When I was a kid, my parents took my brother and I to see a French movie called "Jean de Florette." In order to try and get a young American child like me excited about it, my father described it to me as a "western." My mom objected, but my father made some kind of rationale, and left it at that.
Well, there are some vague similarities to westerns. The story takes place more or less in that timeline (probably a little after it). It happens in a rural, mountainous setting, although it is not the American West, or even Italy for a Spaghetti Western. It takes places in southeastern France. It does involve theft of property and local rivalries, but there is absolutely nothing like a typical showdown at high noon. In fact, there are hardly guns of any kind, other than for hunting, and that is used very differently.
In short, my mom was right. It is not really a western.
What it was, however, was a damn good movie. It is the first of a two-part movie series, and both parts were, in fact, quite beautiful, as well as moving.
If you have not seen it before, I would highly recommend it. Some people do not
The story was originally written by French writer Marcel Pagnol. He grew up in Provence, and most of his stories thus take place there.
This movie, "Le temps des secrets," was no exception. Indeed, it is autobiographical, revisiting an important and crucial time in the life of Pagnol.
Much like the other stories of Pagnol, this one is set in the mountains of Provence, so there is some stunning natural beauty throughout. There is a very pastoral feel to the movie, save for the scenes that take place in Marseille. Since most of the scenes focus on children - kids who are either pre-teen, or in their very early teen years - you also get the sense of a heightened awareness of the natural setting, and an appreciation for the smaller joys and aspects to it, such as skipping in small puddles.
It is an age when one is still a child, yet beginning to flirt with adulthood. More adult responsibilities, and more adult feelings. Pagnol finds himself falling for a girl for the first time. As first loves tend to be at that age, it feels magical. She is young like him, and beautiful. And she seems to teach him a new way of looking at things, even a whole new approach to life. It is a summer romance at a perfect age for both the boy and the girl.
However, there is a question of class, because she comes from a far wealthier family than he does, and he clearly feels self-conscious about that. Also, spending time with her means spending less time with his boyhood best friend, who himself is a local farmer. So Pagnol is experiencing more questions - and more awareness and paradoxes - with the whole class issue on two different levels.
Also, Pagnol is starting to learn deeper truths about his own family. Things which had eluded him to this point during his childhood. When he begins to lash out and test them, he finds out the hard way that some things should not be lightly be spoken about, or weaponized. He feels shamed, but it takes him quite a bit of time to even come to terms with that much.
Really, I just happened on this movie, and was glad that I did. Like Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, it is a beautiful movie, with a wonderfully engaging story, as well as beautiful imagery. You really feel the characters, and it allows you to relive the magic of that magical age when childhood receives it's first brushes with adulthood.
Highly recommended!
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