Both films are master classes in direction. I can't say anything bad about "Manon." Like its prequel, the cinematography, acting and story was top notch.Rare for me, I really felt the anguish and pain of Cesar's nephew, Ugolin. (Ugolin has a fitting name considering he's, well, ugly). His spurning by Manon, who he is deeply in love with, was too difficult for him (and I) to bear. When I first started watching foreign films, there were so many, I didn't know which ones to see, so I used to go by which ones had won the Academy Award for best foreign language film or were nominated. Usually, the Academy got it right ("The Tin Drum," "Pelle the Conqueror," "Journey of Hope," "The Virgin Spring," etc.) Sometimes, though, they didn't. "Jean de Florette" and "Manon of the Spring" were both hideously and tragically overlooked by the Academy. Oh well. Like they say, you can't win 'em all.

One is so saddened by the cruelty shown in "Jean de Florette" one would think any sympathy for the two men would be impossible. Manon, the daughter of the cruelly treated hunchback, has stayed behind and is living with an old woman. She is utterly beautiful. Ugolin, who has done her great harm, falls madly in love with her, after he sees her bathing in the nude in a little pool in the rocks.. His uncle, his co-conspirator in the manipulation of the spring in the first movie, wants him married so he can carry on the family name. However, he is not an attractive man and she is both frightened and repulsed by him. She watched him dig up their concrete, releasing the water they had trapped, shortly after the death of her beloved father. Manon gets her revenge by finding an underground source for the water and bringing fear and drought to the population that had wronged her family for no reason. the whole community is beside itself and she blames the two men in the public square as they desperately try to go on. The acting is so precise and believable. The movie is so tight and so terse that we are in on every moment. And we learn that decent men sometimes do terrible things. What an outstanding movie.

When this film was released in Australia, it preceded the release of 'Jean de Florette', the first episode in what really is a continuing tale. Therefore, viewers were mystified by the story, even if they were impressed by the performances. 'Jean de Florette' appeared some months later, too late for cineastes to see Manon again. Luckily, the two are now being presented as a package, giving filmgoers a chance to see the two in the correct order.The result is very impressive indeed. The French continue to give us lessons in movie-making, and this duo was a change from the New Wave that showed us all how movies can be made. Emotions are to the fore, and Manon has revenge imprinted on it. 'Jean de Florette' gave us a hint, as the young Manon listens - and sees. She doesn't say much, but her face tells us that she is thinking through a resolution.I'm reminded of Nicole Kidman, in 'Dogville'. The character, Grace, is put upon by the locals, just as is Manon. The American treatment of revenge is different, with a different kind of violence. Dogville's conclusion is shocking and heart-rending; Whether you regard Emmanuelle Beart's face as more expressive than Nicole Kidman's is probably a very personal thing. But Manon's cold fury is a cinematic masterpiece, and we are well-prepared for the finale. This movie is so good I've no desire to read the book!

no doubt its a masterpiece. movies like these cannot be produced on a regular base, its a beauty for all those people who are sick of today's computer effects based movies. Water, jungle, flowers, rocks, natural atmosphere and a beautiful face (Emmanuelle Béart) what else u want in a movie. Though she does not show too much of her assets (there is very brief scene of nudity) but her beauty was on peak in 1986. Emmanuelle is totally irresistible in this movie. story is excellent, all actors performed very well their characters and this is why its overall rating is above 8. I watched it in french luckily subtitles were available in English and after watching this i thought where the hell was this before, i should have seen this before.So guys don't wait and just watch dis classic.