The Return of Martin Guerre

Directed by Daniel Vigne, this French historical drama dramatizes a famous real case of imposture in 16th-century France. Martin Guerre, a peasant who abandoned his village years earlier, suddenly returns and is accepted back by his wife Bertrande and his family. Gradually, however, some villagers begin to suspect that the newcomer is not Martin at all but an impostor who has learned the details of his life, and the dispute ends up before a court. The screenplay, written by Jean-Claude Carrière and Vigne with historian Natalie Zemon Davis, draws on the account published in 1561 by Jean de Coras, the judge who heard the original case. Starring Gérard Depardieu and Nathalie Baye, the film won César Awards for its music, original screenplay and production design. It was later remade in the United States as Sommersby, with Jodie Foster in the role originally played by Baye.