“The Return of Martin Guerre” Film by Daniel Vigne Essay

Introduction

The Return of Martin Guerre is a movie that discusses the lifestyle and culture of people in the early medieval period in Western Europe. The movie entails that the medieval period comprised of unexpected change in every aspect of life. The move gives detailed information about the cultures of those periods and it is a brilliantly remade from the French film ‘Le Retour de Martin Guerre’ which is based on some true facts and events that took place in early sixteenth century. This movie clearly depicts social conditions (family set up and social structure) that prevailed during the sixteenth century and earlier.

Analysis

Martin Guerre, the main role played by Gerard Depardieu is married to Bertrande, the girl from a rich family in the village played by Natalie Baye. After some years, Martin disappears after stealing some grains from his father and leaving behind his wife. After several years of vanishing without a footprint, a man appears in the village calling himself Martin. By his looks and a very clear idea about Martin’s life the villagers approve his identity. Even Bertrande and his uncle Pierre Guerre believe that it was him but with some doubts in their mind because the newly arrived person was very intelligent and very diligent in his works.

After a long time a soldier who pass by the village informs that Martin is an impostor and the real Martin has lost one of his legs during a war. After enquiries made Pierre, the imposter is identified as Arnaud du Tilh from a nearby village. Finally he is taken to court and the real Martin presents himself at the court. On completion of judgment, the impostor is sentenced to death. After watching this movie one becomes very sure of French history. Since the film revolves around Peasants and not Aristocrats, it becomes very clear and intimate to audiences. The confusion that existed between the early medieval and the modern era becomes very clear to the viewers through this film. The difficulty faced by Bertrande which is mentioned in Davis’s book in 1983 is ignored in the film as the movie focuses only on modern romance. Comparatively, the film has done an excellent job in giving information historically about early sixteenth century to the audiences who has clear knowledge about nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is seen from the film that the early French medieval period also possess some high state of culture and modern concepts like ‘law and philosophy’. It has been directed in a very effective and stimulating manner. Though Bertrande testifies that it is the real Martin she later confesses that she was bullied by her uncle to say so. This indicates that woman lived in the shade of men and could not have their own opinion though the court requires woman’s testimony to judge the case (Vigne). The movie radiates along two parallel histories of self-invention. The first is the act of engaging in deception and the second is the role of Bertrande in the film. The film is focuses on modern age as it comprises historian activities like false belief and false assumptions which makes it attractive for the present day audience. The complex action and reaction upon each other becomes the main theme of the movie. It also teaches us the history of that period of how the people progress their lives under legal and social environment. The configuration of identity either by conscious or unconscious method is the main concept of the movie (Diefendorf et al. p.6).

The film captivates the beautiful example of the lives and motivations of the common people that are rebuild from the data preserved historically in court records, legal paper and some agreements. This film involves the complete and correct measurement of interpretation of events surrounding Martin Guerre. The movie also show town documents that register economic and legal transactions that took place among the families that account for the rich rustic life in the 16^th century France. The movie is the story of common people who trade, farm and commit simple offense, wed, bring up children and later die (Culture & Expression).

Conclusion

Thus the movie teaches us the consequences faced by ordinary people when they encounter legal issues and also indicates the role of woman in that period. The film is all about the judgement and conceptualization which holds the society together by adding human values to rules, lifestyle, legal issues and also professional ethics.

Works Cited

1. Culture & Expression The Return of Martin Guerre.
2. Diefendorf, Barbara B., Hesse, Carla Alison, Davis, Natalie Zemon & Hesse
3. Carla. Culture and Identity in Early Modern Europe (1500-1800): Essays in Honor of Natalie Zemon Davis. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1993
4. Vigne, Daniel. The Return of Martin Guerre 1982.