I love this movie so much

the audience applauded

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

THE CAPTIVE HEART is one of the earlier movies from Ealing Studios, made before they were known for their genteel, witty comedies. It's a standard WW2 prisoner of war flick, with a greater depth of characterisation than most. At times it gets into romantic and tragic territory, recalling the likes of BRIEF ENCOUNTER, but it also includes some genre tropes and ideas which add excitement. As with many British war films of this era, most of the fun comes from seeing an ensemble cast doing their bit, from the big names like Michael Redgrave and Mervyn Johns right through to the smaller parts from the youthful Gordon Jackson and Sam Kydd.

The movie is a broad photo montage of several stories--from one setting--of British soldiers who were captured early in WWII (1941) and placed in a German POW camp. Is depicts what happens to them and their loved ones, back home, as they are separated by time and space. How do the relationships change? How do they remain the same? What holds them together or drives them apart? Four years can be like a lifetime to those it affects. This is no Stalag 17 or Hogan's Heroes-type movie. I found the movie to be very engaging and enjoyable, even as half of a long-range relationship undergoes very big changes. Changes can range anywhere from physical disability, to "Dear John" letters, to birth and/or death. The relationship often—usually—depend on letters and photos back and forth.

I am surprised more people do not like this movie. First off it is a rare opportunity to see Michael Redgrave and Rachael Kempson together.Spoilers Ahead: The story is about a Czech Captain named Hasek ( Redgrave) who steals the ID of a dead British Officer named Mitchell and gets captured and is thrown into a German POW Camp. What I like is how he and the dead officers wife Celia ( Kempson) fall in love via letters. As it turned out she was better off with Hazel then Mitchell because Mitchell abandoned the family. The real hero of the movie was Private Matthews who volunteers to allow Hasek to take his place in being repatriated back to Britian. When the POW head Major Darlymple asks why? He explains that he is a burglar and has nothing to go back to. He even offers to break into the Kommandant's office and switch Mitchell's name with his. The Major said "That is rather sporting of you, and we have a place for someone of your talents." So by putting someone else ahead of himself ( NOT the usual act of a criminal Matthews ( like Hasek) will have a better life then he ever had before. 9/10 stars

(53%) A very simplistic prisoner of war drama from Ealing studios about a Czech man who changes his identity to that of a British captured soldier to avoid being killed. This looks at the life of both the prisoners and their family back home giving a decent incite into the inner workings of wartime for the vast majority of normal people. The performances are largely standard stuff, with some touches of film noir to the again pretty standard direction. While the plot is predicable with very little in terms of surprises, but the fact that this was released only a few years after the war itself, and as everyone back then who watched this had actually lived through the misery of that page in time, so the makers didn't really attempt to over-aggrandise the events that directors now might feel more inclined. Overall this is so-so matinée stuff that I'd only recommend to big war movie buffs.