Tuntematon sotilas (1985)

The first version of this story was released in 1955 with Edvin Laine as director and the score by Ahti Sonninen. This mid-'80s release is based on the same novel by Vaino Linna (who co-scripted the screenplay), but unlike the scenario in 1955, it is no longer a political hot potato (the 1955 film was removed from competition at Cannes because of politics). At issue are two wars for the Finnish province of Karelia fought in 1939-1940 and again in 1941-1944 against a menacing Russian encroachment. During World War II, however, the Finns were briefly allied with Hitler against the Soviet Union, and that is one point of enormous controversy. Another point revolves around whether it was prudent to go so far into Russian territory in the war -- and how does one depict the Russian stance in all this? Here, the story is a simple, direct, and honest look at the lives and deaths of a group of Finn soldiers in a series of battles that ultimately culminated in the loss of 80,000 and the province as well. The action is realistic, none of the soldiers are given a Hollywood veneer, and the three-hour running time entertains without a lag or false note. ...The Unknown Soldier (1985) (Tuntematon sotilas).

This film is the second silver screen adaption of the Finnish war book by Väinö Linna with the same name as the film. The story is based on Linna's experiences as an infantry man in the Finnish army during the so called "Continuation War" (1941-1944). The film tells the story of the fate of a machine gun platoon made up of young conscripts from various parts of Finland fighting against the Russian army from the beginning (summer 1941) to the end (summer/autumn 1944) of the war. Many of the caracters are based on author Linna's brothers in arms.

This film is based on Väinö Linna's novel "Unknown soldier", but the style of the movie differs dramatically from the style of the book. Linna tells his story with bitter black humour and he has war heroes, Koskela & Rokka for example. Mollberg's version has neither heroes nor humour. Instead his movie is starred by blood and terror. Linna awakens, Mollberg silences. In the genre of war movies Mollberg's work is right on top, it has both artistic and realistic merits, for instance The bridge over the River Kwai lacks the latter. The way Mollberg shows his characters is, however, little too straightforward; Everyone is described thru one mental quality, Lehto is always cynical etc. The mythic silence that surrounds Koskela grows to the astronomical. On the other hand Mollberg succeeds in filming the fear and anger.

This movie is following a Finnish platoon in Finlands struggle against Soviet Union in the Continuation War starting in 1942. In the beginning the men are conscripts who are sent to the front when Finland attacks SU in hope of getting back the area that SU took from Finland in Winter War in 1940. In the beginning Finland is victorious but then the luck turns... Finland has to start its retreat. The men are just 19-year-old boys when the war starts, but in the end they are heroes who kept the Finland independent despite of the massive Soviet Army.

This new version of Tuntematon Sotilas is very different from the earlier one made during the fifties, when Finland still had vivid memories from the war. In Mollberg's version there are less humour, and in addition to this there are nothing left of the nationalism, that we are used to connect with this kind of movies. Tuntematon Sotilas reflects about the situation of the soldier and the front-men as a mass. Instead of pathetic patriotism the film tells about the war without great gestures and bloody action scenes. The director keeps Väinö Linna's very critical outlook on the world.

Original Finnish spoken language, subtitles in English and Swedish. Region 2 Pal dvd. Cover art in Finnish.

Valirauhan aikana itsasumalaisen korpivaruskunnan konekivaarikomppaniiassa tehdaan laakarintarkastus ja harjoitellaan tulevia taisteluita varten. Kesakuussa tulee lahtokasky kohti tuntematonta ja komppania kuljetetaan itarajalle. Upseerit kuuntelevat vakavina radiosta ministerin puhetta lopullisesta voitosta ja vallatussa Petroskoissa on jo aloitettu sumalaisten voitonjuhlat. Kesalla 1944 aikaa Neuvostoliiton suurhyokkays ja sumalaisten joukkojen peraantyminen.

Kirjailija Vaino Linna antoi tayden tukensa Rauni Mollbergin elokuvahaukkeelle ja oli alun alkaen mukana sen kasikirjoitustyossa. Vaikka Edwin Laineen ohjaus puolusti paikkaansa, Tuntemattoman sotilaan uudelleen filmaukseen haluttin loytaa uusia nakokulmia. Nayttelijat ovat nuorempia, koska johtoajatuksena on nuoren ihmisen tie sotaan ja sen mielettomyyteen. Samalla se on kunnianosoitus niille jotka ovat kayneet sen kaiken lapi.

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