One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1970)

Director:

Caspar Wrede

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (writer)
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (novel)

Release Date:

7 December 1970 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Fly-on-the-wall treatment of an ordinary day in the life of a prisoner in Stalin's Gulag. Closely adapted...

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner | Gulag | Russia | Political | Prison Camp

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tom Courtenay	...	Ivan Denisovich
Espen Skjønberg	...	Tiurin
Alf Malland	...	Fetiukov
Frimann Falck Clausen	...	Senka
Jo Skønberg	...	Gopchik
Odd Jan Sandsdalen	...	Eino
Torstein Rustdal	...	Vaino
James Maxwell	...	Captain
Alfred Burke	...	Alyosha
Eric Thompson	...	Tsetzar
John Cording	...	Pavlo
Matthew Guinness	...	Kilgas
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Bjørnstad
Paul Connell
Sverre Hansen
Wolfe Morris
Kjell Stormoen
Caspar Wrede

Also Known As:

En dag i Ivan Denisovitsj' liv (Norway)

Runtime:

Germany:105 min | Norway:104 min | USA:100 min

Country:

UK | Norway

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A | Finland:S (1994) | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Norway:11 (re-rating) | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:G | West Germany:12 (bw)

Filming Locations:

Black Park Country Park, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Group W Films LLC

Quotes:

[Ivan is told the Communist Party has decreed the sun reaches zenith one hour after noon.]
Ivan Denisovich: Can they even tell the sun what to do?

Movie Connections:

Remake of "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (#1.6)" (1963)

As depressing as the book.. a true work of art..read the book first

I searched long and hard for a copy of this film and when I found it.. I was not disappointed. Depressing, dark, heavy, without hope.. Just like the book was written to make you feel! I wanted the film to end... release me... but I could not turn the VCR off. I was glued. No matter what your lot.. this film will make you feel glad you are not in that Hell-hole of a camp...You have your human dignity.

I have never seen a film that so closely follows the book from which it was adapted. Not adapted.. transcribed, almost word for word. The performances seen surreal, flat, hollow, lifeless. Not even an extra touch of art to shore up your sinking feelings as you plunge head first into utter hopelessness.

View this movie if you can find it... You will be happy you did.. and happier still when it is over. Your problems won't seem so bad!