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The Well-Digger’s Daughter Director: Daniel Auteuil (2012) Call Number: DVD-V LD12-0802
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Image: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
A remake of the 1950 film with the same title, the film tells the story of a well-digger (Pascale) whose eldest daughter is impregnated by a wealthy young pilot, Jacques. When Jacques abruptly leaves for the frontlines, Pascale is left to contend with the consequences.
As most critics noted, the film’s wealth is its datedness, this is a movie that could easily have been made 50 years ago: “The Well-Digger’s Daughter feels decidedly, almost defiantly, old-fashioned, but not necessarily in a bad way” (O'Sullivan, 2012). It’s a surprise that Auteuil did not at all try to modernize the story, but it’s also noteworthy how well the film did at the box office; maybe the audiences are now hungry for this kind of old-school storytelling.
It’s difficult to disagree with LeSalle: “[This is] the first film directed by the actor Daniel Auteuil, as part of a four-film project to remake films by the writer-director Marcel Pagnol, and if the others are this good, this is a project to look forward to” (2012).
References:
LaSalle, Mick. “The Well Digger's Daughter”. www.sfgate.com. 26 July. 2012.
O'Sullivan, Michael. “The Well Digger's Daughter”. www.washingtonpost.com. 27 July. 2012.
Vulcan Demirkan-Martin
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