Tuntematon sotilas (1955)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Edvin Laine

Writers:

Väinö Linna (novel)
Juha Nevalainen (writer)

Release Date:

23 December 1955 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

It is the summer of 1941. An eastern-Finnish machine gun company receives an order to turn in their surplus equipment...

Plot Keywords:

Finnish | Soldier | Finland | Winter | Lake

Awards:

7 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kosti Klemelä	...	Koskela
Heikki Savolainen	...	Hietanen
Reino Tolvanen	...	Rokka
Veikko Sinisalo	...	Lahtinen
Åke Lindman	...	Lehto
Pentti Siimes	...	Määttä
Leo Riuttu	...	Vanhala
Kaarlo Halttunen	...	Rahikainen
Matti Ranin	...	Kariluoto
Jussi Jurkka	...	Lammio
Tauno Palo	...	Sarastie
Pentti Irjala	...	Kaarna
Vilho Siivola	...	Mäkilä
Martti Romppanen	...	Sihvonen
Tapio Hämäläinen	...	Salo

Also Known As:

The Unknown Soldier

Runtime:

181 min | Finland:169 min | Germany:121 min (cut version) | Sweden:135 min (1956)

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (2001) (uncut) | Finland:K-12 (1985) (cut) | Finland:K-12 (1988) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1955) (uncut) | Sweden:15 (1956) (cut) | Germany:16 (1956) (cut)

Filming Locations:

Hanko, Finland

Company:

Suomen Filmiteollisuus

Trivia:

Veli-Matti Kaitala was a very popular child actor in the 40s. The role of Hauhia is the only screen-role that he has played as an adult.

Quotes:

Hietanen: [Mäkilä gives a salted herring to Hietanen suffering from hangover] Thanks! I will manage the next half a year with this!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in SF-katsaus 3 (1955)

Soundtrack:

Kalinka

I think it is sad...

that someone wants to claim this movie, although it can be an "inner-circle-finnish" film, soviet propaganda. I merely would like to straighten out some facts that appeared on Politi Kasse's comment (that obviously was nothing more than a quarrelsome lie).

First, the finnish socialists did NOT join soviet partisans. The Finnish Social-democratic party had by WW2 become a party that represents political center. Some - and very few - finnish COMMUNISTS joined the partisans. It is true, however, that before the war the swedish government pressured Finland to surrender, to avoid a political conflict. And I think that was awful to hear when I first heard that, and I am very much offended of Politi Kasse's words.

Secondly, I, for one, was not forced to read the book in school. I read it two summers ago, and I don't recalled being TOLD to do so. Thirdly, that stuff about Renny Harlin having to flee to USA is ... well I won´t even dignify that with an answer.

I am deeply offended of Politi Kasse's comment, and although I file it under the rather inexhaustible file of Swedish Jealousy, I will reserve the right to make you EAT the print-out of your comment if we would ever happen to meet.

Yours, Tsulkaturin aka VP Hämäläinen, Keminmaa Finland.