Uno, dos, iban los soldados

A group of adults gather in a small village to pay homage to their 18 fathers, an anti - tank platoon which was wiped out halting the advance of German tanks into the village. The story then flashbacks to let the doomed men of the platoon tell their stories. Much of the interplay is built around the naïve and inexperienced young Lieutenant Suslin (Vladimir Konkin) and the lovable, yet droll, unofficial leader of the platoon Corporal Svyarkin (Leonid Bykov, who also directed). They disagree about orders and the men of the platoon stand behind their insubordinate yet heroic corporal. What would usually lead to conflict and a clash of wills for supremacy is handled very differently here. In a series of incidents with different soldiers in the platoon, the young lieutenant comes to know more about the men under his command, what they are willing to sacrifice, and the human cost of the war. In a sense the movie is about Suslin's transformation as he grows and goes from official outsider to respected leader. Instead of trying to impose discipline, a task he is ill equipped for and the platoon would reject, he comes to earn the respect of his men by gradually changing his ways, empathizing with them and becoming more like one of them.

Meanwhile the now grown children of the deceased soldiers get to know each other over a meal, where a little more of their father's stories are revealed. The film has many memorable characters and scenes, and the direction by Leonid Bykov is assured, it never lags, and the transition between the two contexts is smoothly handled. Knowing the fate of the platoon in advance allows us avoid the "I wonder who will survive" gymnastics of typical war movies. We are also spared the cliché power struggle of officer V. Enlisted men, in an attempt to instill discipline. Instead the film develops other themes, and approaches that are more humanistic. Bravery for its own sake is not extolled, yet every member of the platoon knows what his duty is and never shirks it. A wonderful movie, that l would have enjoyed more, had it gone even longer, so fascinating were the characters portrayed.