Ivanovo detstvo (1962)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Andrei Tarkovsky

Writers:

Vladimir Bogomolov (screenplay)
Vladimir Bogomolov (story)

Release Date:

27 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

12-year old Ivan works as a spy at the eastern front. The small Ivan can cross the German lines unnoticed to collect information...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Young Spy | Dream | Suicide | Anti War

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Nikolay Burlyaev	...	Ivan (as Kolya Burlyayev)
Valentin Zubkov	...	Capt. Kholin (as V. Zubkov)
Yevgeni Zharikov	...	Lt. Galtsev (as Ye. Zharikov)
Stepan Krylov	...	Cpl. Katasonov (as S. Krylov)
Nikolai Grinko	...	Lt. Col. Gryaznov (as N. Grinko)
Dmitri Milyutenko	...	Old Man (as D. Milyutenko)
Valentina Malyavina	...	Masha (as V. Malyavina)
Irma Raush	...	Ivan's Mother (as I. Tarkovskaya)
Andrei Konchalovsky	...	Soldier (as A. Konchalovsky)
Ivan Savkin		(as I. Savkin)
Vladimir Marenkov		(as V. Marenkov)
Vera Miturich	...	Girl

Also Known As:

Иваново детство (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Childhood of Ivan
Ivan's Childhood
My Name Is Ivan (USA)
The Youngest Spy

Runtime:

95 min | USA:84 min

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:PG (re-rating) (1988) | UK:A (original rating) | Hong Kong:I

Filming Locations:

Dnieper River, Kanev, Ukraine

Company:

Mosfilm

Trivia:

Nikolay Burlyaev is seen in this film ringing a bell. He would, 4 years later, play the character of Boriska - who shall build a giant bell - in 'Andrey Tarkovsky''s next feature Andrey Rublyov (1966).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead Man (1995)

Childhood Interrupted

The first full-length feature film by the great Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky caused a sensation when it was released and shown at Venice Film Festival in 1962 where it won the Golden Lion. The world had not seen such a powerful motion picture about war and what it does to the youngest and weakest - the children. It is a bleak, haunting and horrifying portrait of lost innocence and the childhood that was interrupted the very day the boy's family was murdered. Although Ivan survived physically, he was changed forever, not a boy but a man who looked in the eye of triumphant death and horror. The film introduces young Nikolai (Kolya) Burlyaev in the fascinating performance as Ivan. "Ivan's Childhood" is a screen adaptation of the story by a Russian writer Vladimir Bogomolov "Ivan" which is a fiction story but it is based on the real facts. Millions young boys and girls perished during the endless days, months, and years of the worst war of the last century. Bogomolov fought as a soldier during the WWII. He was only 15 years old but he had forged his papers - added two years, dropped from his school and joined the Army. He had been seriously wounded three times but survived and finished the war in Berlin - the 19 year old soldier with six medals for courage and heroism. He was a very good writer and I love his books "Moment of Truth" ("In the August of 1944"), and "Zosya" that were also adapted to very good movies in Russia.