In 1939, two Finnish brothers are conscripted in the army to fight in the war between Finland and the Soviet Union.
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Title: The Winter War (1989)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Taneli Mäkelä | ... | Private Martti Hakala |
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Vesa Vierikko | ... | 2nd Lieutenant Jussi Kantola |
| Timo Torikka | ... | Private Pentti Saari | |
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Heikki Paavilainen | ... | Private Vilho Erkkilä |
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Antti Raivio | ... | Corporal Erkki Somppi |
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Esko Kovero | ... | Medical Corporal Juho Pernaa |
| Martti Suosalo | ... | Private Arvi Huhtala | |
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Markku Huhtamo | ... | Private Aatos Laitila |
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Matti Onnismaa | ... | Corporal Veikko Korpela |
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Konsta Mäkelä | ... | Private Paavo Hakala |
| Tomi Salmela | ... | Private Matti Ylinen | |
| Samuli Edelmann | ... | Private Mauri Haapasalo (as Samuli Edelman) | |
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Vesa Mäkelä | ... | Lieutenant Yrjö Haavisto |
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Aarno Sulkanen | ... | Captain Sihvo - battalion commander |
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Kari Kihlström | ... | Lieutenant Jorma Potila |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Set during World War 2. After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, Russia attacked Finland in November 1939. Finnish reservists leave their homes and go to war. The film focuses on two farmers from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia, brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala, serving in a Finnish platoon. Written by Anonymous
Taglines:
They held back the Russian Juggernaut in a frozen Hell!Certificate:
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Details
Country:
FinlandLanguage:
FinnishRelease Date:
December 1989 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Winter War See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
FIM23,500,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (International Cut) | (miniseries)Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1
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Arvi Huhtala: Go tell them it is.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The tanks used are original Soviet T-26, captured by the Finns during the Continuation War of 1941-44 and then used as the backbone of the Finnish tank forces. Several are in driving conditions in Finnish museums. See more »Goofs
When the men chase after horses, one can briefly see an electric cable pole. It has a grounding wire with modern black-yellow coating. See more »Quotes
Vilho Erkkilä: They use explosive bullets! That's forbidden!Arvi Huhtala: Go tell them it is.
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Alternate Versions
5×50min TV-series includes some extra scenes not shown in the original theatre release. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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The subject is the little-known war between Finland and Russia in WWII. It is hard to imagine such a small country standing up against mighty Russia, but it happened. You get a vivid sense of the despair and carnage of fighting against overwhelming odds. The random nature of combat also strikes hard. The visuals are graphic and stunning without being over dramatized. The craziness of war is brought home by a Finnish soldier who laughingly lights up a cigarette after having his uniform set aflame by a Russian tank. Quiet moments off the battlefield intersperse the intense battle scenes. If you are a war movie fan then this is a must-see movie!
Reviewed was the English sub-titled version. For anyone primarily fluent in English it is quite interesting to hear dialogue in Finnish, a language far removed from English.