An intriguing premise, fitting music, and a solid performance by Nathalie Baye make this okay viewing overall, but it is terribly overlong, since the premise just does not have enough in it to last for a two-hour length. The situations and various issues that arise are interesting at first, but it all becomes a bit repetitive, drawn out and monotonous as the film progresses. This was a breakthrough piece for Gérard Depardieu, who does quite a good job, and the film was Academy Award nominated for its apt costumes too. It is quite competently made, and certainly quite watchable, despite somewhat awkward narration and thrills and excitement that are only intermittent. I cannot help but feel however that as a short film the material would have worked better. Either way, it is still worth a look.

After about thirteen or fourteen years I finally was able to see this film again, this time in French with subtitles, not dubbed into German. There was nothing wrong with the German version, the film certainly didn't fail to impress me so much, that I declared this film to be the best Gérard Depardieu has ever done. I think I still have the same opinion, although meanwhile it ties with Les Misérables.Now today I watched it again. I couldn't remember anything really, just parts of scenes and what happened at the end, of course. But then everything came back. The music suddenly seemed familiar, the village, the faces. I still was surprised to see Tcheky Karyo's name in the credits at the end, because I missed him completely, while I recognized Dominique Pinon at once, much younger of course. Again I stood in awe of the costumes and the village scenery. Everything was so convincing and realistic. As if someone had done a time travel and brought back a video. After The Name of the Rose this is the best period film till now. In the art department. But also certainly in acting, writing and directing.Gérard Depardieu and Nathalie Baye deliver performances which are outstanding. Every acting student should watch them, they are masters of their profession. They show emotions which are almost palpable, you feel with them, certainly towards the end, but also during the rest of the time. The script offered them "only" great parts and they created lives out of the printed words. Every gesture, every movement, every look fits and connects the viewer with the story. As if you're in the story, not watching it. There is no doubt whatsoever that this story is real. Even if history should have been a bit different (which I don't know), the story in the film feels real.And I just want to add that everyone who calls M. Depardieu ugly or anything like it, is not only extremely rude but obviously not receptive to any kind of charisma and aura. With actors (as with people in general, right?) looks are not important. Whoever thinks that, should switch from watching films to watching models. There he can get empty beauty.My recommendation is: watch this film. You can hardly spend an evening in a better way. 10 out of 10.

I can't find an attribution, but I think it was Mae West that said: . . . a hard man is good to find . . . Certainly that is the attitude of Nathalie Baye's Bertrande de Rols. The story begins in 1542, not the middle ages as stated, but the age of the Reformation, the Council of Trent and the turbulent religious wars. Though the original Martin Guerre (there is meaning in this name, St. Martin of Tours was actually Hungarian, I believe) is a veteran of the Battle of St. Quentin little of the days current events intrudes on Martin and Bertande's village, and contributes little to this romantic triangle. After two hours the two Martin Guerres cancel each other and what is left is Nathalie Baye's wonderful performance as Bertrande de Rols and her concurrence with Mae West.

This movie has all the elements of fine cinema: Great acting, compelling story, great cinematography, and terrific costumes. But above all this movie is lovingly crafted. It is so nice to be taken back in time to another place and experience life as our ancestors lived. This movie proves that you can do this without updating the script to modern thought. I put this movie on my list of top movies ever made. You may want to compare this move with the Americanized version `Sommersby' and see how a copy can be bad.