The Dawns Here Are Quiet

I saw this movie several times. First, I watched this movie when I was a kid. At that time it didn't say much to me. There isn't much war-film stuff in it: except for some air-raid attack-counter-attack scene at the beginning and several shots in the second part of the movie. Last time I watched the movie, I was more knowledgeable about WWII and conscious about the calamities it brought to my country. My grandmom's favorite movie, as my Dad says, "A zori zdes' tihije", conveys more than Soviet propaganda wanted it to do. This movie greatly explores people's lives and destinies in a war period. It asks with passion:"How can we live an everyday life in an extraordinary time, the war proves to be."

This is arguably one of the very best war movies ever made. The story is touching and poetic. A great ensemble cast shine under the careful and sensitive direction under Stanislav Rostotsky. The use of montage and different coloring schemes for several different periods work nicely and the cinematography is stunning. This is a movie not to be missed by any serious movie buff. Ruscico is gonna release in on DVD sometime in 2004. Keep your fingers crossed.

I watched this one on youtube after watching the more recent series of 2015, also on youtube.

I think I enjoyed the latter version better, but I did immensely enjoy both. It is a wonderful story. I do not seek to make my review as a comparison of the two versions, but will go so far as to say I enjoyed the interaction of the characters in this earlier version far better.

The black and white of this movie is very appropriate in presentation.

This is an excellent Russian made film and there really is no politics in it... Just the gritty horror of war. For a 1972 Russian film of such excellence, it is ahead of it's time. Well recommended to see.

It's a very nice story about young Russian women who where in fields of war and touch every soul.I guess it would be good young people to watch this movie about Second World war. I have seen the movie some times and if I had chance I would watch more

"In reality 4-5 unexperienced women and one man (even if he is a genial soldier) would have no chance again 16 Gebirgsjäger."

I very well understand how an implausible script could kill the effort of a good director and fabulous actors. I understand equally well that some would dismiss this film as mostly Soviet propaganda simply because the story of German paratroopers meeting serious resistance from just a few inexperienced girls does not ring true. Well, strangely enough, the film (and the novel) are fact-based. Of course, this is not a documentary and, according to Boris Vasiliev, there were no women in the actual group of militia men stopping 16 Gebirgsjäger on a mission to cause serious discruption to the Murmansk railway. But otherwise the story was true! For me, swapping old militia men and wounded soldiers for young girls is perfectly excusable.

Very touching and very Russian.