Exoticalot
People are voting emotionally.
Tayloriona
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
Juana
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Lecuyer
SPOILER!! Of course, being french makes it easier for me to understand the film. But nevertheless I'm surprised by some comments here. No, there is nothing about amnesia in this movie. On the contrary; Gerard Depardieu's memories are quite accurate, and that's the problem... Nothing in common then with The Majestic or other movies about amnesia.And no, Depardieu is not charged with the murder of the "real" Martin Guerre. He is charged for identity usurpation. And the "real" Martin Guerre shows up before the execution...Oh... I forgot... really good movie...
TevildoVardoMeiota
I've seen this film twice, once in French with no subtitles (my French is poor but as I recall the movie intrigued me), and with English sub-titles.Without the distraction of reading the sub-titles the film is a nicely crafted period piece, and in reference to Monty Python, no kings are anywhere in sight. A man returns from war, claims to be Martin, there is general uneasiness in the village, as it turns out this guy gives himself away by being way too nice. The shoemaker blows his cover by discovering his feet are too small. The wifedoesn't complain, I guess not everything was two sizes smaller. He's tried for murdering the real Martin, who turns out to be alive, but he's executed essentially for identity theft. And he didn't even run up his credit cards, which seems a bit severe.The NY Times has this on their list of 1000 best films ever, which mystifies me. One nice touch about the NY times list is a warm place for quirky independent films, like Repo Man, My Life as a Dog, Desperately Seeking Susan. I could go for that. But what I found bizarre was that this was the only "return" film on their list. I'll buy that ROTK wasn't out yet (except that most Times reviewers claim to be omniscient), but to snub Return of the Jedi? The IMDb claimed 399, 239titles last time I looked, and I'd place this solidly towards the middle, maybe even in the top 100,000.
graycat-1
I can't find an attribution, but I think it was Mae West that said: . . . a hard man is good to find . . . Certainly that is the attitude of Nathalie Baye's Bertrande de Rols. The story begins in 1542, not the middle ages as stated, but the age of the Reformation, the Council of Trent and the turbulent religious wars. Though the original Martin Guerre (there is meaning in this name, St. Martin of Tours was actually Hungarian, I believe) is a veteran of the Battle of St. Quentin little of the days current events intrudes on Martin and Bertande's village, and contributes little to this romantic triangle. After two hours the two Martin Guerres cancel each other and what is left is Nathalie Baye's wonderful performance as Bertrande de Rols and her concurrence with Mae West.
Bob-240
This movie has all the elements of fine cinema: Great acting, compelling story, great cinematography, and terrific costumes. But above all this movie is lovingly crafted. It is so nice to be taken back in time to another place and experience life as our ancestors lived. This movie proves that you can do this without updating the script to modern thought. I put this movie on my list of top movies ever made. You may want to compare this move with the Americanized version `Sommersby' and see how a copy can be bad.
