Ballad of a Soldier

Released Nov 4, 1960

1h 29m

War

Drama

List

93%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

93%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

During World War II, earnest young Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov (Volodya Ivashov) is rewarded with a short leave of absence for performing a heroic deed on the battlefield. Feeling homesick, he decides to visit his mother. Due to his kindhearted nature, however, Alyosha is repeatedly sidetracked by his efforts to help those he encounters, including a lovely girl named Shura (Zhanna Prokhorenko). In his tour of a country devastated by war, he struggles to keep hope alive.

Read More

Read Less

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

One of those "universal" tales that are so often vague and sticky, but the simplicity and restraint of director Grigori Chukhrai lift it above the run.

Feb 8, 2010

Full Review

Dwight MacDonald

Esquire Magazine

If one wanted to be polite, one could call it idyllic and wholesome. I don't want to be polite and so I call it a contrived exercise in the faux-naif.

Jul 30, 2019

Full Review

Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

The exaltation of a soldier's values is above any other contemporary war film... It is charged with romanticism in the way that it deals with the fundamental scenes and in its vision of ideal and pure love. [Full Review in Spanish]

Jul 18, 2019

Full Review

Tomas Trussow

The Lonely Film Critic

It is, to me, one of the most beautifully realized meditations on war "time" that I've seen, finding in it a truth and poetic vision in which almost every element works seamlessly in tandem.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jun 4, 2019

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

It's fairly standard stuff, made into something more by a sense of humanity and a knack for avoiding outright schmaltz.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Turner Classic Movies Online

... a simple, poetic tale where the sentimental streak and patriotic idealism common to the Soviet formula is humanized with vivid characters and tender direction.

May 9, 2009

Full Review

Read all reviews

david l

Ballad of a Soldier is a very problematic movie in its structure. It consists of a series of vignettes, and thus it felt increasingly episodic, and also not well paced at all. But most of its episodes are excellent with the highlights being its very moving ending and a great romance. The two actors are both terrific, and the film is quite tender and emotional without ever being manipulative. Its cinematography is also splendid.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's absolutely one of my favorite films, which reveal the humanity in war. And that's rare in Soviet's 40's-50's movie industry.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

- When I told you I didn't have anyone else, I was admitting that I love you Why didn't you say anything? - You don't love me. ....................................................................................................................... - Wait, Shura - I have something to tell you That scene summarizes my life. 90/100

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ballad of a Soldier is a brilliant gem of mid-century Soviet cinema that will take you by surprise. It's lyrically unassuming, but not boring. It's moving and thoughtful, but not too sentimental. It has the episodic nature of life, combining the mundane and the extraordinary.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

andrey k

Moving and tear-jerking soviet film from the new late 50's wave of war films, condemning the war.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think a better title 4 this would b 'trains & trucks' 4 this WWII tale post WWII-Russian style.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Grigoriy Chukhray

Director

Vladimir Ivashov

Pvt. Alyosha Skvortsov

Zhanna Prokhorenko

Shura

Antonina Maksimova

The mother

Nikolay Kryuchkov

The General

Evgeny Urbansky

Vasya

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Ivan's Childhood

100%

93%

Ivan's Childhood

Hell Is for Heroes

88%

74%

Hell Is for Heroes

The Guns of Navarone

92%

86%

The Guns of Navarone

TRAILER

for The Guns of Navarone

Paths of Glory

96%

95%

Paths of Glory

In Harm's Way

37%

79%

In Harm's Way

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

During World War II, earnest young Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov (Volodya Ivashov) is rewarded with a short leave of absence for performing a heroic deed on the battlefield. Feeling homesick, he decides to visit his mother. Due to his kindhearted nature, however, Alyosha is repeatedly sidetracked by his efforts to help those he encounters, including a lovely girl named Shura (Zhanna Prokhorenko). In his tour of a country devastated by war, he struggles to keep hope alive.

Director: Grigoriy Chukhray
Screenwriter: Grigoriy Chukhray
Production Co: Mosfilm
Genre: War, Drama
Original Language: Russian
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 4, 1960, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 26, 1960
Release Date (DVD): Apr 30, 2002
Runtime: 1h 29m