The Well-Digger’s Daughter (2012)
83%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins
The Well-Digger’s Daughter” is a cinematic experience that harkens back to a simpler time, where traditional values and simple emotions were at the forefront of storytelling. While some may find it too sentimental, the heartfelt performances and enchanting characters make it a thoroughly well-told tale of family honor lost and regained in wartime France. Auteuil’s direction may not be groundbreaking, but it provides enough old-fashioned entertainment to please on the most minor levels. Overall, this film is like a warm hug from an old friend, comforting and familiar, yet still capable of surprising you with its charm and wit.
The Well-Digger’s Daughter” is like a warm hug from your grandma – comforting, familiar, and a little bit sentimental. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s a lovely story about family, love, and tradition. The French countryside is practically a character in itself, and the performances are heartfelt and charming. Sure, it’s a bit old-fashioned, but sometimes that’s just what you need. Plus, any movie with a title like that is worth checking out, right?
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Kino Lorber
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Chapelle Saint-Sixte, Eygalières, Bouches-du-Rhône, France
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2011
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 47m
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Language(s):French
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Country of origin:France
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 20, 2012 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 24, 2012
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
The Well Digger’s Daughter, Romance, French (Canada), Daniel Auteuil
Worldwide gross: $13,194,167
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $17,370,093
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,763
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,894,230
US/Canada gross: $386,368
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $508,653
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,320
US/Canada opening weekend: $10,273
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $13,524
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,628
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Kad Merad – Félipe Rambert
Sabine Azéma – Mme Mazel
Jean-Pierre Darroussin – M. Mazel
Nicolas Duvauchelle – Jacques Mazel
Astrid Bergès-Frisbey – Patricia Amoretti
Director(s)
Daniel Auteuil
Writer(s)
Daniel Auteuil
Producer(s)
Alain Sarde
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (5)
“The Well-Digger’s Daughter” isn’t a mind-blower; it’s not supposed to be. It’s a light lunch with an old friend whom it’s good to see again.
October 12, 2012 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Auteuil’s direction is a lot like his acting — well-mannered and likable, yet staid and ultimately inconsequential.
October 4, 2012
Drew Hunt
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
To call “The Well Digger’s Daughter” an old-fashioned film is to pay it a compliment. Here is a love story embedded in traditional values.
October 4, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
“The Well-Digger’s Daughter” is perhaps a bit too sentimental. But the performances are so heartfelt that its occasional excesses are easily forgiven.
August 17, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Calvin Wilson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
What resonates is a sense of humanity that sometimes gets lost in films with less regard for traditional storytelling, or respect for simple emotion.
August 10, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
John Anderson
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
Astrid Bergs-Frisbey as Patricia and Jean-Pierre Darroussin are almost enchanting, but it is Auteuil, entering a new career as mature actor-director, whom we want to cheer.
August 8, 2012
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
Overall, The Well-Digger’s Daughter doesn’t entrust any great future as a filmmaker for Auteuil, but it provides enough old-fashioned entertainment to please on the most minor levels.
March 10, 2021
Aaron Pinkston
Battleship Pretension
A thoroughly well-told, if ultimately fairly slight, tale of family honour lost and regained in a France around the time of the Second World War.
October 31, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
This humdrum Thomas Hardy narrative knock-off is as memorable as the holes its main character digs in the ground.
July 25, 2019
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
February 28, 2013 | Rating: B+
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Remake lacks the power of context
October 20, 2012
Marty Mapes
Movie Habit
The countryside of high Provence is a major character all its own.
August 27, 2012
Kelly Vance
East Bay Express…
Plot
A French well digger struggles with his sense of honor and love for his daughter when she becomes involved with the wealthy son of a shopkeeper in this romantic drama.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Daniel Auteuil, who directed and starred in the film, is known for his roles in French cinema and has won numerous awards for his performances.
Daniel-Auteuil.jpg
