This time, I would like to introduce the 2006 American film "A Gift from Provence."
I didn't know Russell Crowe was in a love story too! I had an image of him as a tough, action guy.
Certainly, the image of him in "Gladiator" may be strong! In fact, if you look at his career history, it seems that he hasn't appeared in many romantic movies.
Source: Amazon
The protagonist, Max, is a financial trader in London who is known for being an excellent trader, but his methods are so radical that they border on breaking the rules. He is disliked by his peers and pressured by his superiors, living in an oppressive world.
One day, Max receives news that his uncle Henry, who lives in France, has passed away. To inherit his fortune, Max takes a long-awaited vacation and visits his uncle's mansion and winery in Provence.
Although she had been estranged from Henry for many years, as she spent time renovating the house, memories of her childhood and the many sayings her uncle had taught her came back to her.
Max, who had intended to sell all his inheritance, begins to have doubts about whether life in the bleak city is really what he wants.
Meanwhile, new encounters begin to change his feelings when he falls in love with Fanny, a beautiful woman who works at a restaurant in town, and when Christie, an American woman who claims to be Henry's daughter, visits him.
Will Max sell his uncle's house and winery, or...?
The dynamic nature and beautiful towns of Provence in southern France are the backdrop for the entire film, and the beauty of the images will leave you entranced. The comedy scenes that will make you chuckle and the stylish oldies used in the background music also add a nice touch.
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Natchan
I'm 29 years old and work for a web company. I'm studying wine in the hopes of being able to enjoy it more.
- Iwasu is a sommelier who oversees this website. He runs a bar in Nagoya that stocks a wide range of New Zealand wines.
"Gifts from Provence" detailed information
| Movie genre | Romantic comedy |
| theme | Love, work, family |
| Production year/country | 2006/USA |
| time | 118 minutes |
| director | Ridley Scott |
| original work | Peter Mayle |
| Cast | Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Freddie Highmore, etc. |
The original title is "A Good Year." This is a wine term that means "a good year." It refers to a year in which very good quality wine was produced.
Introducing the director and author of "Provence"
When the film was first released, the director and the lead actor were both very famous, so it caught the attention of many people in Japan, not just wine fans. First, let me introduce the director and the original author.Director: Ridley Scott
British director born in 1965. After gaining experience as a director at the BBC, he went independent and became a film director.
The studio has a long history of producing hit films, including "Alien," "Blade Runner," and "Thelma & Louise" in the 1990s, "Gladiator" and "Hannibal" in the 2000s, and more recently "The Martian" starring Matt Damon.
He has teamed up with Russell Crowe, who starred with him in "A Man from Provence," many times since their collaboration in 2000's "Gladiator," which won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor.
While "Gladiator" was a spectacular historical action spectacle, "Provence Gift" was a modern love story, which created a big gap between the two. However, Scott is such a wine lover that he owns a vineyard in Provence. In that sense, it can be said that this film is "full of the director's hobbies."
Original story: Peter Mayle
A British author famous for his books set in or themed around the Provence region of France.
He is a long-time friend of director Ridley Scott, and the project "A Few Words From Provence" began when Scott approached Mayle with the basic idea for the film.
Mayle is a huge fan of Provence, and after visiting the region so many times, he ended up moving there. His books are all full of vivid descriptions of the local atmosphere.
Among them, "Twelve Months in Provence" has also been translated into Japanese and is a work with many fans.
Introducing the cast of "Gifts from Provence"
Let me introduce the main cast members.Russell Crowe
It may be surprising to know that Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe is originally from New Zealand.
Wellington, the hometown of Russell Crowe, is also the hometown of Peter Jackson, the director of the "Lord of the Rings" series, and is currently the home base of his film production company, with many film production-related studios and offices. As a seaside town rich in nature, it is also famous as a filming location. It is also known as the location where the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was shot.
Wellington is New Zealand's leading film city, often referred to as "Wellywood" after the movie capital of Hollywood.
Russell Crowe was born in such a place and grew up going back and forth between New Zealand and Australia. While living in Australia, he appeared in several TV dramas as a child actor. After going through many twists and turns, including dropping out of high school and playing in a rock band, he made his full-fledged debut in 1990 with his first starring role.
Among his most famous starring roles are "Gladiator" (2000), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, and "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), for which he won a Grammy Award for Best Actor.
In addition to "A Gift from Provence," he has also appeared in many of Ridley Scott's films, and the two are known as close friends.
Marion Cotillard
A French actress born in 1975.
She was born into a family of actors, with her siblings also screenwriters and artists, and she graduated at the top of her class from drama school, giving her an elite image.
The year after "Les Misérables," in 2007, she starred in the biographical film "Les Misérables," about the real-life chanson singer Edith Piaf, for which she won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress, and became a worldwide hit.
Since then, she has continued to work as a talented actress whose name frequently appears in award races, and is extremely popular in Japan.
Freddie Highmore
British actor born in 1995.
Anyone who sees his face as a child actor will immediately know he is the one from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
"A Gift from Provence" was made the year after "Charlie," so you can see her adorable appearance from that time.
Her delicate acting skills were subsequently recognized, and she starred in films such as "The Miracle of Eden" and "The Spiderwick Chronicles," gaining worldwide popularity as a child actor.
In recent years, many of his films have not yet been released in Japan, but he has continued to build his career as an actor, including starring in the popular drama series "The Good Doctor" which began in 2017.
As of 2020, he is 28 years old, so there is no doubt that he still has a bright future ahead of him.
She debuted in 1999, which means she's already been in the entertainment industry for 21 years! Child actors are amazing.
Many people may be wondering, "I know that Provence has a beautiful image, but what is it actually like?" We have put together a simple summary.
Popular resort destinations
The Provence region is located in southeastern France on the Mediterranean coast.
After watching this movie, you'll definitely want to go to Provence!
It seems that the original work has been translated into Japanese, so I think I'll read that first.
Provence as a wine producing region
Provence is one of the oldest regions in France where grapes and wine have been grown.
The Mediterranean climate means that the summers are sunny and dry, making it ideal for growing grapes.
The most distinctive feature of this region's climate is the strong, cold, dry wind called the Mistral , which blows frequently during the cold season from winter to spring and can be strong enough to overturn a car.
While this has a negative impact on human life, the dry wind protects the vineyards from the damage caused by frost, which can lead to mold and other diseases.
When talking about wine in Provence, one thing that cannot be left out is rosé wine . Rosé accounts for 89% of the total wine production in the region (as of 2020), and in the wine industry, the image of "Provence = rosé wine" has been established.
This refreshing, dry rosé wine goes well with local dishes such as Nicoise salad and bouillabaisse.
This Provencal rosé is currently very popular in the UK and the US, especially among the millennial generation. In recent years, it has become well-established among young people as a fashionable wine to drink on the terrace in the summer.
My thoughts on "A Gift from Provence"
My impression after seeing it was... "Provence is great." That's all I can say.
Well, I don't think many people are in a position to inherit a house and winery in such a beautiful location...
Please let me at least dream! (laughs)
The title image gives the impression of a romantic movie, but in fact it also contains many other elements.
Rather than focusing on the process of the hero becoming intimate with the heroine, the story seemed to have a stronger human drama element, with the protagonist rethinking his own life as he comes into contact with a new environment and the people he meets there.
Furthermore, the setting of the story in Provence adds a strong accent to the story.
Although the story concerns wine producers, it is easy to watch and does not require any specialist knowledge, so please feel free to watch it.
It's interesting that, unusually for a wine movie , "a wine that is so bad it's undrinkable" appears, and what's more, the wine actually has a secret... I hope you'll look forward to the plot developments.
The characters of the producers who make these wines are also impressive, as they are down-to-earth but full of love for the fields, so be sure to pay attention.
The supporting characters all had their own unique style as well. Personally, I thought the character of the producer's uncle's wife was really strong and interesting!
Although there are no major hardships or misunderstandings, it is by no means monotonous, and the overall pop and fast-paced development keeps you from getting bored.
The contrast between the hectic city of London and the leisurely countryside of Provence is also well-depicted.
And as it is directed by Ridley Scott, who specializes in manly action and suspense films, there are many elements that men can relate to.
All the women who appeared were super beautiful and sexy!
That's true, but that's not what I'm looking at (laughs).
summary
The film "Provence Gift" is a human drama filled with unique characters and beautiful scenery.
This work will make you feel like you are on holiday in Provence.
We have compiled a list of 15 movies reviewed on this site. Please take a look!
▶ 15 recommended wine movies! Introducing them with comments from sommeliers
