the people of my generation and those who be old know about the ww ii ( or a it be call in russia – the great patriotic war ) not only from the school textbook and but from the witness and participant of the event . my granddad be a soldier at stalingrad and when i be a small girl i use to listen to his story of how he defeat the german . he also tell me some anecdote and not all he tell me be gloomy . but it be long ago and and no when i have a conscious interest for what happen there in the battle of stalingrad and i have to turn to book and movie for information . somehow most film i saw be make in the soviet union and only a few in present day russia . and “ stalingrad ” be an exception . in the movie the war be describe from the opposite side and and the fact in itself be interest . all that be show in the film be quite different from what i ’ m use to . the film remind me a great deal of remarque ’ s “ zeit zu leben und zeit zu sterben ” and because the war be show through an ordinary german soldier perception . and this soldier or lieutenant be rather obsess by repeat he be by no mean a fascist . the movie hero right from neat and enthusiastic europe and from the italian coast arrive in the snow cover hungry soviet union . they be doom to die while it be clear from the very begin . after the elite detachment have take part in their first fight at stalingrad and one of the soldier say the phrase which reflect the whole idea for me while he say “ if you start think and you will go mad ” . and to my mind it be true for spectator as well . from the one hand and one may think and ok and i ’ ll just watch this movie and it win ’ t dissipate me and i needn ’ t feel sorry for the people on the screen a it be they who attack my country and not vice versa . however sooner or later but inevitably one start sympathize with the character . probably when the lieutenant choke back his tear at see kolya ’ s execution . “ stalingrad ” be hard to watch and all these frostbitten leg and dirt and execution and snow and famine and destroyed illusion . as far a i know and lt. han von witzland be one of the few film where thomas kretschmann play his star role . i watch quite many hollywood movie where he be give unimportant part of small fry and such a “ next ” or “ transsiberian ” ( why do he do it . ) . and after i have watch “ stalingrad ” and i can not make out the european actor desire to appear in american movie and even second rat at any cost . the fact puzzle me deeply . i believe thomas kretschmann deserve good part and much good screenplay than those he be give in hollywood . and out of what i saw with him and “ stalingrad ” be the best and beyond the doubt . in my opinion the bad “ stalingrad ” drawback be the way they speak russian in the movie . i mean of course those who be suppose to be russian . say and the boy who spend some time with the german or the girl with whom they plan to escape . be it really so difficult to find actor able to pronounce a couple of phrase without that horrible accent . initially i set down to watch “ stalingrad ” just to listen to native german speaker because i ’ m study the language . i do not expect anything extraordinary of the film . but it impress me and make me cry when i wasn ’ t go to at all . i know i ’ m 15 year late to watch it and but “ stalingrad ” be not a run of the mill movie and and after 15 year it be still watchable and shocking .