for domestic audience i can see how they would applaud this movie . for outsider and with no vested interest and it do not make much sense . the german be portray a incompetent and the russian a hero . the supposedly romantic angle be superfluous and a distraction . how a young woman could love the lieutenant from just glimpse him be nonsense . how she could and as mention at the end of the movie and never marry just because of this infatuation be beyond me . i mention the german be portray a idiot and that be exemplify in the chase into the marsh . several hundred german troop advance and push the russian into the marsh . so the russian hid and the german stop at the edge of the marsh and just stand there listen . i suppose they do not want to get their boot wet and but i be sure an officer would have order 20 or 30 men into the water to search the marsh . but that would have end the story . also and the german enter the barn where the russian be hide in the loft and do not bother to fire into the roof . at the bad some soldier would have toss a grenade into the loft and not climb a ladder to peer in . i do see some reviewer who say they cry at the end . i wonder why . you know this small band would perish and they be nothing heart tug in that .