The 1959 Soviet film entitled "Ballad of a Soldier," directed by Grigori Chukhrai is set during World War ll. The film revolves around a young enthusiastic 19 year old soldier named Alyosha who receives a medal for his heroic act in the front when he single handedly destroys two German tanks. Instead of this he appeals to be granted leave for a few days to visit his mother. Throughout his journey home he comes to fully realize the turmoil and affect of war on humans. One of the many themes this film portrays is "heroism." At the beginning we immediately realize that Alyosha isn't particularly this traditional amazing hero as we see him fleeing from the German tanks, but his instincts to survive has him become an accidental hero. This isn't writing off his title of a hero in any way. The presentation of a heroic act between the scene of him staying back to deliver the message that a group of tanks were heading their way, to the scene of him saving countless people from the train wreckage that happens later in the film is comparatively different in the portrayal of a hero. The treatment in soldiers from the beginning of the filming towards the end is significantly different as at the beginning many citizens were willing to help Alyosha get home, but near the end it was difficult to have someone take him merely 5 miles to see his mother. He was treated as a "good for nothing" or obstacle especially in the scene where he had saved several people from the train wreck. Chukhrai usage of angles is rather unique, for example the deep focus shot that is slowly turned upside down when Alyosha is running away from the German tanks gives a sense of disorientation and loss that the battlefield is composed up. Chukhrai especially like to elongate characters and objects perhaps to highlight the importance these elements have on the film. Although the film does respect authority figures and idealizes soviet workers it does devote a lot of its attention on the humanistic picture that is powerful as it is devastating. For example the scene were Alyosha meets a veteran who lost his leg and is hesitant to return to his wife. It was through Alyoshas constant optimistic view on the situation that made this reunion possible.

The Ballad of a soldier is a Russian movie that revolves around World War 2 and is about a young couple who are madly in love. The main character named Vladimir Ivashov is very home sick and yearns for his wife. The soldier is very good and commits numerous acts that give him heroic status instead of having a medal he asks for 6 days to help his mother and fix his roof. On a train towards his mother he falls in love with a girl named Shura. On his way home he commits acts of kindness. Some of those include carrying a suitcase for a wounded soldier and he helps push out a jeep that is stuck in the mud. Wen the end of the movie happens Shura confesses that there is no fiancé only an aunt. The soldiers train is blown up and then Alyosha rafts across the river and then to a rural village. The soldier only gets to see his mother for a few seconds. We see his journey home and he eventually dies along with being remembered as a Russian soldier at the end of the movie.

This is such a gentle movie. Other than the beginning when the young man becomes a hero by causing the destruction of two enemy tanks through a panicky, thoughtless circumstance. HIs reward is to go home and visit his mother and to hopefully fix her roof. He is given a few days and begins his journey. He is fighting on the front and otherwise would be cannon fodder to the enemy. As he wends his way home he encounters all the elements of war, from men ready to face their deaths, people bombed while trying to travel away from their deaths, unfaithful wives, dismemberment, and, finally, the love of his life. This works so well on so many levels. It has a subtle humor. It is sentimental and charming. Yet the war hangs over everything. Duty is duty and there is a greater cause. It is certainly a serious anti-war movie that pulls us in gradually, allows us to care about the characters, knowing that they are living under a sword. I had never heard of this film. The young woman who shares the young soldiers few moments, has a wonderfully expressive face. She is his salvation, if only for a short time.

touching, power, subtle, full of force and grace. it is difficult to describe it. because small and ordinary pieces makes a great story about love, war, mother portrait and youth in dark time. each aspect is unique. and great virtue is perfect measure. a film like flower after Stalin death, it is, in same measure, a lesson out of age. about cinema art, about science of Soviet directors to expose the essence but, more that, it is a beautiful lesson about meetings as seeds.all makes easy. but like old ballads, it is a tale about hero and his travel, fights and victories, Alexey Skvortsov may be Ilia Muromets. or another character from legend. his war is pledge for sensitive roots of existence. adventures who makes him better. it is not a manifesto or fresco. can be a letter. or only a kind of Oddysey in which Itaka is more than a place.