The Return of Martin Guerre

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Well, my major at college here in the US is graphic design, but I have to do a number of core subjects do to too, Western Civilization being one of them.

This is in two modules, one this semester and one next and looks to be a fantastic overview of the history of mankind from the year dot to date.

As part of this first semester's course, I have to study the book 'The Return of Martin Guerre'. I'd never heard of it before, but it takes on certain events of a French peasant man leaving his family, only for an imposter to take it over a few years later.

Quite a famous case apparently, based near Toulouse in the 16th century. Apparently the movie Sommersby was based on it.

I find it ironic that I move across the world and end up studying a little bit more of France :)

Anyone read this book or account?

[cooperlola]

It was a book my father loved which I therefore read in my late teens - one of the shortest I've ever read but wonderful.  Made as a movie with the thinking woman's lorry driver, and re-made for the US market as Sommersby, as you say.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I just hope they don't make us watch Sommersby though! ;)

[Clarkkent]

If I recall correctly, the Martin Guerre story was the subject of a musical by the same team that wrote Les Mis. It bombed!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Well, finally after reading the book and film, I managed to sit down and write my essay.

http://college-assignments.blogspot.com/2011/03/return-of-martin-guerre.html

Got an A for it :)

[Clair]

[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]... I have to study the book 'The Return of Martin Guerre'. I'd never heard of it before, but it takes on certain events of a French peasant man leaving his family, only for an imposter to take it over a few years later.

Quite a famous case apparently, based near Toulouse in the 16th century. Apparently the movie Sommersby was based on it.

I find it ironic that I move across the world and end up studying a little bit more of France :)

Anyone read this book or account?[/quote]

I had to read it and do a dissertation on it as part of my exams, way, way back when...

Were the villagers fooled? Was the wife complicit in the deception? Who was the imposter?

Some ten years before the US film Sommersby, where Richard Gere plays the "Martin Guerre" US character and Jodie Foster plays the abandoned wife, there was the French film Le Retour de Martin Guerre, with Gérard Depardieu (before he became a monstre sacré) and Natalie Baye (who played De Caprio's character's mother in Catch Me If You Can, and is also known as Johnny Halliday's former partner and mother of his daughter).

As I remember (it's been a long time), both films are faithful to the story, although the French version is less fluffy than the US one.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

The wife must certainly have known he wasn't the real Martin Guerre. I have little doubt about that.

If you read my essay, you'll see there's quite a lot of inaccuracy in the film, but I don't think it detracts too much from the overall story.

[woolybanana]

Well, the idea that identities can be faked is an interesting one, but for them to be accepted there has to be complicity, one would think. And the wife was perhaps prepared to accept this man in her life and bed because it was all gain for her.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I think that's pretty much spot on Wooly. She was without husband for 8 years, and really her husband before that was very poor (although you'd have to take into account his immaturity and young age of getting married). This new guy turns up and was a proper husband to her.