Le soldat inconnu

This new version of Tuntematon Sotilas is very different from the earlier one made during the fifties, when Finland still had vivid memories from the war. In Mollberg's version there are less humour, and in addition to this there are nothing left of the nationalism, that we are used to connect with this kind of movies. Tuntematon Sotilas reflects about the situation of the soldier and the front-men as a mass. Instead of pathetic patriotism the film tells about the war without great gestures and bloody action scenes. The director keeps Väinö Linna's very critical outlook on the world.

During a visit to the Salpalinja in the late eighties, a friend mentioned this film. We had had a tour by a veteran of the Winter War and the Continuation War of the fortifications and I really wanted to see the film. On our way back to Pyhtää, we hired the video of the film in Kotka and prepared for an evening's viewing.

To say I was stunned and amazed would be an understatement. The film captured perfectly what the aging ex-soldier had recounted to us - he hadn't held back about anything, including atrocities committed by both sides and about the sheer horror of the war.

The Finnish front is barely known elsewhere in the West. Nor were the transfers of populations when Russia took Finland's arm and skirt. What madness possessed the Finns to march on? The film explains the collective frenzy of nationalism gripping the dirigeants and (most of) the men. No dissent was allowed. Those who refused to cross into Russia proper were killed. This was sensitively shown in the film.

Parts of the film were unbearable. The attack on the ambulance stays in my memory. The new lad who doesn't heed the warning about snipers and is rewarded with a bullet in the skull. The line of Russians crossing a snow-covered field only to be mown down to a man.

Loud, lurid and gory, the film captures the dreadfulness of war and the vagaries of the human spirit in a Finnish context. Definitely recommended.

Historically accurate showing Finnish Motti tactics. I was impressed with that in itself. "A hiding" was all I could look for in this movie and found it. Good Directing, decent acting, makes for a historically accurate foreign made film

This movie is following a Finnish platoon in Finlands struggle against Soviet Union in the Continuation War starting in 1942. In the beginning the men are conscripts who are sent to the front when Finland attacks SU in hope of getting back the area that SU took from Finland in Winter War in 1940. In the beginning Finland is victorious but then the luck turns... Finland has to start its retreat. The men are just 19-year-old boys when the war starts, but in the end they are heroes who kept the Finland independent despite of the massive Soviet Army.

Sometimes in life you want to experience something true and realistic. Molmberg's Unknown Soldier comes as close as it is possible in movie to experience war. Linna's 1955 version was more theatrical and entertaining. It had it's merits but I like Molmberg's better.

In early 1990's I did my military service in Finland and trained a lot attack in the forest and the attack on the bunker line in Molmberg's film looks, sounds and almost smells the same. All details are in place and they really fire Maxim MG's and Suomi SMG's.

I think you can't do good war movie without showing the ugly side of war. Molmberg shows the true nature of war. War is totally evil.