Ballad Of A Soldier (1958)

Starring: Vladimir Ivashov, Zhanna Prokhorenko
Director: Grigori Chukhrai
Runtime: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Genres: Classic, Drama, Foreign, Romance
Country of Origin: Russia
Language: Russian
Mosfilm Studios Productions, M.J.P. Enterprises/Kingsley International

The heart and focus of Ballad Of A Soldier is Johnny, a 20 year-old drafted soldier from some long-forgotten- backwater-no-opportunities-get-out-if-you-can community in rural California, on the eve of his departure to fight the war in Vietnam.

Johnny has always been a day-dreamer prone to fantastical delusions of grandeur, with lofty ambitions to eventually be "Sombody." Unfortunately, Johnny only threw those ambitions into defending his turf - his barrio - much to the dismay of his parents. But now, by going overseas to defend his country's "turf", he's achieved the status of "Sombody" - And he's going to prove it: to his family and most importantly, to himself...in 24 hours.

An avid movie freak, Johnny knows that the key lies in his last night home, and in his subsequent good-bye. So Johnny sets out to turn fantasy into reality. He needs that image of a traditional "American Soldier's Good-bye" to prove he's somebody, but also - unbeknownst to him - to conquer his fear of living.

Johnny begins to assign the people that are close to him superficial roles in his fantasy. He asks his best friend Cecilia to have dinner at his parent's house and to pretend to be his girlfriend. "It's for the," he tells her. "They wanna see their first-born son making good of himself." Johnny secretly loves Cecilia, but doesn't know how to tell her or even if she'll respond. Besides, this is the only way he knows how to deal with the situation. Johnny romantically relates to women im a strict, formulaic way and has always had very particular views about his "potential mates;" Cecilia doesn't fit the predetermined mold. His response is to try to squeeze her into that mold. The results are drastic.

Johnny attempts to do the same with his family members. All realize what he is doing and inevitably cater to his desires. They play their respective roles, but at what cost?

On the bus to "Vietnam," Johnny realizes the futility of his dream. Sure, he received his picture-perfect good-bye. But that is all it is: a picture, a superficial image. In his quest, he managed to isolate himself from all of his loved ones at a time when he needed to ,make a sincere and honest connection. On the road, he has nothing of real value and substance to take with him. Only an empty image of a soldier's farewell...

"The most remarkable film in the domestic features category" at the New York Latino Film Festival
- Sarah Sundberg,

"visually stunning...featuring a bad-ass performance by Maria Candelaria"- Austin Chronicle

- Ed Morales, Village Voice

"one of the most exciting American movies made in recent memory"- Jim Mendiola, San Francisco Bay Guardian

Short Description
Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov is granted a visit with his mother after he singlehandedly fends off two enemy tanks. As he journeys home, Alyosha encounters the devastation of his war-torn country, witnesses glimmers of hope among the people, and falls in love. With its poetic visual imagery, Grigori Chukhrai's Ballad of a Soldier is an unconventional meditation on the effects of war, and a milestone in Russian cinema.

Edition Details:
All Regions
Black & White
Interview With Director Grigori Chukhrai and Stars Vladimir Ivashov and Zhanna Prokhorenko, Conducted After a Preview Screening in New York
Full-screen format