Only Old Men Are Going to Battle (1973)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A Major Disappointment

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

This movie is only interesting as a Russian/Soviet cultural curiosity. It is a 1974 movie of a Soviets pilots fighting the Germans in the Ukraine. It's 95% talk, 5% action, mostly stock footage a that. If hoping to see a war action movie, even a hint of one, this is not the movie. Talk, talk and more talk, and some singing as well. It's pretty boring. Watch this movie if interested in Russian/Soviet culture and language, or how WWII is seen in the eyes of Soviet 70s Russia.

a lovely film. few lines and a profound message. a war film but far to be another movie about heroic events and mounts of dead. it is poetry and music. homage and wise example to be more than political instrument. a film about human links, not complicated, about joy and sacrifices. a film of characters because each of them is a seductive sketch. a film about Soviet Union as a large family but without the veil of propaganda. it is strange its freshness. the explanation is simple - the values who defines ordinaries lives. the war is short, the music is eternal and this is the heart of its force and charm and science to present basic truth in perfect light, in the best form. nostalgic and tender. a slice from a great cinema school.

This movie includes all! You can find here Romance, History and a bit of Comedy. Movie is full off great music which is very popular in all countries in East of Europe, this songs are live in the hearts of million peoples across the Europe. The main hero of this film is Bogdan Titarenko(Leonid Bykov). Very talented and brave leader of "Singing group", he must look after some new cadets and fight together with them against the planes of Fascist Germany. Near to the Bogdan always are his friends, they all are from different parts of the country, but they all became real brothers. Very touching part of film is love feeling between Romeo and Masha. They both were pilots and their destinies were to live in sky together and die there, war took them to life's like a victim of eternal love. I think this movie about the greatest feeling in the world – about love, love to the native land, love between two people, love between friends and love to all cinema the greatest actor and director all over the world – Leonid Bykov….

Hi !This is very interesting WWII fighter pilots' film in international standard!This fighter wing has own music band played by fighter pilots themselves and the "nose art" of the plane of wing leader is "music score".Director and main actor, Leonid Bukov is one of very impressive actor in Soviet union 1960-70s era movies who usually took rolls of ordinary citizen or soldier in several films. He never took a roll of famous red army general.Most of air battle scenes were taken from documentary films. This films focus on a life and death, happy time and sad time, of pilots themselves, and their love with lovely female pilots.Also I feel special Ukrainian feeling in this film.(This film was made by Ukrainian movie studio during Soviet era)Beside this one, another Soviet Union Fighter pilot film "Baltiskoe Nyebo" (means, Baltic Sky) is also impressive in different way which focus on the various relations between fighter pilots and citizens of Leningrad under German army's Blockade.