"In June 1952, Marcel Pagnol undertook to shoot the film. In order to retain the atmosphere, Marcel and Jacqueline moved in a house in the village. The film was shot from beginning to end in La Treille and its surroundings. Shy Rellys was their host; every morning, he would shave and drink coffee with his author who explained to him the subtleties of Ugolin's part. This very summer was particularly blistering hot. So, they would wake up early to work before the day became scorching hot; sometimes, however, the cameraman would observe that the actors "had their nose in their mouth and my grandmother's wrinkles" for the sun was at its zenith."
René Pagnol

Manon des sources ("Manon of the Spring") (1st part)

Production

Producer: Les Films Marcel Pagnol.
Screen play, dialogues and direction: Marcel Pagnol.
Visuals: Willy Faktorovitch.
Set: Eugène Delfau.
Location: La Treille.
Editing: Raymonde and Jacques Bianchi.
Music: Raymond Legrand.
First public screening: Nice, December 1952.
Running time: 1h58.

Performers

Jacqueline Pagnol - Manon
Raymond Pellegrin - L'instituteur
Rellys - Ugolin
Henri Poupon - Le papet
Robert Vattier - M. Belloiseau
Fernand Sardou - Le maire
Charles Blavette - Pamphile
Henri Vilbert - Le curé
Edouard Delmont - Anglade
Marcelle Geniat - Baptistine

Story

Manon, a wild shepherdess driven on by a desire for revenge, does not settle for turning away poor Ugolin who proclaims his passion for her to everyone. She diverts the spring which supplies the village fountain with water. The entire village is doomed to death.