The Return of the Soldier (1982)

Kitty Baldry (Julie Chirstie) is a haughty society queen with a tunneled view of life. Kitty's complacency is rocked when her husband, Captain Chris Baldry (Alan Bates), returns from the ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Bridges

Writers:

Rebecca West (novel), Hugh Whitemore

Stars:

Julie Christie, Glenda Jackson, Ann-Margret

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Christie	...	Kitty Baldry
Glenda Jackson	...	Margaret Grey
Ann-Margret	...	Jenny Baldry
Alan Bates	...	Chris Baldry
Ian Holm	...	Doctor Anderson
Frank Finlay	...	William Grey
Jeremy Kemp	...	Frank
Hilary Mason	...	Ward
John Sharp	...	Pearson
Elizabeth Edmonds	...	Emery
Valerie Whittington	...	Beatrice
Patsy Byrne	...	Mrs. Plummer
Amanda Grinling	...	Alexandra
Edward de Souza	...	Edward
Michael Cochrane	...	Stephen

Storyline

Kitty Baldry (Julie Chirstie) is a haughty society queen with a tunneled view of life. Kitty's complacency is rocked when her husband, Captain Chris Baldry (Alan Bates), returns from the front during the First World War shell-shocked and suffering amnesia, not knowing who she is and determined for a reunion with Margaret Grey (Glenda Jackson), a working class lover from his past. Kitty employs psychiatrist Dr. Gilbert Anderson (Ian Holm), to help unscramble her husband's feelings for the women in his new disoriented life including his all-too caring cousin Jenny (Ann-Margret), but ultimately comes to realize that the man she knew is unreachable, as dead as the past he pines for.

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Plot Keywords:

amnesia | old flame | suppressed memory | family tragedy | attitude adjustment | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some violent images and language

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 February 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

A katona hazatér

Filming Locations:

Selston, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Barry R. Cooper Productions,Brent Walker Pictures,Skreba Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the first film in the UK to be rated by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) with the then new PG certificate classification.

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Connections

Referenced in Liberty Street: Return of the Soldier (1995)

User Reviews

I so agree!

It's a perfect film, and Ann-Margret with little or no makeup, mousy brown hair and a -- to my ears -- perfect British accent might have been totally unrecognizable if I hadn't already known she was in the cast. I can't say I was totally surprised at how good she was, since I have liked all her performances since Carnal Knowledge (I could just weep over all the wasted years and crummy movies preceding it), but the way she held her own as an Englishwoman with the royalty of the British screen was pretty impressive.

Bates is utterly heartbreaking and Jackson is quite wonderful. She is at, almost, her least physically attractive, which adds to the poignancy. Christie on the contrary, as a selfish and shallow beauty, really IS a beauty in the film, still, which adds to the interest. She is being overlooked in favor of Jackson, to whom the years have not been kind.