Directed by Larisa Shepitko
Written by Yuri Klepikov and Larisa Shepitko from a novel by Vasily Bykov
1977/USSR
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Rybak: Fool! You’re a fool, Sotnikov. You graduated from the institute for nothing. I want to live! To live! To kill those bastards! Understand? I’m the soldier. And you’re a corpse. All you’ve got left is your stubbornness – your principles!
I may be maxing out on”horrors of war” movies, even movies as exquisitely shot and thoughtful as this one.
During The Great Patriotic War two partisans, Sotnikov and Rybak are escorting a group of displaced people. The group has little food so Sotnikov and Rybak go on a mission to see if they can find some. Before they can return to their comrades they are intercepted by Germans who shoot Sotnikov in the leg. He bears a hundred yard stare reminiscent of Maria Falconetti’s in The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). Clearly his days are numbered. The two men make an arduous journey through deep snow and hide in the humble house of a woman and her three children. The woman isn’t exactly thrilled to be hiding soldiers on the run but she does not turn them away.
The Germans arrive not long after and everyone in the village is taken in for questioning, minus the children who are simply left behind. Sotnikov refuses to tell them anything despite terrible torture. Rybak maintains that they don’t know anything anyway and their first duty is to remain alive so they can kill more Germans. Rybak is offered a job in the local collaborationist police force. Others of the prisoners are eager to spill what little they know, In fact, the exercise is rmerely a disproportional reprisal for the death of a German (killed by Sotnikov).
This movie really is exquisitely shot. The Russian winter vistas look splendid. It asks some important questions about duty to country/community vs. duty to self. Clearly the USSR soldiers are second to none. The pacing is very measured, making the movie feel longer than its 111 minutes. The score is lovely. But I’m hitting my limit of times I can watch films that are just one cruel break after another.
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“It asks some important questioins (TYPO) about duty to country/community vs. duty to self. Clearly the USSR soldiers are second to none.”…..but is it realistic or produced with a political slant?? One reason why I avoid so many modern mainland Chinese movies. The time-setting for this is fraught with political inference for Russians.
(aside) are using your spellchecker? this para beginning “The Germans arrive not long after…” has 2 errors that I saw, at least one of which a spellchecker would have caught – sorry to be picky, tell me to “leave off” If these posts annoy, I won’t be offended!
If I didn’t use the spellchecker, well it would be even worse.
I would say “The Ascent” isn’t offensively propagandistic. Obviously the Germans don’t come out looking good but that’s to be expected. It’s more or less a very sad anti-war movie.
Thanks Mzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Bea……..PS sack the spellchecker?
Given current events, I cannot help thinking that Russia is still asking it’s soldiers to throw away their lives stupidly. Some things never change.
Well at least in WWII the Russian soldiers were defending their country. Now they are trying to take out another one. But from what I read the soldiers are not exactly willing to sacrifice their lives for this insane move.
I still cannot post comments on your blog. It tells me I have to sign into google but won’t take me to the sign in page.
I do not know if there is anything can from my side, but I will try to look into it.
Thanks. I really would like to comment. Are they coming in from your other readers?
Not much. Thinking about it, I get the same error when I try to comment on Steve’s page from the computer but not from the phone.
I’ll try commenting from my Ipad.