The First Echelon (1955)

November. 24,1955

6.5

| Drama Romance War

In one of the steppe regions of Kazakhstan arrives on Komsomol youth squad. Severe frosts, spring mud flows, exhausting work than their specialty - the development of virgin land does not come easy. But the young are young - they work, enjoy life, fall in love. In the center of the story - the touching romance secretary of the Komsomol organization and tractor driver Anne.

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Cast

Vsevolod Sanayev as Alexey Yegorovich Dontsov

[1984] White Dew [1982] From Evening to Noon [1981] Teheran '43 [1979] Colonel Zorin Version [1973] Black Prince [1970] The Return Of The 'Saint Luke'

Oleg Efremov as Alexey Uzorov

[1993] Angelica's Passion [1987] First Encounter - Last Encounter [1985] Batallions Ask for Fire [1984] Another Man's Wife and Husband Under Bed [1982] Traffic Officer [1979] When I Will Become a Giant

Tatyana Doronina as Zoya

[1985] Valentin and Valentina [1968] Three Poplars on Plyuschikha Street [1967] Elder Sister [1964] Blood Ties [1955] The First Echelon

Reviews

Owen Whittaker

1955/11/24

This is a film that features the music of Dmitri Shoshtakovich http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKlS2Ez2UqY for example is his famous Waltz number two. This film is a masterpiece for this fact alone. It may be a cloudy reflection of post war Soviet, with trimmings of ideology but who better than the Nationalist Dmitri Shoshtakovich to set the music. For those who do not know, Dmitri Shoshtakovich is amongst the greatest composers to have lived. The movie is particularly sweet at times with trimmings of innocence, there is a vitality and energy that is timeless. The cinematography is always beautiful with wonderful vistas and excellent colour. So, this is truly a period piece, this in fact is indeed a work of art.