The Return of Martin Guerre

Rating:
Summary: Medieval verismilitude....
Review: I bought "The Return of Martin Guerre" because I am a history buff, and the film had been described by a leading historian as the most accurate film one could find depicting the life of the middle class in Medieval France. The story line has been redone by Jody Foster and cast in post-Civil War Virginia, but this film is head and shoulders above the remake. If you can't understand French, read the subtitles and watch it more than once.

The setting is a small village in France during the late Middle Ages. The tale centers on a soldier, Martin Guerre played by Gerard Depardieu (in his younger slimmer body), who returns home after years of absence. He renews his relationship with the wife he deserted (or rather begins again since his former relationship left much to be desired). His years away have made him a better person than the callow youth he was when left the village seeking adventure. He has become a loving husband and a hard worker, and discordance seems a thing of the past.

After much hard work, one day, he asks his family to relinquish a parcel of land he says rightfully belongs to him. This request disturbs the family who had assumed he was gone for good and would never assume ownership of the land. Their greed leads them to begin a court proceeding against him charging him as an imposter who has no right to the land.

I found the legal angles of the story quite intriging. It was illuminating to discover there were laws and jurisprudence as well as thoughtful judges during this period. The "humanist" movement had begun, so there were newer provisions for protecting individuals from the group. The contrast of these provisions with the archaic punishments that date from an earlier period is instructive.

Rating:
Summary: Depardieu is beyond Oscar-worthy
Review: I first saw this film in the early 90's and immediately became a huge fan of Gerard. Not only is it suberbly acted, but the direction displays the best of French filmaking: a pace just slow enough to let you think, a plot that requires you to think, and beautiful cinematography to keep you interested while you're thinking. And it still manages to maintain a high level of suspense right up to the heartrending finale. Don't even bother with "Sommersby"! (or that other horrible remake that was released at the same time, "The Vanishing" with Kiefer Sutherland) Hollywood is clueless.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Ever
Review: I first saw this movie years ago when it was first released. It is the ONLY movie I ever left, bought another ticket for, and then went back in to watch a second time. It is mesmerizing. The film is beautifully shot, often looking like a series of oil paintings rather than film. But the beauty of the cinematography is nothing compared to the story itself. It is a legal thriller and a classic romance. While some consider this to be one of Depardieu's greatest films, the real star of this movie is Nathalie Baye, who plays Martin Guerre's wife. She makes believable the behavior of the film's most complex character. Avoid the dubbed version even if you don't know French. The actors who supply the English-speaking voices are terrible.

Rating:
Summary: Love Conquers All
Review: I saw the American version of this movie, which was intensely romantic, and knew I needed to see the original. I'm glad I did.

The performers in this film took me back to medieval France and shared with me their prejudices and suspicions as though I was with them. Their joy and love were palapable.

Rating:
Summary: intriguing story set in medieval times
Review: Intricate story that strongly reminds one of the American film Sommersby. Fascinating setting in medieval France showing likely dress, shelter, means of living, customs at that time. A heartbreaker.

Rating:
Summary: Reply to Hoppy Doppelrocket's "RIDICULOUS"
Review: The fact that "Hoppy" gave this movie less stars based on the plot being "RIDICULOUS" is highly amusing... obviously, s/he has no clue this was based on a true story. Do your research first, Hoppy.

Suggested reading: "The Return of Martin Guerre," ISBN 0674766911, and "The Wife of Martin Guerre," ISBN 0804003211, both of which discuss the real-life events surrounding Martin Guerre, Arnaud du Tilh, and Bertrande de Rols.

Also, the musical version of Martin Guerre is *very* good (ASIN B00000K3WS), though the plot strays very far from the truth.

Rating:
Summary: R I D I C U L O U S
Review: This "film" starring the talented French actor Gerard Depardieu is one of the most absurd, unbelievable stories to be set to film--made doubly so by (or perhaps because of) the ridiculous casting of the uniquely cob-nosed Depardieu as the husband who goes off to war and comes back "improved" (both as a person and we're lead to believe, a lover). No doubt the wife knows he's not the same man who left years before (and this makes the story idiotic from the outset) although she pretends she doesn't (how could she not know?). And (big surprise!) the townsfolk are suspicious. Afterall, how many people look like Depardieu? Well, the movie carries this ruse out for all of two, fairly boring subtitled hours of annoying French-speak and gushy google-eyed lovelooks from the movie's "hero" and "heroine" as the viewer is treated like the fool he (or she) is for watching this drivel. The movie gets two stars (instead of one) because the acting is top-notch.

Believe it not, this movie was remade several years ago (I think it was called "Somersault" or something like that) with better (from a believability standpoint) and worse (from an acting standpoint) casting and starred Richard Gere and Jodie Foster. As ridiculous as the original is, the remake is worse. Avoid both if possible.

Rating:
Summary: Love Conquers All
Review: This film does a very good job of highlighting the drama and emotion of a truly remarkable story. Thankfully it does so without taking the story out of the context of 16th century France, when and where these events actually occured. The movie is based largely on a historical book of the same name. The author, Natalie Zemon Davis, is a respected historian and she also worked with the makers of this film. If you want to know more about this true story and get more historical background I highly recommend the book.

For comparison, check out the American remake of this film, "Sommersby", which stars Richard Gere and is set during the American Civil War.

Rating:
Summary: a trip back in time...
Review: This film does a very good job of highlighting the drama and emotion of a truly remarkable story. Thankfully it does so without taking the story out of the context of 16th century France, when and where these events actually occured. The movie is based largely on a historical book of the same name. The author, Natalie Zemon Davis, is a respected historian and she also worked with the makers of this film. If you want to know more about this true story and get more historical background I highly recommend the book.

For comparison, check out the American remake of this film, "Sommersby", which stars Richard Gere and is set during the American Civil War.

Rating:
Summary: Gerard Depardieu Rules!
Review: This has got to be one of my favorite Gerard Depardieu films of all time. It is a wonderful story about a man who disappears shortly after his marriage. Several years later, the man known as Martin Guerre returns, apparently from a war, but he is much changed. He is more educated and much nicer to his wife than he was when he was first married. Since he looks a bit different, many were wary about who he really was, but then he earned everyone's trust and the love of his wife. This film is beautifully acted and a wonderful romance. Don't even bother with the lame remake "Sommersby", it cannot hold a candle to the original.