Jean de Florette (1986)

Yves Montand: Cesar Soubeyran dit 'Le Papet'

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cesar Soubeyran : A farmer may grow a hump, but a hunchback rarely becomes a farmer.

• Cesar Soubeyran : What kind of man is he?

  Ugolin : He's a typical city-hunchback type.

• Cesar Soubeyran : If you start to strangle a cat, finish it off.

• Cesar Soubeyran : [to Ugolin]  He'll sell it. A pen makes less blisters than a pickaxe.

• Cesar Soubeyran : Now let's talk about other things. I'm going to write to Scratcher.

  Ugolin : Who's she?

  Cesar Soubeyran : You don't know her because she left here before you were born. She had the body of an angel. They called her Scratcher because when the boys tried to kiss her she scratched their faces. She used to sharpen her nails especially. But because of this she ended up a spinster and when her parents died she went to work for the priest at Mimet. About 4 or 5 years ago the pope moved him to Crespin and she should still be with him.

  Ugolin : So long as she didn't scratch him.

  Cesar Soubeyran : Oh, at her age you don't scratch people, and because she was a friend of Florette she must still visit her. I'm going to write immediately.

  Ugolin : And if she's dead?

  Cesar Soubeyran : Not everyone my age is dead.

• Cesar Soubeyran : I know all about springs. They're like pretty girls - ignore them and they're gone.

• Cesar Soubeyran : A farmer may become a hunchback but it's rare for a hunchback to become a farmer.

• Cesar Soubeyran : Remember, it's much easier to push something downhill than uphill, so push him in the direction where he'll fall.

• Cesar Soubeyran : [to Ugolin]  It's over here. See. The spring was by the fig tree. Don't look back! Old man Camoins dug a trench that went down to the end of the field there. That way, the water just ran downhill. Understand? Look by my foot. See how soggy the ground is? The water's blocked, but it'd be easy to release it. That slob let it all go to waste!

• Cesar Soubeyran : So, you're the heir?

  Cousin : No. We were only distant cousins.

  Cesar Soubeyran : Ah, but you'll get something.

  Cousin : No, it'll all go to his sister, Florette.

  Cesar Soubeyran : Is she still alive?

  Cousin : Why shouldn't she be? She's younger than you! I heard her husband had died, but not her.

  Ugolin : Who's this Florette?

• Cesar Soubeyran : [to Ugolin]  Let's say you pass by with a load of cement? You trip, you fall and bang! The cement plugs up the opening!

• Cesar Soubeyran : [to Ugolin]  Galinette! If this heat wave keeps up his corn and the other vegetables will be wiped out.

• [last lines] 

  [dialog in French, lines from English subtitles] 

  Cesar Soubeyran : In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I hereby name you King of Carnations!