Zhenya, Zhenechka i 'Katyusha'

Touching story about love of a young romantic man (Zhenia), who is a soldier of Guard Mortar Division (Division of "Katusha" Reactive Mortars) and a girl-telegraphist (Little Zhenia) at the last months of WW II. Some funny scenes from Soviet Army everyday life however was considered by former USSR bureaucracy as offensive to national military history, thus the movie was not allowed for many years. Watching the movie you see the war by eyes of indeed a Moscow boy who being a soldier is out of war in his dreams. He does not let the war into his soul making feats of arms and not understanding this. The last winter of the greatest war is over, a new spring with new dreams comes on, and it seems that all troubles left behind and only best days of love and happiness wait for Zhenia and Little Zhenia, but even the last days of the war can be tragic.

The most unusual film of the Soviet era about the Great Patriotic War, telling the love story of an intellectual Zhenya Kolyshkin (a guy "not of this world" as they say) and a signalman Zhenya Zemlyanikina. Kolyshkin always gets into ridiculous situations, while performing the most real feats. Deep and touching characters, tragicomedy, great music based on poems by Bulat Okudzhava (he himself appears in a brief episode), vitality. For the first time I watched this movie in full, and not in snatches. And I can say with confidence that this is a real masterpiece that is worthy of viewing (and not even one). Great actors, especially good Oleg Dahl in the role of Zhenya Kolyshkin.

My rating is 10 out of 10 and my recommendation for viewing!