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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 11651
Released: September 21, 1999 |
| Our Price: $7.00 |
| Used Price: $6.50 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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| Features:
Anamorphic Closed-captioned Color Dolby DVD Full Screen Widescreen NTSC | |
Editorial Review:
She knew his face. His touch. His voice. She knew everything about him.. But the truth. Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 09/17/2002 Starring: Richard Gere Bill Pullman Run time: 113 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Jon Amiel
Description of Sommersby:
Based on the French film, The Return of Martin Guerre (which itself was based on a famous court case), this 1993 film by director Jon Amiel recasts the same essential story in post-Civil War Tennessee, in a dirt-poor town suffering the effects of the South's loss. Jodie Foster plays Laurel Sommersby, a widow whose husband died in the Civil War--or so everyone thinks. Then one day, Jack Sommersby (Richard Gere) strolls back into town and back into Laurel's bed--but he's a changed man. Gone is the selfish, nasty individual no one much liked. In his place is a friendly, sensitive, and resourceful new Jack who not only rekindles the long-dead fire of his marriage, but revives the entire town. Except for one small catch: He may not actually be Jack Sommersby at all. Beautifully shot by Amiel (with a great assist from cameraman Philippe Rousselot) from a script by Nicholas Meyer and Sarah Kernochan, the film features a sturdy, even flinty performance by Foster and a beguiling one by Gere. Though the ending will squeeze the tear ducts, the film earns those tears. --Marshall Fine
Sommersby Reviews:
Sommersby 
2009-09-12 - I had been looking for this movie on DVD for a long time. I am thrilled to get it and love the movie. {I even think it is better than the classic "Gone With The Wind".}
Worthwhile
2009-01-30 - This movie is a touching Civil War story that will capture your attention and keep you interested throughout the entire movie.
great love story
2008-12-21 - This is one of my favorite movies. Richard Gere is so sexy in this movie!
Gere & Foster in a film for romantics only 
2008-07-31 - Actor/producer Richard Gere seems to have a habit of translating successful French films into vehicles for himself. Some are successful, some are not (Intersection)--this film is probably one of his best. Based on the film, "The Return of Martin Guerre", which was also made into a Broadway musical, the story is about an Civil war vet who returns home after many years and resurrects his romance with his wife (Foster) who suspects he may not be who he really is, since before the war their relationship was at a stalemate. Also she was being courted by a long time suitor (Bill Pullman) who is warily suspicious of him being who he is. In the interim though he attempts to re-build the broken town by persuading the townspeople to plant tobacco rather than cotton. Of course, there is a plot reversal in the story which challenges his identity and integrity to the limit. I won't go too much into detail on this point but Gere & Foster deliver graceful performances as the ill-fated couple and Bill Pullman etches more than a portrayal of a villain but a man who drawn to extremes in his quest for the love of Laurel (Foster). This film was approriately released during Valentine's Day and if you're a romantic at heart--you will be entralled by this film. If you're cynic at heart, then stay away. This film is a worthy translation of the celebrated French film.
It will leave you wondering who Sommersby is indeed!!
2008-05-28 - Sommersby
Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, Jack Sommersby (Richard Gere) returns, after about six years, to the town of Vine Hill, Tennessee, to find his plantation and house devastated by the ravages of war. Additionally, he encounters his beautiful wife Lauren Sommersby (Jodie Foster), who is actually engaged to another fellow. Sommersby returns as a completely different, loving, working, and caring person, and makes everyone believe he is back. In fact, his romantic relationship with Lauren achieves its most sublime point. He convinces the town to grow tobacco to get out of the wreckage and devastation and is quite successful at that. He even sells pieces of land to dark people to work with.
Everything seems fine until the moment that he is arrested and sent to trail for supposedly killing a man. At this precise moment, his identity is utterly challenged. He is hypothetically not Jack Sommersby, but some other murderer called Townsend. Judie Foster does a superb job at trying to convince the Judge and the Jury that he is not in fact her husband giving away even intimate details. However, Jack himself does the contrary since for him his love for his children and wife and the honor involved are more important than life itself.
I am not about to convey the end of the story. I will only say that this is a great DVD to watch and will leave you wondering who is Jack Sommersby indeed.
By the way, the performances of Richard Gere and Judie Foster are both outstanding, and this is a DVD that you will never forget until the end of your life!
