During the 80's, French filmmakers were encouraged by the Mitterand government, especially its Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, to make period pieces. Movies about the history of France, its landscape, and the character of its people. This happened because the French cinema had to face stiff competition from foreign films. Gone were the days when a few French films could dominate the box-office. Now, they had to face the American film industry, already strong in the previous decades, and international productions.
In a sense, Lang's move succeeded. Indeed, such films were not only successful, but also of considerable quality, a prime example of that being Claude Berri's "Jean de Florette" (1986). Moviegoers were interested in learning about the past, at least a dramatised version of it. And one couldn't find a better film showing exactly that than "Le retour de Martin Guerre".
Based on the true story of a man who pretended to be the titular hero and fooled a small French village in the middle of the sixteenth century, the movie describes his antics, from his arrival to the village, to his trial for deceit after an accusation of an alleged relative of his. This premise leaves lots of space for an interesting portrayal of life in the early Renaissance and the beliefs of the people at the time.
At first, the stranger (Gérard Depardieu) is treated with love and respect. Having fought in the Hundred Years War and thought dead, his return (if he truly is Martin Guerre) is an event of utmost importance for the small-town residents of the village. In the Renaissance, as is the case now in some communities, men, especially those with families, Martin being the father of a boy, were considered the most important members of the society. So, not only has a long-lost person returned, but also a capable member of the community has come to contribute again.
In the nineteenth century, there was the famous case of Phineas Gage, a construction worker who was wounded in the head by a rod passing through it as a result of an explosion. His behaviour changed dramatically after this accident, and he was transformed, from a kind-hearted man, to one who was irritable and spiteful. One could compare the stranger's behaviour with Phineas Gage's case. The real Guerre was said to be a rude, cold man, who showed no love to his wife. Yet, the person claiming to be him behaves the opposite way. So loving is he to the woman, Bertrande (Nathalie Baye), that she falls for him and tries to protect him during the trial. What could've brought such change to someone's character? War, perhaps, since the man is a veteran of the Battle of Quentin (1556). In an age when science is almost nonexistent such excuses were easily believed. There was no psychologist to confirm the truth of the man's statements. There was only the Church.
The Church was back then the ultimate authority on every matter. Next to the king, they controlled every aspect of the ordinary people's lives. It is indicative that one of the most important witnesses to the trial of the presumed imposter was a priest (André Chaumeau) who, with his passionate speech, easily swayed the judges to a certain direction. If the man was found guilty, the Church would have to condemn not only him, but also Bertrande, since she would have committed adultery, a crime punishable even by death, in such a close-minded society.
Bertrande was one of many examples of women that were back then accused for crimes of minor, if any, importance. Interpreted masterfully by Baye, she is presented as a vulnerable being, whose human need for love is deemed unacceptable by her community. That Baye could play such different characters as the prostitute Nicole in "La Balance", and Bertrande in "Le retour de Martin Guerre" in the same year just goes to show her undeniable talent. In a sense, they are both people of the same kind; regarded as outcasts by the society due to their social class and sex, they have almost no rights and resort to questionable activities to satisfy their needs, be it personal or financial. Being both the victims of the authorities, they survive by caring only for themselves, something that will put their relationships, with men of dubious moral standings, in trouble.
As for Depardieu, this film was one in which he showed his serious side as an actor, personifying Guerre with an emotional intensity necessary for the role of such a fickle man. He is, essentially, trapped in his own lies, and his effort to untangle this web of lies he has himself constructed proves difficult, and is the primary theme of the film.
Not only were the performances excellent, but also the settings and costumes served the purpose of the movie. Functioning as the visual qualities complementary to the actors' interpretations, they transformed the viewers to this faraway time and proved stunning in their detail.
Interesting is to note that the music score, composed by Michel Portal, won the César award for best film soundtrack when faced with such competition as Vladimir Cosma's "La Boum 2" and Michel Colombier's "Une chambre en ville". To me, this showed the intention of the César Academy to honour scores that might not have had commercial character, but were commendable cinema-wise. Unfortunately, I regard this as a backward decision. In a time when the only movies keeping French cinema alive were commercial films, - "La Boum 2", after all, was more successful than "Le retour de Martin Guerre" - the Academy wished to award a film score that, while high-quality, showed no commercial value, and thus had no relation to the interests of the public. The state of award shows, which are now mostly estranged from reality and the commercial world, was perpetuated by such decisions. We have to decide whether we want these institutions to be a celebration of cinema in general or of modern cinema. Has the soundtrack "La Boum 2" proven to be more timeless than that of "Le retour de Martin Guerre" ? I truly don't know. But the viewers of the time had chosen, what music they preferred for their films, and the authorities ignored them.
Considering all that, what remains of "Le retour de Martin Guerre" is an ambitious film with impeccable costumes and props, of which the performances elevated it to a higher level, with an intriguing topic that may also serve as an examination of early Renaissance society and its beliefs. A film that was met with success when released, despite its uncommercial nature, being part of a more intellectual type of films, with their messages hidden behind the costumes. Still, only the combination of the two could make "Le retour de Martin Guerre" a good movie. It was a big budget film, but one à la française. I think this explains it all.
In a sense, Lang's move succeeded. Indeed, such films were not only successful, but also of considerable quality, a prime example of that being Claude Berri's "Jean de Florette" (1986). Moviegoers were interested in learning about the past, at least a dramatised version of it. And one couldn't find a better film showing exactly that than "Le retour de Martin Guerre".
Based on the true story of a man who pretended to be the titular hero and fooled a small French village in the middle of the sixteenth century, the movie describes his antics, from his arrival to the village, to his trial for deceit after an accusation of an alleged relative of his. This premise leaves lots of space for an interesting portrayal of life in the early Renaissance and the beliefs of the people at the time.
At first, the stranger (Gérard Depardieu) is treated with love and respect. Having fought in the Hundred Years War and thought dead, his return (if he truly is Martin Guerre) is an event of utmost importance for the small-town residents of the village. In the Renaissance, as is the case now in some communities, men, especially those with families, Martin being the father of a boy, were considered the most important members of the society. So, not only has a long-lost person returned, but also a capable member of the community has come to contribute again.
In the nineteenth century, there was the famous case of Phineas Gage, a construction worker who was wounded in the head by a rod passing through it as a result of an explosion. His behaviour changed dramatically after this accident, and he was transformed, from a kind-hearted man, to one who was irritable and spiteful. One could compare the stranger's behaviour with Phineas Gage's case. The real Guerre was said to be a rude, cold man, who showed no love to his wife. Yet, the person claiming to be him behaves the opposite way. So loving is he to the woman, Bertrande (Nathalie Baye), that she falls for him and tries to protect him during the trial. What could've brought such change to someone's character? War, perhaps, since the man is a veteran of the Battle of Quentin (1556). In an age when science is almost nonexistent such excuses were easily believed. There was no psychologist to confirm the truth of the man's statements. There was only the Church.
The Church was back then the ultimate authority on every matter. Next to the king, they controlled every aspect of the ordinary people's lives. It is indicative that one of the most important witnesses to the trial of the presumed imposter was a priest (André Chaumeau) who, with his passionate speech, easily swayed the judges to a certain direction. If the man was found guilty, the Church would have to condemn not only him, but also Bertrande, since she would have committed adultery, a crime punishable even by death, in such a close-minded society.
Bertrande was one of many examples of women that were back then accused for crimes of minor, if any, importance. Interpreted masterfully by Baye, she is presented as a vulnerable being, whose human need for love is deemed unacceptable by her community. That Baye could play such different characters as the prostitute Nicole in "La Balance", and Bertrande in "Le retour de Martin Guerre" in the same year just goes to show her undeniable talent. In a sense, they are both people of the same kind; regarded as outcasts by the society due to their social class and sex, they have almost no rights and resort to questionable activities to satisfy their needs, be it personal or financial. Being both the victims of the authorities, they survive by caring only for themselves, something that will put their relationships, with men of dubious moral standings, in trouble.
As for Depardieu, this film was one in which he showed his serious side as an actor, personifying Guerre with an emotional intensity necessary for the role of such a fickle man. He is, essentially, trapped in his own lies, and his effort to untangle this web of lies he has himself constructed proves difficult, and is the primary theme of the film.
Not only were the performances excellent, but also the settings and costumes served the purpose of the movie. Functioning as the visual qualities complementary to the actors' interpretations, they transformed the viewers to this faraway time and proved stunning in their detail.
Interesting is to note that the music score, composed by Michel Portal, won the César award for best film soundtrack when faced with such competition as Vladimir Cosma's "La Boum 2" and Michel Colombier's "Une chambre en ville". To me, this showed the intention of the César Academy to honour scores that might not have had commercial character, but were commendable cinema-wise. Unfortunately, I regard this as a backward decision. In a time when the only movies keeping French cinema alive were commercial films, - "La Boum 2", after all, was more successful than "Le retour de Martin Guerre" - the Academy wished to award a film score that, while high-quality, showed no commercial value, and thus had no relation to the interests of the public. The state of award shows, which are now mostly estranged from reality and the commercial world, was perpetuated by such decisions. We have to decide whether we want these institutions to be a celebration of cinema in general or of modern cinema. Has the soundtrack "La Boum 2" proven to be more timeless than that of "Le retour de Martin Guerre" ? I truly don't know. But the viewers of the time had chosen, what music they preferred for their films, and the authorities ignored them.
Considering all that, what remains of "Le retour de Martin Guerre" is an ambitious film with impeccable costumes and props, of which the performances elevated it to a higher level, with an intriguing topic that may also serve as an examination of early Renaissance society and its beliefs. A film that was met with success when released, despite its uncommercial nature, being part of a more intellectual type of films, with their messages hidden behind the costumes. Still, only the combination of the two could make "Le retour de Martin Guerre" a good movie. It was a big budget film, but one à la française. I think this explains it all.