In Provence in the 1930s, city-bred hunchback Jean (Gerard Depardieu) brings his family to his mother's old farm with plans for an idyllic life on the land. However, his scheming neighbours, Le Papet (Yves Montand) and Ugoli (Daniel Auteil), covet his farm's little-known water source, and the resulting feud escalates towards tragedy. The story was continued in a second film, 'Manon des Sources', released later the same year.