ONI SRAJALIS ZA RODINOU (Original title)THEY FOUGHT FOR THEIR MOTHERLAND (Alternative title)THEY FOUGHT FOR THE MOTHERLAND (Alternative title)ONI SRAZHALIS ZA RODINU (Alternative title)
Date: 1975 (Release)Country: USSR: Sergei Bondarchuk, Vassili Shukshin
Synopsis: Based on a novel by Mikhail Sholokov, in two parts. In 1942 on the vast, exposed Don steppelands the remains of a battle weary and disillusioned anti- tank regiment is retreating before the advancing German army. Angry and ashamed a small group of comrades find solace in homespun philosophy and reminiscing, During the hiatus between each engagement many recurring instances of maternalism occur as one soldier tries to woo from various 'Mother Russia' figures, food for his comrades. The first, an angry old woman accuses the army of disgraceful cowardice by not digging in and facing the enemy. Chastened he begs her forgiveness and she relents as the others will do later, by providing sustenance. The battles are prefixed by slow, tension building sequences of individual soldiers preparing practically and emotionally to fight. The battles are both graphic and moving, the violent and unrelenting fighting depicted on both a grand and personal scale. In the aftermath of the battle fog descends described as 'sorrow shrouding our nation.' The regiment cross the Don where on the other bank they are reunited with one of their fallen comrades, he may be deaf but he will fight on, colours unfurled they march on to their next battle, Stalingrad!
Genre: War
Subjects: Eastern Front (WW2), World War II, Propaganda
Releases
Date: 1975Country: USSRRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - Sovcolor - SoundRuntime: 170 mins Length: 14146 FeetSubtitles: Russian
Date: 1975 (Release)Country: USSR: Sergei Bondarchuk, Vassili Shukshin
Synopsis: Based on a novel by Mikhail Sholokov, in two parts. In 1942 on the vast, exposed Don steppelands the remains of a battle weary and disillusioned anti- tank regiment is retreating before the advancing German army. Angry and ashamed a small group of comrades find solace in homespun philosophy and reminiscing, During the hiatus between each engagement many recurring instances of maternalism occur as one soldier tries to woo from various 'Mother Russia' figures, food for his comrades. The first, an angry old woman accuses the army of disgraceful cowardice by not digging in and facing the enemy. Chastened he begs her forgiveness and she relents as the others will do later, by providing sustenance. The battles are prefixed by slow, tension building sequences of individual soldiers preparing practically and emotionally to fight. The battles are both graphic and moving, the violent and unrelenting fighting depicted on both a grand and personal scale. In the aftermath of the battle fog descends described as 'sorrow shrouding our nation.' The regiment cross the Don where on the other bank they are reunited with one of their fallen comrades, he may be deaf but he will fight on, colours unfurled they march on to their next battle, Stalingrad!
Genre: War
Subjects: Eastern Front (WW2), World War II, Propaganda
Releases
Date: 1975Country: USSRRelease type: unknownFormat: 35mm Film - Colour - Sovcolor - SoundRuntime: 170 mins Length: 14146 FeetSubtitles: Russian
Credits
(10)
Production Company: Mosfilm, Screenplay: Sergei Bondarchuk, Author of the Original Work: Mikhail Sholokov, Director of Photography: Vadim Yusov, Production Designer: Felix Vasiukevich, Music: Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov, Sound Recording: Yuri Mikhailov, Subtitles: FilmExport
Cast
(10)
Ivan Lapikov (Sergeant Poprishchenko), Vyacheslav Tikhonov (Nikolai Streltsov), Nikolai Gubenko (Lt. Goloshchyokov), Vassili Shukshin (Pyotr Lopakhin), Sergei Bondarchuk (Ivan Zvyagintsev), Georgi Burkov (Kopitovsky Alexander), Yuri Nikulin (Pvt. Nekrasov), Andrei Rostotsky (Cpl. Kochetygov), Nikolai Volkor (Pvt. Nikiforov), Nikolai Shutko (Lisichenko)