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IMDbPro

Sommersby

  • 19931993
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
22K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
9,682
1,473
Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer1:56
1 Video
84 Photos
DramaMysteryRomance
A farmer returns home from the Civil War, but his wife begins to suspect that the man is an impostor.A farmer returns home from the Civil War, but his wife begins to suspect that the man is an impostor.A farmer returns home from the Civil War, but his wife begins to suspect that the man is an impostor.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
22K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
9,682
1,473
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Jon Amiel
    • Writers
      • Daniel Vigne(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Jean-Claude Carrière(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Nicholas Meyer(story)
    • Stars
      • Richard Gere
      • Jodie Foster
      • Lanny Flaherty
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Jon Amiel
    • Writers
      • Daniel Vigne(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Jean-Claude Carrière(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Nicholas Meyer(story)
    • Stars
      • Richard Gere
      • Jodie Foster
      • Lanny Flaherty
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 68User reviews
    • 31Critic reviews
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Sommersby
    Trailer 1:56
    Sommersby

    Photos84

    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster in Sommersby (1993)
    Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)
    Jodie Foster and Richard Gere in Sommersby (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Gere
    Richard Gere
    • Jack
    Jodie Foster
    Jodie Foster
    • Laurel
    Lanny Flaherty
    Lanny Flaherty
    • Buck
    Wendell Wellman
    Wendell Wellman
    • Travis
    Bill Pullman
    Bill Pullman
    • Orin
    Brett Kelley
    • Little Rob
    William Windom
    William Windom
    • Reverend Powell
    Clarice Taylor
    Clarice Taylor
    • Esther
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Joseph
    R. Lee Ermey
    R. Lee Ermey
    • Dick Mead
    • (as Ronald Lee Ermey)
    Richard Hamilton
    Richard Hamilton
    • Doc Evans
    Karen Kirschenbauer
    Karen Kirschenbauer
    • Mrs. Evans
    Carter McNeese
    • Storekeeper Wilson
    Dean Whitworth
    • Tom Clemmons
    Stan Kelly
    • John Green
    Stephanie Weaver
    • Mrs. Bundy
    Khaz Benyahmeen
    • Eli
    • (as Khaz B.)
    Joshua David McLerran
    • Boy #1
    • (as Josh McClerren)
    • Director
      • Jon Amiel
    • Writers
      • Daniel Vigne(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Jean-Claude Carrière(film The Return of Martin Guerre)
      • Nicholas Meyer(story) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie is one of several fictional adaptations of a true, famous legal case of imposture from sixteenth century France. The case involved a man named Martin Guerre who, having disappeared from his Basque village in 1548, suddenly reappeared eight years later. Despite his slightly changed appearance, he convinced his family, wife, and fellow villagers that he was indeed Martin Guerre; he and his wife had two more children and he sued a paternal uncle for the claim to his father's estate. That uncle became suspicious that this returned Martin Guerre was actually an impostor named Arnaud du Tilh, and he contrived a way to have him tried for imposture. This suspicion was ultimately confirmed when the actual Martin Guerre arrived in court during du Tilh's trial. Arnaud du Tilh was convicted and hanged in September 1560.
    • Goofs
      The fiddle being played at the homecoming dance is fitted with a chin piece, which was not used until the 20th century.
    • Quotes

      Laurel Sommersby: You are not Jack Sommersby, so why do you keep going on pretending that you are?

      John Robert 'Jack' Sommersby: How do you know I'm not?

      Laurel Sommersby: I know because...

      John Robert 'Jack' Sommersby: How do you know?

      Laurel Sommersby: I know because...

      John Robert 'Jack' Sommersby: How do you know?

      Laurel Sommersby: I know because I never loved him the way that I love you.

      John Robert 'Jack' Sommersby: Now Laurel tell me, from the bottom of your heart. Am I your husband?

      Laurel Sommersby: Yes, you are.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1/The Cemetery Club/Sommersby/The Vanishing/Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

    User reviews68

    Review
    Top review
    Sweet and noble tear jerker
    This is a sweet film with noble causes and a grand love story. I've seen it umm, 4 times? now... An improbable story, but moral, epic, just after the civil war, of an imposter southern gentleman returning to his run down plantation, wife, child, and joining all together, black and white, to bring a tobacco farm to being, against great odds, and prosperity to the town.

    But the man he is posing as must be prosecuted as a criminal... the imposter can continue the ruse and die for the crime, or confess his true identity, and undo his love, his work, his community. He must prove to the court that he is indeed Jack Sommersby, and must extract Fosters (his wife's) testimony, against her will, that he is Jack Sommersby, because as Jack, he will die. A few grand lines... when Foster must say that he is indeed her husband, that she never loved "Jack the way I loved you" and Gere, in his cell, asks her to be there at his hanging "I can do this thing if you are there."

    I've enjoyed it each time I've seen it, and it brings grand tears each time.
    helpful•18
    7
    • gberke
    • Apr 17, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 5, 1993 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Stranger Within
    • Filming locations
      • Lexington, Virginia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Canal+
      • New Regency Productions
      • Alcor Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $50,081,992
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $8,104,624
      • Feb 7, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $140,081,992
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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