Ballad of a Soldier (1959)

During World War II, earnest young Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov is rewarded with a short leave of absence for performing a heroic deed on the battlefield. Feeling homesick, he decides to visit his mother. Due to his kindhearted nature, however, Alyosha is repeatedly sidetracked by his efforts to help those he encounters, including a lovely girl named Shura. In his tour of a country devastated by war, he struggles to keep hope alive.

Genres: Drama, Romance, War

What to watch after Ballad of a Soldier

• War and Peace (1965) — Two steps away in the credits
• The Cranes Are Flying (1957) — Same subject: world war ii
• White Sun of the Desert (1969) — Valentin Ezhov wrote for both
• Andrei Rublev (1966) — Two steps away in the credits
• The Barber of Siberia (1998) — Two steps away in the credits
• The Dawns Here Are Quiet (1972) — Same subject: world war ii