this be a simple story . alyosha skvortsov and a private in the soviet army during wwii and destroy two enemy tank and and in exchange for receive official recognition for his accomplishment and asks for leave to see his mother and repair her roof . after some hesitation his commanding officer be take by alyosha innocent sincerity and grant him a six day leave while the rest of the movie detail alyosha journey home . give how difficult travel be at the time and and the distance to be cover and it be not clear to me how alyosha ever figure he could make it home and back in six day . i think it would have help non russian to have have a map . alyosha travel by hitch and by hop train . in some of the most affecting and believable scene alyosha meet a depressed man who have lose a leg and be convince his wife will not accept him on his return . it be alyosha genuine and gentle good nature that help this man to have the courage to continue his journey and and the last we see of him he have be happily reunite with his wife . the main event of the trip have alyosha meet a young woman on one of his train trip . their relationship develop slowly and tenderly and but i ultimately find it too romanticize . the swell music and soft close ups be too conspicuous in try to achieve their goal . and after the couple unfortunate separation and their chance reunion seem highly improbable . there be some remarkable black and white cinematography . director chukhrai have take a page out of bergman book by film black figure silhouette against gray sky and lonely background . the film stock do not seem up to the quality of a lot of black and white film of the time and it lack in contrast and sharpness . the reunion of ayosha with his mother at the end tear at your heart and know from the beginning of the film that this will be their last brief meeting . the message of the toll that war take on average citizen come across clearly there be no happy end here . i like this movie and but it do not seem to touch me as deeply a others have testify to .