DVD/DOWNLOAD OF THE Week

Another Mother’s Son Cert 12, 103 mins Now available on Amazon Video/bt TV Store/itunes/ Sky Store/talktalk TV Store and other download and streaming services. Also available on DVD for £17.99

Starring: Jenny Seagrove, Julian Kostov, Ronan Keating, Amanda Abbington and John Hannah

In 1942, Jersey becomes a prison under the control of the Third Reich. British citizens who were not born on the island are dispatched to Germany, while prisoners of war arrive by the boat-load to build a hulking concrete wall to repel allied counter attacks.

Grocery store proprietor Louisa Gould (Jenny Seagrove) doles out rations to neighbours and family including her brother Harold (Ronan Keating), sister Ivy (Amanda Abbington) and brother-in-law Arthur (John Hannah), who covertly monitors communications to the Germans through the local post office.

A Russian POW called Feodor (Julian Kostov) escapes and seeks refuge under Louisa’s roof. One of her sons, Ralph, has recently been killed in action and the grief- stricken mother tearfully welcomes Feodor as a surrogate, christening her guest Bill.

Alas, Louisa’s unswerving belief in the goodness of fellow islanders could be the downfall of everyone she holds dear. Another Mother’s Son is a well-intentioned drama, which pays tribute to one unsung hero of the Second World War, who risked her life for a tortured stranger. Director Christopher Menaul’s film has flecks of humour and tugs heartstrings to the gentle tempo of composer Mario Grigorov’s melancholic score. Seagrove delivers a measured performance as the maternal protector, who is delighted to hear British planes flying overhead and goads one Nazi commandant, “Don’t let me keep you from your packing.”

Her bravado is tragically misplaced.

Julian Kostov as Feodor and Jenny Seagrove as Louisa Gold in Another Mother’s Son

Ronan Keating as Harold