Set in the South just after the US Civil War, Laurel Sommersby is just managing to work the farm without her husband, believed killed in battle. By all accounts, Jack Sommersby was not a pleasant man, thus when he suddenly returns, Laurel has mixed emotions. It appears that Jack has changed a great deal, leading some people to believe that this is not actually Jack but an imposter. Laurel herself is unsure, but willing to take the man into her home, and perhaps later into her heart.
Acting
Foster's eyes do half the dialogue
Writing
Twist that recontextualizes every tender scene
Production
Dusty authenticity of 1860s Tennessee
Director
Jon Amiel
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Remake of 1982 French film 'The Return of Martin Guerre,' itself based on a 16th-century case.
The film quietly subverts the 'noble Confederate' trope by making Jack's redemption tied to rejecting that past entirely.
US
