The Well-Digger’s Daughter

As she cuts across the fields to take her father his lunch, Patricia meets Jacques. She is 18, he is 26. She is pretty, with the fine manners of a young lady; he is a fighter pilot and a handsome young man. A full moon will do the rest on their second meeting. There wont be a third rendezvous as Jacques is sent to the front. Meanwhile, Patricia finds herself pregnant and the boys rich parents accuse her of blackmail. Patricia and her father, the well-digger, will alone have the joy of welcoming her child. A joy that the Mazels will soon envy and seek to share when Jacques goes missing in auction
Daniel Auteuil made the jump from in front of the camera to behind it with The Well Diggers Daughter, choosing to adapt Marcel Pagnols 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 Diggers Daughter doesnt sit side by side with them, its still a commendable piece of cinema.
Unashamedly old fashioned in its style, The Well Diggers Daughter is set around World War II, with Auteuil himself playing the well digger of the films title. One of his daughters, meanwhile, is Patricia, and its she who begins a short relationship with the son of a wealthy family. He soon disappears, she discovers that shes pregnant, and from there, the films core drama ensues.
Youd hardly call The Well Diggers 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 Auteuils credit, its a beautifully shot film, one that gently deals with issues of class and standing, even if its 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