SOMMERSBY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Running Length: 1:53 Rated: PG-13 (Mature themes, sexual situations)
Starring: Richard Gere, Jodie Foster, Bill Pullman, James Earl Jones, Lanny Flaherty Director: John Amiel Producers: Arnon Milchan and Steven Reuther Screenplay: Nicholas Meyer and Sarah Kernochan Music: Danny Elfman Released by Warner Brothers
The United States Civil War has ended and Jack Sommersby (Richard Gere) is returning home to a farm in ruins and a wife (Jodie Foster) who wishes he was dead. It's up to Jack to prove is that he's no longer the person he was six years ago when he left. Gone is the man who gambled and beat his wife, newly replaced by someone of a giving and caring nature. Yet even as Jack begins to assemble a new beginning, questions of identity arise--his identity. Could Jack Sommersby change this much, or is this really him at all?
SOMMERSBY is based on the 1982 French film THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE, and is one of those rare remakes that does not tarnish the image of its inspiration. While SOMMERSBY owes much to its predecessor, it is not a direct copy. There are differences, not only in setting, but in scripting. With the exception of a few early scenes lifted almost directly from MARTIN GUERRE, only the general direction of the movies remains the same. As a result of a cleverly-written screenplay, SOMMERSBY manages to be faithful to the essence of MARTIN GUERRE while also crafting a story that is different in specifics. The transition from 16th Century France to 19th Century America works better than I had dared hope, and allows a few surprises for those who are familiar with MARTIN GUERRE.
First and foremost, SOMMERSBY is a love story. Much screen time is devoted to the relationship between Jack and Laurel. The movie takes its time with its characters; there are no sudden epiphanies. Love, and its realization, comes slowly, with a look and a touch. SOMMERSBY is a perfect example of a film that can be erotic without nudity or overt sexual displays.
In many ways, this film goes against the grain of a typical Hollywood film. It has a slow, leisurely pace, and is almost (but not quite--there is one fight scene) devoid of action. It will be interesting to see how audiences react to this sort of picture, and whether the names of Gere and Foster have enough box-office draw to bring out enough of an audience to trigger what will invariably be a positive word-of-mouth.
In SOMMERSBY, Richard Gere gives one of his most energetic performances in recent years. After a slew of films through which he has drifted with little display of emotion or talent, Gere manages to imbue Jack Sommersby with life. This isn't the performance of a career, but it's effective enough to allow us to accept the picture's title character as a person.
Jodie Foster outdoes her SILENCE OF THE LAMBS performance, again showing why she is among today's most sought-after talents. Foster plays Laurel with equal parts of strength and believability. Often in period pieces such as this, forceful female characters seem anachronistic. SOMMERSBY shows that with good scripting and even better acting, that problem can easily be overcome.
Technically, SOMMERSBY is a superior production. Period details abound and the cinematography is consistently strong, and occasionally breathtaking. Virginia is shown to its best advantage. Composer Danny Elfman, best known for his BATMAN score, delivers something refreshingly different for this film. Occasionally the music is imperfectly matched to the scene, but the typical Elfman repetition is absent. This is his most original work to date.
SOMMERSBY should equally entertain those who have seen THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE and those who have not. From start to finish, it is a well-crafted film: part love story, part mystery, and all drama. Attention has been paid to detail, and the most painful and obvious of Hollywood's contrivances are nowhere to be found. With respect to MARTIN GUERRE, SOMMERSBY is not a "rip-off". It can legitimately be viewed as an homage--the spirit of the story remains intact.
Rating: 9.4 (A, ***1/2)
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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