''The Well-Digger's Daughter'' () is a 1940 French romantic comedy drama film directed by

Marcel Pagnol Marcel Paul Pagnol (, also ; ; 28 February 1895 – 18 April 1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Regarded as an auteur, in 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the . Pagnol is generally regarded as one of France's ...

Plot

Patricia, a peasant, becomes pregnant by Jacques, a military pilot from a local family. As war breaks out, Jacques serves in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, but his family refuses to support his child and likewise, Patricia's father expels her from her home. Patricia stays with her aunt and gives birth to a boy. After Jacques is reported killed in the war, both families wish to meet their new grandchild. Jacques is not dead, however; he returns and Patricia agrees to marry him.

Selected cast

Raimu Jules Auguste Muraire (18 December 1883 – 20 September 1946), whose stage name was Raimu, was a French actor. He is most famous for playing César in the 'Marseilles trilogy' ('' Marius'', '' Fanny'' and '' César''). Life and career Born in T ...

as Pascal Amoretti *

Fernandel Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French comic actor. Born in Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, a town located in th ...

as Félipe Rambert *

Josette Day Josette Noële Andrée Claire Dagory (31 July 1914 – 27 June 1978), better known as Josette Day, was a French film actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1919 at the age of five. When she was 18, Day was the mistress of Paul Mora ...

as Patricia Amoretti *

Line Noro Line Noro (22 February 1900 – 4 November 1985) was a French stage actor, stage and film actress.Hayward p.172 During the 1930s she played glamorous, often exotic, women in films such as ''Pépé le Moko''. Between 1945 and 1966 Noro was a membe ...

as Marie Mazel *

Georges Grey Georges Grey, born Georges-Jean-Joseph Gacon (1911–1954) was a French actor. In 1948 he starred in the film '' The Lame Devil'' under Sacha Guitry. Biography He studied engineering at university, before going to the Saumur Cavalry School. He ...

as Jacques Mazel * Fernand Charpin as Monsieur Mazel *

Milly Mathis Milly Mathis (8 September 1901 – 30 March 1965) was a French actress who appeared in more than 100 films during her career. Born on 8 September 1901 as Emilienne Pauline Tomasini in Marseilles, France, she made her film debut with a small, uncr ...

as Nathalie * Clairette as Amanda Amoretti * Roberte Arnaud as Roberte Amoretti * Raymonde as Éléonore Amoretti

Reception

In the film's most famous scene, Patricia and Jacques' families and the rest of the village listen to

Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...

's speech of 17 June 1940 announcing the need for an

armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...

in the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

. Because of the scene ''La Fille du puisatier'' has been called the first "

Vichy Vichy (, ; ) is a city in the central French department of Allier. Located on the Allier river, it is a major spa and resort town and during World War II was the capital of Vichy France. As of 2021, Vichy has a population of 25,789. Known f ...

film". Most of the filming occurred before Pétain's speech on the defeat of the

French Third Republic The French Third Republic (, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 1940, after the Fall of France durin ...

, the scene with the speech was added later. French actor

Daniel Auteuil Daniel Auteuil (; born 24 January 1950) is a French actor and director who has appeared in a wide range of film genres, including period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Fest ...

wrote, directed, and starred in a remake of this film in 2011.

References

External links

*
Trailer of the movie
1940 films 1940s romantic comedy-drama films French romantic comedy-drama films French black-and-white films 1940s French-language films Films directed by Marcel Pagnol Films set on the French home front during World War II 1940 comedy films 1940 drama films 1940s French films French pregnancy films 1940s pregnancy films Films scored by Vincent Scotto {{1940s-comedy-drama-film-stub