The Return of the Soldier is a 1982 British drama film starring Alan Bates as Baldry and co-starring Julie Christie, Ian Holm, Glenda Jackson, and Ann-Margret about a shell-shocked officer's return from the First World War.

It was directed by Alan Bridges and written by Hugh Whitemore based on the 1918 novel of the same name by Rebecca West.

In 1914, a group of British soldiers is preparing to leave England to fight on the Western Front in France, led by Captain Chris Baldry.

Their quiet war is shattered by the unexpected visit of a Margaret Grey, who has received a telegram from Chris.

To return him to the present, the horrors of the war and the memory of a son he lost to illness, would be cruel.

His body demeanor changes visibly and he starts striding towards the house, looking as his cousin Jenny remarks "every inch a soldier."

"The cast and crew kept working without being paid, and finally another British production company came through with some more money.

[3] Vincent Canby of the New York Times praised the film and wrote he "had no idea that anything depending on amnesia could still be so affecting, largely because of the splendid, perfectly integrated performances by Glenda Jackson, Julie Christie and Ann-Margret.