The Return of Martin Guerre/Le retour de Martine Guerre (1982)
I’ve seen the remake of this French drama a couple of times, never knowing it was a remake, so when I learned that The Return of Martin Guerre was the original of Sommersby, I hurried to rent a copy. There were a couple of changes, namely the setting and the ending, and overall I liked the Richard Gere version better, but I’m still glad I saw it.
You’ve got to hand it to Europeans: they know how to make a period piece. I always say to myself, “Where did they film this?” and “Where did they find these people?” The crumbling stones from centuries-old buildings, the lighting only created by candles, and the villagers with missing teeth, greasy hair, and grubby faces can only be found in a true European film. The setting of this movie is truly incredible to look at. It’s as if the filmmakers snuck a camera into a time machine!
The story itself is interesting. A young couple is married at the start of the movie, and when the husband leaves without any explanation, she’s devastated and alone. Ten years later, Gérard Depardieu comes to town, and the villagers rejoice at his return. (In the beginning part of the movie, they managed to find an actor, Stéphane Pean, who looked and sounded like Gérard; pretty cool!) His wife, Nathalie Baye, is overjoyed. But, in the midst of his happy life, a homeless man starts trouble by suggesting that the man who has returned is not who he claims to be. An investigation follows, and the villagers turn on the man they once loved.
If you know Sommersby, you know that this movie is as depressing as it sounds. There’s also a very sinister element of the villagers’ traditions running around in costume terrorizing their neighbors. It’s pretty creepy, and it makes sense why Nathalie didn’t like to live alone all those years. If I were you, I’d stick with Richard Gere. It’s a lot more romantic, even though it’s less of a period piece.
More Gérard Depardieu movies here!
You’ve got to hand it to Europeans: they know how to make a period piece. I always say to myself, “Where did they film this?” and “Where did they find these people?” The crumbling stones from centuries-old buildings, the lighting only created by candles, and the villagers with missing teeth, greasy hair, and grubby faces can only be found in a true European film. The setting of this movie is truly incredible to look at. It’s as if the filmmakers snuck a camera into a time machine!
The story itself is interesting. A young couple is married at the start of the movie, and when the husband leaves without any explanation, she’s devastated and alone. Ten years later, Gérard Depardieu comes to town, and the villagers rejoice at his return. (In the beginning part of the movie, they managed to find an actor, Stéphane Pean, who looked and sounded like Gérard; pretty cool!) His wife, Nathalie Baye, is overjoyed. But, in the midst of his happy life, a homeless man starts trouble by suggesting that the man who has returned is not who he claims to be. An investigation follows, and the villagers turn on the man they once loved.
If you know Sommersby, you know that this movie is as depressing as it sounds. There’s also a very sinister element of the villagers’ traditions running around in costume terrorizing their neighbors. It’s pretty creepy, and it makes sense why Nathalie didn’t like to live alone all those years. If I were you, I’d stick with Richard Gere. It’s a lot more romantic, even though it’s less of a period piece.
More Gérard Depardieu movies here!