La 359ème section

As I was working on a project on Soviet women in WWII, this movie was suggested to me by one of my professors who is a Russian herself. I was totally expecting some elaborate, romantic story, but I found the movie to be very realistic and consistent with my own research. This movie definitely highlights some of the general experiences and emotions felt by Soviet women soldiers at this time. I also enjoyed the many cultural references, for example to the film Tsirk. This film is a great tribute to all those soldiers who died in World War II, especially the women who I will never forget. I highly recommend this movie to anyone with any interest in Soviet history or WWII history.

A zori zdes tikhie (1972) ...aka The Dawns Here Are Quiet - is an honest, realistic and very fine Soviet War film which is sadly un-known to the Western audiences. It was directed by a very talented director Stanislav Rostotsky who also made two of my favorite films, Belyy Bim - Chyornoe ukho (1970) ... aka White Bim Black Ear and Dozhivyom do ponedelnika (1969) aka We'll Live Till Monday .

Rostotsky chose perfect cast - the young and unknown performers who all shone in his movie. I also highly recommend the book by Boris Vasilyev of the same title - I still remember the day when I first read that rather short but unforgettable story about five young girls and their corporal Vaskov who was much older and who was not used to deal with the women-soldiers. What started as a comedy, soon became a compelling and gripping drama depicting an unequal fight of the group of five women and their leader against 16 Nazi paratroopers, specially trained and deadly dangerous that penetrated deep beyond the front-line.

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

People when rate this film as realistic or not, they try to equate it to a low-grade action movie alike "hit and run" type. You must understand that the movie is not in that category.

Imagine, that bandits broke into your house. Strong, armed, ready to kill. And you realize that will be no negotiations, that you are destined to die, without any questions asked. To die in your own home. The only question is now: how it will happen? You will meet death humbly kneeling, or would resist, maybe even realizing the futility of attempts? To die for to save somebody others.

And such a decision should be made by young girls who lived not so long.

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.