Come and See (1985)

Clicking my "ussr" tag at the bottom will show you how much trouble I've had appreciating Soviet filmography. When it's not disagreeably propagandist, it tends to be slow, ponderous, and cheap. But one coming near the end of the Soviet Union's lifetime might be different.

If the title evokes childlike innocence, that's appropriate yet probably unintentional irony: It comes from a Revelation line about apocalyptic destruction. CaS starts with teen boys digging in Belorussian mud for lost rifles so that they can join the Soviet militia. Yes, that was all it took. One, Florya (or Flyora, depending on the source), succeeds despite his family's strong wishes. As a junior recruit, he doesn't get the heavier duties like, y'know, battle. But in what seems like a couple of days, he comes to see quite enough carnage for one lifetime.

This is one of the most devastating war movies I've ever seen, and that's saying something. Part of it stems from the violence being mostly massacres, particularly of women and children. I guess 1985 Soviets viewed WWII German troops much the same way we do.

The other aspect to make it devastating is Florya's youthfulness. The actor was 16 at the time of release; I could easily have believed 14 on screen, as director Elem Klimov intended. Florya clearly signed on in ignorance, though it may well be for the best that he didn't stay home. He cries quite a bit, even before he's known a tenth of the suffering that follows.

The closest Florya gets to killing anyone before the movie ends is in fingering a key culprit among POWs. This scene appears to indicate that even in the face of such brutes, the boy retains a sense of mercy that makes him uncomfortable with the idea of replying in kind. That might signal a moral to the story if there is one.

Regardless, the main point is to call the world's attention to just how much death occurred in the area of what is now Belarus. More than 600 villages burned down, and the fire was not just for inanimate objects. Klimov, then 52, never directed again, feeling he'd done enough; I can only surmise that this film was as taxing as it looked.

Low budget? Not that I noticed. Low on color variety, yes, but that makes sense for the subject. The music is aptly powerful. And honestly, boredom is the last negative feeling you should worry about.

CaS goes onto a pretty short list of painful viewings that I greatly admire. I doubt I'd ever bring myself to watch it again, but I sure am glad to have partaken once.