Sommersby (1993)

63% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
54% of users liked it
(12,967 ratings)

This Americanized remake of the French classic The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) transports the story's setting from the 16th century Gallic countryside to 19th century Tennessee at the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War. Richard Gere stars as Jack Sommersby, a wealthy landowner who returns to his… More This Americanized remake of the French classic The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) transports the story's setting from the 16th century Gallic countryside to 19th century Tennessee at the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War. Richard Gere stars as Jack Sommersby, a wealthy landowner who returns to his small cotton farming town of Vine Hill three years after the Civil War's end. The defeated Confederate soldier is ready to resume his past life with his young wife Laurel (Jodie Foster). Thinking her husband long dead, however, Laurel has become engaged to Orin Meecham (Bill Pullman), an arrangement she quickly calls off, enraging and embittering Orin. Soon it becomes evident that his experiences have changed Jack thoroughly. A callous and cruel man widely feared before the war, he is now charming and sensitive, offering financial opportunities to an ex-slave and caring for Laurel and his young son. Jack even persuades the town's citizenry that he can rescue their fortunes by pooling resources and switching Vine Hill's chief crop from cotton to tobacco. Jack's scheme works, but Orin becomes increasingly convinced that Jack is in fact an impostor masquerading as the wealthy Sommersby, a suspicion that the smitten and quickly pregnant Laurel secretly shares. When Jack is arrested and charged with a murder he drunkenly committed years before, the court trial leads to some startling revelations about the past. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By: Jon Amiel
Genres: Drama, Romance, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Feb 5, 1993 Wide
On DVD: Sep 21, 1999
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Though there is a near vaccuum at the center of the film, Sommersby is never boring, largely because of Ms. Foster's beautifully self-possessed presence.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
From start to finish, it is a well-crafted film: part love story, part mystery, and all drama.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
A square peg pounded into a round hole -- or, more exactly, a medieval European story that has been unsuccessfully updated to the period of the American Civil War.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
It's really an old-fashioned hankie-soaker with Gere and Foster ably jerking tears. An odd yet convincing couple, they won't replace Rhett and Scarlet, and frankly, my dears, who can? But belles wring and bosoms heave in a manner most pleasing.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
If you're looking for a picturesque romance -- with a little intrigue on the side -- you could do worse than Sommersby.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Lacks whatever magical ingredient there is that makes a film a moving experience and instead settles for being an adequate but not a remarkable achievement.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A winning and soul-stirring exploration of the spiritual meaning of one man's sacrificial death.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
The story idea is an interesting one, but it doesn't quite pan out in the end. There are too many unanswered questions and unresolved conflicts.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
A powerful piece of filmmaking. Gere and Foster are as immaculate as always.
Stephen Farber, Movieline
Hobbled with a meandering script, an erratic performance by Richard Gere, and an overbearing score by Danny Elfman.
Mark R. Leeper, rec.arts.movies.reviews
At least satisfying and often is poignant.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

Unfortunately the whole 'Is he/Isn't he' plot soon gets a little tiring but this is still quite a nice film with some good performances from Gere, Foster and R. Lee Ermey as the unfortunately named Dick Mead. I didn't realise it was a remake, so I'm quite… More
Unfortunately the whole 'Is he/Isn't he' plot soon gets a little tiring but this is still quite a nice film with some good performances from Gere, Foster and R. Lee Ermey as the unfortunately named Dick Mead. I didn't realise it was a remake, so I'm quite intrigued to see The Return of Martin Guerre.
Wahida K

She knew his face. His touch. His voice. She knew everything about him... But the truth.
Lady D

Based on the story "The Return of Martin Guerre" this is a beautifully and inticately woven tale that tests the strength of love and pride. A story with powerful emotions and a dilema which is a tragedy of it's time. Richard Gere who is often criticised as an Actor… More
Based on the story "The Return of Martin Guerre" this is a beautifully and inticately woven tale that tests the strength of love and pride. A story with powerful emotions and a dilema which is a tragedy of it's time. Richard Gere who is often criticised as an Actor gave no reason for criticism here and another good performance from Jodie Foster.
Candy R

Great chemistry between Richard and Jodie. Still not sure if he was or was not her husband! Must watch it again!
Jennifer X

kind of tale of two cities-esque with good story and solid acting.
xGary X

Rather contrived romance saved from schmaltz soaked mediocrity by a winning performance by Gere and some nicely photographed period detail.
Dean M

Jodie Foster and Richard Gere are both superb in this fascinating period love story.
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.tinypic.com/hs3ss6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Sommersby was the story of a man named Jack Sommersby, played by… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.tinypic.com/hs3ss6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Sommersby was the story of a man named Jack Sommersby, played by Richard Gere, a changed man who returned to his hometown after 6 years held prisoner in the Civil War.You will like and dislike his character, first like because he was nice to the slaves, good for his wife(Jody Foster) and dislike cause of who he was before. Now changed, you could understand why he lied, but it was hard to understand why he pretended to be someone he was not. In the end he made the right choice that allows the slaves to keep their land. This movie made you think about right & wrong.
Ina S

Ok, this is horribly cheesy, right? I shouldn't like it, I hate melodrama. But somehow this movie gets me EVERY single time - I cry my eyes out and even forget briefly that I wouldn't normally watch anything with Richard Gere in the leading role. It's a miracle.… More
Ok, this is horribly cheesy, right? I shouldn't like it, I hate melodrama. But somehow this movie gets me EVERY single time - I cry my eyes out and even forget briefly that I wouldn't normally watch anything with Richard Gere in the leading role. It's a miracle. Somewhere in the performances and the story something must hit home with me, inexplicably. I feel ashamed now.
Christopher B

And here's the kind of movie people suffer through when they're dating. I barely remember anything about this film but the boredom.
Leo L

A personal favorite.
Anthony V

Okay remake.