Product Description

This moving study of war's inhumanity follows the wrenching journey of Georgy, an old peasant winegrower who travels to see his wounded soldier son in the hospital. However, the son has already been sent back out to the front, sending Georgy on a trek with the Soviety Army all the way to Berlin to witness the toppling of fascism. This beautifully filmed and acted Soviet classic in the tradition of "The Cranes Are Flying" remains a pioneering work of cinematic art.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37531 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-19
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: Russian
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Chinese, Russian, Dutch, Arabic, Japanese
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 83 minutes

Customer Reviews

one of the best 3-4 movies made in SU on WW2
You will not be able to find a slightest trace of soviet ideology in this movie, no matter how hard you try. If anyone knows soviet cinematography, will understand how unusual it is - especially for WW2 movie.
You see the war through the eyes of average Kakhetian (Georgian province) peasant, who knows very little beyond growing his grapes and making wine. Georgia was not directly touched by the war, so he can not imagine what horrors it helds and is about to discover them in his late 50s, maybe even early 60s.
when the bombing starts and Germans attack, he is lost and confused, until he sees how German soldier finishes off wounded Russian... he is appalled and in anger smashes the soldier's head with butt of his own jammed gun, and decides to stay on and fight...
Movie was almost put on shelf by censors because of the scene when the main hero (old Georgian(!) soldier) smacks across the face Russian NCO (for driving tank over vineyard). But fortunately Russian generals invited for viewing had more brains and insisted on releasing the movie. It immediately became a hit and for many years remained one of those movies which TV channels would show on May 9 or June 22 (SU was invaded on June 22)...
even last year, I was in Baku and was flipping channels at Hotel and was very surprised to come across Father of a Soldier being shown on main local channel...

Who could not love this film?
I viewed it twice to be sure my initial response was not simplistic affection for the main character, the lovable Georgy, a father and earthy fellow. I was really taken by the beauty in this film, the care of father for son. Here is a story of a proud papa who's drive to see his son throws him into unlikely challenges and a grueling pilgrimage through a world he was not part of. Yet, being an alien to the world he traveled through, he brought his values, unashamedly and refreshingly so, and touched many along the way.

Some have mentioned the vineyard scene in which old Georgy chastises the tankers and officers in a fit of righteous outrage over their lack of respect for the simple things, for a man's hard work, and for others property and the fruit of their labor. These are refreshing moral precepts to see on screen. Throughout, there are several similar lessons, yet they do not come across as contrived moralisms, but simply a part of who the man is.

Georgy is simply funny in his good humored way, and watching him laugh or sing the praises of his young son while boasting of him to whoever will listen is heartwarming. When he grieves, it is heart crushing. His dialog is peculiar, and even through the subtitles his mannerisms and dialect sets him apart as a foreigner in his own land. It's a sweeping drama of endurance, and well worth seeing. The final scenes are simply tear jerkers, even for this big, scruffy Texan.

As a home schooling parent, I like to keep a lookout for films that are beneficial for like minded folks. This is a film appropriate for the family, and for home schoolers makes a wonderful introduction to the social and political situation in the USSR at the time - though the political content of the film is largely soft peddled and idealized almost to the absurd. Read a Sven Hassel book (not to your children!) to get absurdity on the flipside. Some of the interpersonal customs of Russians and Georgians come across nicely, with subtle regional peculiarities and orders. Good, solid family patriarchy is heralded as a positive thing (and that is good, for a refreshing change!), and devotion, love and perseverance are championed.

Techically, I can't speak much for the sound design, for it seems a little poor, but perhaps this is simply a product of the film's vintage. The English language, should that be preferred over the subtitles, is very well done, capturing the nuances of the Georgian contrasted with the Russian language of most everyone else. I viewed both the Russian language with subtitles and the English dubbed version, and must say that the English dubbing was masterfully done, maybe not in technical perfection, but the dialog was fluid and believable.

A very strong WWII era film that should be on the shelves of any WWII historian's shelf, or anyone who loves a good story or timeless, basic family love.

A good human interest story.
Not at all a soviet propaganda piece. Filmed in the Crustchev years,the director just stuck to the human tragic drama.
That doesn't mean the movie doesn't contain any action, the action laces well into the story. The movie takes you through a heartwarming journey of an old man becomming a soldier, just to have the best chance, seeing his son again. Seeing his son again, is more than worth his own life, and his life becomes
part of the crusade to free russia from the fascist invaders.
He does not hate the german people, he hates the ideology that made beasts out of them. There is a wonderful key scene, where he
is trying to protect wine-stocks from being destroyed by russian
tanks, witnessed by german children: "You are germanies future, you have to have something to start over with !"
He finally meets his son again for the finall battle for Berlin.