CAPTIVE HEARTS

US, 1987, 97 minutes, Colour.
Pat Morita, Chris Makepeace, Michael Sarrazin.
Directed by Paul Almond.

Captive Hearts is a romantic war story - two airmen crash-land in Japan in 1944, are taken in by villagers in a remote area of the country. One is from Hell's Kitchen and takes a tough attitude, resents his presence in the village, tries to escape and dies (Michael Sarrazin). The other, the young hero, is sympathetic, works with the villagers and helps them, gets their trust, begins to understand them, falls in love with a girl in the village (Chris Makepeace). The film wants to show the harmony of different races, the regrettability of war and the bitterness that ensues. The film ends with harmony - although on the way, the various developments of the plot are entirely predictable, as are various details (like attempting to use chopsticks, learning other Japanese customs).

The film is attractively photographed, is directed by Paul Almond. The focus of the film is on the young pilot and the girl - but there is the added benefit of having Pat Morita as the wise man of the village, reprising his style from the Karate Kid films.

A pleasing romance and a positive outlook towards relationships between races.

1.War story? Racial issues? Romance?

2.The winter settings? The atmosphere of the remote Japanese village? Details of life in the village? The seasons? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus on war, prisoners? The focus on romance? The consequences?

4.The opening: Mc Manus and Robert, hit, the crash of the plane, parachuting? Captured by the villagers? The severity of Takayama? Robert almost beheaded? Fukishima and his authority, stopping the execution?

5.The people in the village: the seasons, the building? The prisoners helping them build? Fukishima and his authority? Takayama and his severity? Miyoko and her help, attention? Masato, retarded, playful? The other villagers? The celebration of feasts, the priest's arrival, the new year, the blessing of the house? The contrast with the Japanese soldiers, their severity? The effect of the war on the villagers?

6.Robert, his background, the ordinary American? His clashes with McManus? The attempted escape, saving Miyoko? Discovering McManus? dead? His attraction towards Miyoko? Sharing with her, Japanese courtesy, the meal, being hidden? Fukishima and his training him, the Eagle? His turning against him after the kiss? Christmas and the mistletoe? The soldiers' search, his being concealed? The antagonism of Takayama? Playing with Masato? The decision to leave, his going with Takayama, the threats? The Eagle's intervention? His being saved? Sailing away - to return after the war?

7.Fukishima, his background in the war, the prisoners' camp? The elder of the village and his wisdom? Authority? Saving Robert? Training him? His love for his daughter? His interventions - and then his anger with Robert? Concealing his presence, helping him to escape, the finale with the gun, the Eagle, the farewell?
8.Miyoko, her place in the village, the widow, her father-in-law and the proposal of marriage? Her knowledge of English? Being a teacher? Attraction towards Robert, the courtesies in the house? The mistletoe? Their night together? Being taken by Takayama, freed, the farewell?

9.Takayama, his authority, his belief in the Japanese cause? His attempt to execute Robert? Severity? The final confrontation, the Eagle and his death?

10.Masato, as a younger brother to Robert, playing with him? The threats of the soldiers, of Takayama?

11.McManus, the opposite of Robert, his background, cynicism, resentment, not wanting to work, engineering the escape, the clash with Robert, his death? His ashes and his medal as evidence of his death?

12.Memories of World War Two, American- Japanese relationships? The hostilities of war? The possibilities of friendship?