| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The plot of Manon of the Spring (1986) is set in motion by two pivotal, accidental discoveries made by the adult Manon (Emmanuelle Béart) ten years after the death of her father, Jean. While she has lived for a decade as a reclusive, mountain-dwelling goat-herder, these specific actions transform her from a passive observer into an "avenging angel."
While searching for a goat that has fallen into a deep crevice in the hills, Manon descends into a hidden cave. There, she discovers the underground source—the "mother spring"—that feeds the entire village of Les Bastides, including the fountain in the town square and the farms of the Soubeyrans.
This discovery provides her with a physical weapon. Using iron-oxide clay and rocks found in the cave, she blocks the flow of water. This single action mirrors the crime committed against her father in the first film (Jean de Florette), but on a much larger scale: she effectively sentences the entire village to a devastating drought.
Shortly after finding the spring, Manon happens upon two villagers who are resting in the hills. From her hiding place, she overhears them discussing the death of her father. Crucially, they admit that everyone in the village knew that César ("Papet") and Ugolin Soubeyran had plugged the spring on her father’s land to drive him to ruin.
This revelation provides the emotional catalyst for her revenge. She realizes that her father's death was not just the result of a private conspiracy between the Soubeyrans, but was facilitated by the collective silence and complicity of the neighbors who stood by and watched him struggle.
Simultaneously, a secondary plot line is set in motion when Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) accidentally spots Manon bathing nude in the mountains. This ignites an agonizing, obsessive love in him. His attempts to woo her—which include sewing a ribbon from her hair directly into his own chest—force him to confront the guilt of his past actions, even as Manon is actively working to destroy his livelihood (his carnation farm) by cutting off the water.
| Action | Immediate Result | Plot Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Goat falls in crevice | Manon finds the cave and the "mother spring." | She gains the power to starve the village of water. |
| Overhearing villagers | Manon learns the whole town was complicit in her father's death. | Her revenge expands from just the Soubeyrans to the entire community. |
| Ugolin spies on Manon | Ugolin becomes obsessed with her. | The villain's internal conflict and eventual downfall through guilt are established. |
These actions converge to shift the film from a story of survival into one of calculated justice, leading the villagers to believe the resulting drought is a divine punishment for their "crime of silence."
The summary fails to correctly link the overhearing of the villagers to the act of blocking the spring. It presents the blocking as an immediate result of finding the cave, then introduces the motivation later.
The plot is set in motion by Manon's discovery of the village's complicity in her father's death and her subsequent blocking of their water source. Specifically: 1) Ugolin becomes obsessed with Manon after seeing her bathe. 2) Manon overhears two villagers (hunters) admitting that the whole village knew the Soubeyrans blocked her father's spring. 3) Manon discovers the source of the village's water (often while rescuing a goat). 4) Motivated by the overheard conversation, she blocks the source using rocks and clay, causing a drought.