| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Taneli Mäkelä | ... | Private Martti Hakala |
| Vesa Vierikko | ... | 2nd Lieutenant Jussi Kantola | |
| Timo Torikka | ... | Private Pentti Saari | |
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Heikki Paavilainen | ... | Private Vilho Erkkilä |
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Antti Raivio | ... | Corporal Erkki Somppi |
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Esko Kovero | ... | Medical Corporal Juho Pernaa |
| Martti Suosalo | ... | Private Arvi Huhtala | |
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Markku Huhtamo | ... | Private Aatos Laitila |
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Matti Onnismaa | ... | Corporal Veikko Korpela |
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Konsta Mäkelä | ... | Private Paavo Hakala |
| Tomi Salmela | ... | Private Matti Ylinen | |
| Samuli Edelmann | ... | Private Mauri Haapasalo (as Samuli Edelman) | |
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Vesa Mäkelä | ... | Lieutenant Yrjö Haavisto |
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Aarno Sulkanen | ... | Captain Sihvo - battalion commander |
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Kari Kihlström | ... | Lieutenant Jorma Potila |
Set during World War 2. After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Russia attacked Finland in November 1939. Finnish reservists leave their homes and go to war. The film focuses on two farmers from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia, brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala, serving in a Finnish platoon. Written by Anonymous
This movie explores the mostly unknown, and extremely bloody part of Second World War, the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939-40. For 105 days the Finns fought a numerically superior enemy before the war ended with 25,000 Finns and over 200,000 Russians dead. Forget Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, this movie shows what desperate war against overwhelming odds is about; desperation, lack of ammunition, constant bombardment, and nothing but your wits and your rifle to help you survive. Rightfully, the horrors of war are shown having effect on both sides; Finns are pinned down to the point of hardly living at all in dirt and constant fear of death, while Russians are mowed down in hundreds and mercilessly shot in the back. Excellent performances, good effects and marvelous photography makes this masterpiece not only one of the finest Finnish movies ever, but also a reminder that war is brutal, bloody, futile, and that it's the men on the front, Finnish or Russian, who have to die and bear the price for mankind's ultimate stupidity. Word of warning: violence is very graphic at times, especially in the close combat scenes.