Ivan's Childhood (1962)

In WW2, twelve year old Soviet orphan Ivan Bondarev works for the Soviet army as a scout behind the German lines and strikes a friendship with three sympathetic Soviet officers.

Directors:

Andrei Tarkovsky (as Andrey Tarkovskiy), Eduard Abalov (uncredited)

Writers:

Vladimir Bogomolov (story "Ivan") (as V. Bogomolov), Vladimir Bogomolov (screenplay)

Stars:

Nikolay Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov, Evgeniy Zharikov

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Nikolay Burlyaev	...	Ivan Bondarev (as Kolya Burlyaev)
Valentin Zubkov	...	Leonid Kholin (as V. Zubkov)
Evgeniy Zharikov	...	Galtsev (as Ye. Zharikov)
Stepan Krylov	...	Katasonov (as S. Krylov)
Nikolay Grinko	...	Gryaznov (as N. Grinko)
Dmitri Milyutenko	...	Old Man (as D. Milyutenko)
Valentina Malyavina	...	Masha (as V. Malyavina)
Irina Tarkovskaya	...	Ivan's Mother (as I. Tarkovskaya)
Andrey Konchalovskiy	...	Soldier with glasses (as A. Konchalovskiy)
Ivan Savkin	...	(as I. Savkin)
Vladimir Marenkov	...	(as V. Marenkov)
Vera Miturich	...	Girl

Storyline

During World War II, 12-year old Ivan works as a spy on the eastern front. The small Ivan can cross the German lines unnoticed to collect information. Three Soviet officers try to take care of this boy-child.

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Plot Keywords:

russia | child spy | childhood memory | espionage | world war two | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian German

Release Date:

27 June 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ivan's Childhood

Filming Locations:

Dnieper River, Kanev, Ukraine

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mosfilm,Trete Tvorcheskoe Obedinenie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: 1962 San Francisco Film Festival Best Picture.

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Goofs

When Kholin and Galtsev take Ivan across the river in the boat, a tree into the water falls near them. It is supposed to be because of the military action taking place, but it can be seen that the base of the tree has been sawn across in a straight line.

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Quotes

Ivan's Mother: If a well is really deep, you can see a star down there even in the middle of a sunny day.

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Connections

Referenced in Dogville (2003)

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Soundtracks

Ne velyat Mashe
[Song played on the gramophone. English translation: "Masha is not allowed beyond the river".]

User Reviews

Beautiful and touching.

A superb film, by turns lyrical, harsh and tense, with a deep sympathy for ordinary people caught up in inexplicable events overwhelming their lives. The uneasy state of the Russian army, facing the German front across wetlands, is reflected in the characters - the boy and the men are getting 'jittery' - and the destruction waged on the landscape reflects the damage done to the people themselves: the old man with his cockerel and, especially, Ivan, who slips between the dreams of sleep and the nightmare of living. Nature and innocence are linked, and the scene in the birch forest is especially effective. A life-enhancing film, both poetic and poignant.