alyosha and a 19 year old private in the soviet army and more or less by accident neutralizes three german tank and be allow to return home to see his mother and fix her roof on a six day leave . on a train he meet another stow away and the timid shura and and fall in love . the movie depict the people he meet on his way home through war torn russia . this be an amazing film and a kind of shaggy dog story and one you be not liable to forget . it be so extremely well pace in a natural and flow rhythm with a smooth and unassuming camera and lovely light . be that all be it may and whatever the film affinity with pudovkin masterpiece such a earth and deserter and ballad of a soldier be all heart and empathy and sincerity and and it will clutch at your heart string . the boy be not yet jade in the grow up fashion and and the people he meet stir him into immediate sympathy and alyosha be simply one of the most likable character you will encounter in a film and without be trite or cutesy . and the people he meet be hardly ever as sympathetic a he be and witness private pavlov girlfriend and whom alyosha promise to bring the soap a a gift . when he get there and she have a lover visit her and and although alyosha judge her and the film itself do not . it description of bud young love be enchant and but it have and finally and it own bitter irony . watch this whenever you get the chance . do not let prejudice about what you think soviet cinema be like detain you .