brilliant actors, brilliant editing

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

"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.

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.

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.

One of the best Russian films ever. It touches one's soul to the very bottom. I wish people watch it and remember those who fought and died in that horrible war. This film is 100% based on a true story. Watch it and you will discover more not only about the mysterious Russian soul but about yourself too.