Recommended War Films

1.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0073488/
Oni srazhalis za rodinu (1975)
("They fought for the Motherland") - One of best Soviet military movies, very many best Soviet famous actors played in this movie. As I remember, this movie got "Oscar" in USA. Summer of 1942... Remainders of broken regiment are retreating in Don region. Their regiment lost most part of men, they fought and retreat very long time but they do not run, they retreat in order and continue to fight when command order to defend positions. Excellent movie.

2.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0057717/
Zhivye i myortvye (1963)
("Alive and dead") - It is one of best military movies. It is about events of 1941, it is based on famous novel of Simonov.

3.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212194/
Goryachij sneg (1972)
("Burning snow") - It is one of best military movies. It is company scale story about feat of soldiers of 2nd Guard Army in December of 1942, which stopped tanks of German general Got which tried to breakthrough to Stalingrad for saving of encircled German troops.

4.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0063333/
Na vojne, kak na vojne (1968)
("At war is at war") - One of best military movies. Young lieutenant arrives in self-propelled guns unit as commander of self-propelled gun in summer of 1943. He will come in first combat soon and he is nervous... Song from this movie is unofficial hymn of Soviet/Russian tankmen.

5.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088777/
"Batalyony prosyat ognya" (1985) (mini)
("Battalions asked for artillery cover")- It is one of best military movies. It is about crossing of Dnepr in 1943.

6.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167900/
Dom, v kotorom ya zhivu (1957)
("House where I live") - One of best Soviet movie, it is very sad story about people who lived in one house for many years including WWII and about fates of these people.

7.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091251/
Idi i smotri (1985)
("Come and see") - It is one of best movies about partisans, it is very brutal movie, start is quite but in the end spectator will be shocked. It is really cruel movie, in time of USSR this movie was forbidden in DDR, which was considered puppet of USSR in all questions.

8.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0151852/
"Osvobozhdeniye" (1970) (mini)
("Liberation") - It is many part movie with same heroes, time of action - from Kursk battle to Berlin operation. There are some propaganda stamps but it is really epic movie.

9.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0067517/
Ofitsery (1971)
("Officers") - Story of some generations of Soviet officers from Civil War to 70th. Excellent romantic movie.

10.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068161/
A zori zdes tikhiye (1972)
("Lovages are quite here") - This movie almost got "Oscar" - It is about small group of women which were flak crews in Soviet rear. They had to fight against superior group of German paratroopers-saboteurs.


Other good movies:

11.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144111/
Blokada: Luzhskij rubezh, Pulkovskij meredian (1974)
("Blockade: Luga line, Pulkov meridian") - Part 1 of large movie about defense of Leningrad.

12.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315844/
Blokada: Leningradskij metronom, Operatsiya Iskra (1977)
("Blockade: Leningrad metronome, Operation "Spark") - Part 2 of large movie about defense of Leningrad.

13.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0069628/
"Semnadtsat mgnovenij vesny" (1973) (mini)
("17 moments of spring") - Classics of Soviet movies. Names of movie heroes became very famous, there were no crimes when this movie was shown in Soviet TV, all USSR population was near TV sets in this time. Later this movie was used in spy schools of KGB. Spring of 1945. Soviet spy Isaev (he is known as Standartenfuhrer SS Shtirlitz, large scale member of SS security service in Berlin) got order to know about possible separate negotiations between unknown German leader and representatives of US intelligence...

14.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052600/
Ballada o soldate (1959)
("Ballade about soldier") - This movie got Oscar in USA - It is about soldier, which got some day leave in summer of 1942 for coming home.

15.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326450/
Zvezda (2002)
("Star") - It is very sad story about group of soviet army scouts in rear of German troops.

16.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0070861/
V boj idut odni stariki (1973)
("Only veterans come in battle") - It is movie about pilots of fighters in summer of 1944.

17.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053628/
Baltijskoye nebo - 1 seriya (1960)
("Baltic sky. Part 1") - It is movie about fighter-pilots in time of blockade of Leningrad.

18.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054659/
Baltijskoye nebo - 2 seriya (1960)
("Baltic sky. Part 2") - continuation.

19.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0059529/
Obyknovennyj fashizm (1965)
("Usual fascism") - It is very good documentary film about fascism ("Nazism" in West) and it's crimes. Soviet version.

20.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0053317/
Sudba cheloveka (1959)
("The fate of the man") - It is very good story about fate of one Soviet soldier.

21.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0055181/
Mir vkhodyashchemu (1961)
("Peace for incoming one") - It is very good movie. Soviet truck is moving through Germany in last days of war. German pregnant woman asked to help...

22.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050634/
Letjat zhuravli (1957)
("Cranes are flying") - This movie got "Oscar" in USA. Young man is coming at war, his girl is waiting his...

23.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0175809/
Khronika pikiruyushchego bombardirovshchika (1967)
("Chronicle of diving bomber") - This movie is about some days of life of crew of Soviet Pe-2 bomber.

24.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049001/
Bessmertnyj garnizon (1956)
("Unfading garrison") - It is about feat of garrison of Brest Fortress (It was Soviet/Russian "Alamo") which was encircled in first day of war but fought for month without of hope and didn't surrender.

25.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0141666/
Normandie - Niémen (1960)
("Normandy- Neman") - This movie describes actions of very famous in USSR French fighter squadron (later-regiment) "Normandy" which fought in Eastern front under Soviet command.

26.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0067625/
Proverka na dorogakh (1971)
("Checking in roads") - This movie was not shown in USSR before Gorbatchev's Perestroyka. Partisan detachment. Suddenly Soviet soldier, who was POW and joined to pro-German Vlasov's troops for surviving, came to partisans and said that he wants to fight against Germans. How to treat with him? Soldiers of Red Army had order to not surrender but this soldier even is suited in enemy uniform. Command of partisan detachment decided to check his in combat conditions.

27.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062523/
Zhenya, Zhenechka i 'Katyusha' (1967)
(Only names so it is nothing to translate) - This movie was not shown in USSR before Gorbatchev's Perestroyka. It is sad comedy about love in war. Romantic intelligent 18-year boy Zhenya from Moscow serve in “Katysha” unit. He loves girl-signaller who also has name Zhenya, blandly – Zhenechka…

28.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0262052/
Torpedonostsy (1983)
("Torpedo-bombers") - It is movie about one week of life of pilots of torpedo-bombers of Northern Fleet.

29.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0209212/
Otryad (1984)
("Detachment") - Group of Soviet soldiers worked separately from their unit when war began. Suddenly they understood that they are in German rear. They have no weapon but they decide to go in east for connection with Soviet troops.

30.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0089828/
Porokh (1985)
("Powder") - It is about first days of Leningrad blockade. Civilian specialist got order to provide at any price transferring of powder stores from Kronstadt to Leningrad. This movie shows how horrific was that war.

31.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0314947/
Zhavoronok (1964)
("Lark") - Germans decided to check ability of anti-tank guns against really moving T-34. They ordered for some POWs to be crew of T-34 (without ammo) and to move on this road...

32.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065507/
Byl mesyats maj (1970) (TV)
("It was in May") - Small group of Soviet soldiers got order to live in house of rich German peasant in May of 1945, some days after victory...


33.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0040601/
Molodaja gvardija (1948)
("Young guard") - 1942. Germans occupied town Volgodonsk. Group of former schoolboys decided to fight with Germans. It is based on real events.

34.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051541/
Dobrovoltsy (1958)
("Volunteers") - It is very good romantic movie about 3 friends and their friendship for many years.