Ten years after her father Jean's death, Manon (Beart) has grown into a lovely young woman who tends sheep in the hills. Spying the elusive shepherdess one day, carnation farmer Ugolin (Auteuil) falls helplessly in love, and his Uncle Cesar (Yves Montand) encourages him to court her. Yet as Manon pieces together what really happened to her father's farm years before, she not only rejects Ugolin, but plots revenge.

In this marvelous sequel to"Jean de Florette," director Claude Berri builds on his previous feature with its well-observed portrayal of village life. Infusing his tale with a Greek sense of tragedy, "Manon" tackles themes of desire, fate, and justice. Boasting spectacular performances by Auteuil, Montand, and the bewitching young Beart, "Manon" is a perfect choice for a rainy day (but be sure to watch its predecessor "Jean" first).