In 1939, two Finnish brothers are conscripted in the army to fight in the war between Finland and the Soviet Union.
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Title: The Winter War (1989)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Taneli Mäkelä | ... | Private Martti Hakala |
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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 |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
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
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They held back the Russian Juggernaut in a frozen Hell!Certificate:
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Details
Country:
FinlandLanguage:
FinnishRelease Date:
December 1989 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Winter War See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
FIM23,500,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (International Cut) | (miniseries)Sound Mix:
Dolby StereoColor:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1
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Arvi Huhtala: Let Russian artillery do it for us.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The anti-tank gun used by the Finns in the first assault is a Swedish Bofors "37 PstK/36" (37mm, model 1936) bought from Sweden in the late 1930s. At the time of the Winter War the PSTK/36 (Finnish designation) could penetrate the armor of almost all Russian tanks, the exception being a heavy-tank model that was still in a prototype stage and not widely used in the conflict. See more »Goofs
When the men chase after horses, one can briefly see an electric cable pole. It has a grounding wire with modern black-yellow coating. See more »Quotes
Aatos Laitila: If it gets any colder we'll need dynamite to break up the cheese.Arvi Huhtala: Let Russian artillery do it for us.
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Alternate Versions
5×50min TV-series includes some extra scenes not shown in the original theatre release. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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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.