Film Review: Sommersby (1993)

Real life can create stories more amazing than anything from the imagination of screenwriters. One such story was recorded in 16th Century France, inspiring numerous works of literature before being brought on screen as Return of Martin Guerre, popular 1982 French film starring Gerard Depardieu. Like many successful French films in 1980s and 1990s, it received Hollywood remake in the form of Sommersby, 1993 period drama directed by Jon Amiel.

Unlike French film, which stuck to the historical facts, American version is fiction, with setting changed to Tennessee two years after the end of US Civil War. One participants of that bloody conflict, former Confederate soldier Jack Sommersby (played by Richard Gere) returns to small town of Vine Hill where used to own large farm before the war. Sommersby’s appearance has changed, apparently due to years under harsh conditions in Union prison camp, but he is recognised by most friends and, most importantly, his wife Laurel (played by Jodie Foster) with whom he had a son Rob (played by Brett Kelley). Sommersby begins to rebuild not only his life, but also the life of war-ravaged community, with his ambitious tobacco-planting scheme that would make townsfolk sharing crops and eventually buying property. One person who isn’t enthusiastic about Sommersby’s return is Orrin Meacham (played by Bill Pullman), one of the neighbours who courted Laurel during Sommersby’s absence and who begins to suspect that Jack Sommersby is actually an impostor. Small but telling details give him argument, but the most obvious is newly arrived man being shrewd businessman and loving husband, something that pre-war Sommersby – wife-beating drunk who was losing money – was not. Laurel, however, doesn’t care, because she has fallen in love with “Sommersby”. But the fate brings another tragic twist, forcing “Sommersby” to choose between his old and new life.

Script by Nicholas Meyer and Sarah Kernochan, by changing setting to post-Civil War South, has made the plot not only more comprehensible to American audience, but also more convincing. Large budget and great effort was invested in reconstructing the period, which included not only props, costumes, sets and authentic locations, but also adding some social and political issues to the plot, namely the tensions between newly freed black slaves and their former white owners, both faced with devastation and poverty. But in its essence Sommersby is an old-fashioned melodrama that had brought so much success to Hollywood in its glorious past decades. Jon Amiel, British director until that time known mostly for his television work, has handled the task very well, maintaining excellent pace, giving good exposition and bringing many interesting and memorable characters, played by diverse and talented cast.

The most valuable members of the cast are the stars. Richard Gere plays almost classic romantic hero who, despite some of his character’s decisions and choices not being well-explained, remains one of the most effective roles of his career. Gere effortlessly radiates charisma on screen and it is easy to see how Sommersby would become leader of entire community, giving destitute and desperate people hope and sense of purpose. It is also obvious how he would seduce woman who despised and feared his past alter ego. Jodie Foster in one of her rare truly romantic roles is wonderful in the role of wife and mother, and her excellent chemistry with Gere played large part in film’s success. Their work elevates film, especially near the end when the melodramatic twist could have sunk the film with less talented cast. Another thing that makes Sommersby surprisingly effective film is music score by Danny Elfman, one of the most memorable and the most effective in his career. Despite deviating from the real history, this film shows that Hollywood can still make very good use of it. Sommersby can be recommended as one of those great films that Hollywood was supposed not to make any more.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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