A YEAR IN PROVENCE SUMMER/FALL

Details

• Release Year: 1993
• Genre: Special Interest
• Plot: To say that the BBC mini-series was 'based on' the books by Peter Mayle is inaccurate. Mayle's books could not be directly adapted to television, because they consist mostly of small vignettes about living in Provence. Most of the stories in the books are written in the style of journal entries, and only last a few pages.; ; It is more accurate to say that the mini-series is 'inspired by' Peter Mayle's books. The mini-series perfectly captures the spirit of Mayle's books by giving us a series of short, half-hour vignettes about living in Provence.; ; The story: Peter Mayle (John Thaw), a middle-aged advertising executive, retires from his London job and moves to a house in the Provencial region of southern France with his wife Annie (Lindsay Duncan). They want to live the 'good life' -- but they quickly discover that, like all good things, the 'good life' must be continuously earned, even in a paradise like Provence.; ; Each of the twelve half-hour episodes covers a different month in the Mayles' first 'Year in Provence.' Over the course of a year, Peter and Annie slowly adjust to life in their new home. Many of the episodes show them experiencing the 'culture shock' of living in southeast France. In February, they must adjust to the 'Mistral,' the interminable Provencial wind that blows without stopping for an entire month. In September, they harvest the grapes from Peter's wine vineyard -- only to learn that the grapes will not be used to create a great wine, but instead will be processed with grapes from other vineyards into an 'industrial wine' at a local factory. And in December, they learn the intricacies and headaches of local politics as a debate rages through their Provincial town over who will play Péré Noel (Father Christmas) on Christmas Eve.; ; Peter and Annie must also learn to live with the eccentricities of the French. These include Riviéré, their scruffy, unwashed neighbor who owns a wood full of high-priced truffle mushrooms; Antoine, the keeper of Peter's backyard vineyard; and the endless stream of workmen, led by the plumber, Mr. Columbani, who come to the Mayles' new house to fix up and remodel the kitchens, bathrooms, etc. As the year progresses, these people will become close friends of the Mayles.
• Cast: Susie Blake, John Thaw, Lindsay Duncan, Jean-Pierre Delage, Jo Doumerg, Marcel Champel, Christian Lucciana, Christian Luciani, Bernard Spiegel, Jean-Marie Juan, Annie Sinigalia, Alfred Molina, Catherine Rabett, Olivier Marchal, Frédérique Bonnal, Bernard Malaterre, Harry Hall, Cedric Aiello, Fedele Papalia, Daisy Sadler, Francis Lax, Agnès Pelletier, Emile Berot, Daniel Milgram, Mireille Chaulet, Rémy Ventura, Dominique Noé, Magalie Kaim, Alice Aniel, Géo Beuf, Annie Ollier, Noelle Perna, Robert Ripa, Marie-France Mitan, Jim Carter, Geoffrey Hutchings, Maggie Steed, Edna Doré, Mary Maddox, James Fleet, Bruno Constantini, Jacqueline Apchie, Frank Middlemass, Eric Bérenger, Jocelyne Male, Rosette Jaubert, Colin Stinton, Richard Guedj, Bertrand Bautheac, Nicolas Serreau, Zénaïde Rossi, Claude Brosset, Sylvain Corthay, Delphine Rich, Geoffroy Thiebaut, Patricia Barzyk, Olivier Pico, Patricia Malvoisin, Amélie Prévost, Pierre Londiche, David Gabison, Denise Costanzo-Ruff, Pierre Cosso, Nadine Spinoza, Claude Robin, Sylvie Herbert, Hélène Hily, Nettie Deghmache, Edmonde Franchi, Marie-José Courtois, Sylvie Ferro, Véronique Kapoyan, Minouche Graglia, Jean Allaz, Alain Aparis, Mohamed Adi Bouafia, Pierre Castello, Jean-Baptiste Chaudoul, Jack Chissick, Cédric Colas, Liz Crowther, Raoul Curet, Marc Estrada, Alain Frérot, Dominique Hulin, Maryse Kuster, Louis Lyonnet, Eileen Maciejewska, Annie Marquez, Claire Massabo, Tony Mathews, Jean-Marc Maurel, Antoinette Moya, Francine Olivier, Jean Panisse, Pierre Pellet, Michel Pilorgé, Cynthia Powell, Tim Preece, Astrid Renoux, David Tucker
• Director: David Tucker
• Runtime: 0
• Company: BBC
• Media Format: movie