Framom främsta linjen (2004)

A story of the infantry regiment 61 that fought from Syväri to the Karelian Ishtmus.

Director:

Åke Lindman

Writers:

Stefan Forss (screenplay), Harry Järv (diary)

Stars:

Tobias Zilliacus, Ilkka Heiskanen, Christoffer Weiss

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tobias Zilliacus	...	Harry Järv
Ilkka Heiskanen	...	Lt.Col. Alpo Marttinen
Christoffer Weiss	...	Allan Finholm (as Christoffer Westerlund)
Kim Gustafsson	...	Björk
Martin Bahne	...	Lindblad
Carl-Gustaf Wentzel	...	Forss
Jan-Christian Söderholm	...	Klas Helèn
Sampo Sarkola	...	Kaustinen
Johan Rönneholm	...	Händig
Joachim Thibblin	...	Bertel Söderman
Oskar Silén	...	Lt. Mattas
Paavo Kerosuo
Patrick Henriksen	...	Rosenlöf
Peter Kanerva	...	Olof Fagerström
Jan Korander	...	Löfman

Storyline

A movie based on real wartime diaries tells the story of the Swedish speaking Finns' infantry regiment 61. The story follows the regiment during the Continuation War from 1942 to 1944 and from Syväri to the Karelian Isthmus where they faced some of the most grueling battles against the Soviet Union.

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Plot Keywords:

continuation war | based on journal | historical event | world war two | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Finland] Official site [Finland] (Swedish)

Country:

Finland

Language:

Swedish Finnish Russian

Release Date:

5 March 2004 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Beyond Enemy Lines

Filming Locations:

Vekarajärvi, Valkeala, Kouvola, Finland

Box Office

Budget:

€3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Åke Lindman Film-Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Etulinjan takana (2004)

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Soundtracks

Adagio Triosta
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Carelia Trio

User Reviews

A dull war movie (w. historical comment)

DVD was released lately and just saw this one. Åke Lindman, the director has made a life long career as a film maker in Finland. He started in 1944, when the war was still on. He acted furiously in 1955 version of The Unknown Soldier (Tuntematon Sotilas).

In this light it is somewhat strange, that the movie is such a dull war movie, badly directed and worse acting. As a war movie lover and as a historical buff I was very, very disappointed. The soldiers are very nice, clean, almost cute and they don't like swearing. They fight calmly, intelligently, honorably and heroically. Russians have no role against them but do die. I bet the time has gild the memoirs of either Järv or Lindman.

About the wartime politics in Scandinavia. I bet the Finns would have liked if their beloved neighbors, the Swedes, would have let the British troops, which the British Govt was sending to aid Finland _against_ the Soviets, through Swedish soil during the Winter War - so the Finns would have had a chance to ally with the British, not the Germans. But that must be because Sweden gave only pass-trough permits to the Germans during the WWII. Small country, which is forced to fight a war, has only so much options. Not every country can just maintain peace and sell iron and Bofors guns to every fighting side and grow rich, while others are being bombed.

I give this movie 2 points, one for being a war movie and Heiskanen acted decently.

edited addition: Recently watched another bad war movie, Windtalkers. Actually these two movies are very much alike in many ways.

And there's no point to weap about heroism, bad movie is a bad movie, especially if it's message has something to do with heroism.