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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Grigori Chukhrai (writer)
Valentin Ezhov (writer)
Release Date:
26 December 1960 (USA) more
Tagline:
The Critics All Agree It's Great...And So Will You!
Plot:
During World War II, 19 year old soldier Alyosha gets a medal as a reward for a heroic act at the front... more | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
From 1922-1979: Get Your Film School Starter Pack Now
(From Rope Of Silicon. 23 November 2008, 10:07 PM, PST)
User Comments:
"A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic." more (30 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Vladimir Ivashov | ... | Pvt. Alyosha Skvortsov (as Volodya Ivashov) |
| Zhanna Prokhorenko | ... | Shura |
| Antonina Maksimova | ... | The mother |
| Nikolai Kryuchkov | ... | The general |
| Yevgeni Urbansky | ... | Vasya (the invalid) |
| Elza Lezhdey | ... | The invalid's wife (as E. Lezhdej) |
| Aleksandr Kuznetsov | ... | Gavrilkin (the train sentry) (as A. Kuznetsov) |
| Yevgeni Teterin | ... | The lieutenant ('A terrible beast') (as Ye. Teterin) |
| V. Markova | ... | Liza (Pavlov's wife) |
| Marina Kremnyova | ... | Zoya (neighbor girl) (as M. Kremnnyova) |
| Vladimir Pokrovsky | ... | Pavlov's invalid father (as V. Pokrovsky) |
| Georgi Yumatov | ... | Sergeant giving bars of soap (as G. Yumatov) |
| Gennadi Yukhtin | ... | Pvt. Seryozha Pavlov (as G. Yukhtin) |
| Valentina Telegina | ... | Old woman truck driver (as V. Telegina) |
| Lev Borisov | ... | Joking soldier on train (as L. Borisov) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Баллада о солдате (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Ballad of a Soldier (USA)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
88 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:U | UK:PG (re-rating) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-8
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Life as a Dream (2007) (V) more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (30 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ballada o soldate (1959)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Heartbreaking | johnryder86 |
| where are russians... | rajiv_kuin |
| one of the best war movies ever | richsparta |
| LAST ten min. | Friesen_471 |
| Music | hg_b1 |
| Janus 50 Years, 50 Movies, 50 BLOGS | LandenC |
Recommendations
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| The Man Who Cried | Letyat zhuravli | The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | Anastasia | Cross of Iron |
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb Soviet Union section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
"A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic" is the famous quote by Stalin. In this movie we see a marvellous illustration of the sentiment.
Don't worry; I didn't spoil anything. We learn from the opening narration that this is the story of a fallen hero. With that in mind, the atmosphere of impending tragedy colours the entire film despite the film's rather charming presentation. It's a wonderful irony, because the director opens with such a powerful & nihilistic statement, but then he follows with a sweet and inspiring presentation which you might even call "innocent".
I'm not exactly a fan of war movies, but I don't consider this to be one at all. There are very few details about the war, no politics, no propaganda. Essentially you can replace the Russian uniforms with British, German or Japanese, and the story would remain the same--"The Ballad of a Soldier". Oddly enough, it's the compelling portrayal of rustic life (which he encounters along his journey) that provides the backbone and theme of this film, a very human story.
It reminds me of the Italian classic "Bicycle Thieves" as well as the Japanese masterpiece "Ikuru" by Kurosawa. Each scene packs a lot of heart, and the grand finale brings it all together poetically and artistically. I won't mention any names, but I sure wish certain other artsy Russian directors could be as lucid and authentic in their presentations.
One more thing... I can't end this review without mentioning the SUPERB MUSIC. The composer is listed as Mihkail Ziv, but IMDb offers no biographical info on him. The melody is powerful and epic while being traditional and intimate at the same time. It really mirrors the theme of the film perfectly: things of great importance come in simple packages.
This movie gets 9 stars from me, which is about the highest rating I ever give. See it if you ever get the chance.