Ballad of a Soldier (1959): cast, story & where to watch
1959 · Film · ★ 8.1
Released in 1959, Ballad of a Soldier is a drama, war and romance film directed by Grigoriy Chukhray, running about 89 minutes. “From the very pages of life itself!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. During World War II, earnest young Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov is rewarded with a short leave of absence for performing a heroic deed on the battlefield. Feeling homesick, he decides to visit his mother. Due to his kindhearted nature, however, Alyosha is repeatedly sidetracked by his efforts to help those he encounters, including a lovely girl named Shura. In his tour of a country devastated by war, he struggles to keep hope alive.
Who’s in it. Ballad of a Soldier stars Vladimir Ivashov as Alyosha Skvortsov, Zhanna Prokhorenko as Shura, Antonina Maksimova as Katerina, Alyosha's Mother and Nikolay Kryuchkov as The General, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.1/10, Ballad of a Soldier sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ballad of a Soldier page.
If you liked it. Fans of Ballad of a Soldier tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Ballad of a Soldier (1959)?
- In US, Ballad of a Soldier is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Ballad of a Soldier worth watching?
- Ballad of a Soldier holds an audience score of 8.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, war and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Ballad of a Soldier?
- Ballad of a Soldier stars Vladimir Ivashov, Zhanna Prokhorenko, Antonina Maksimova, Nikolay Kryuchkov and Evgeniy Urbanskiy.
- When was Ballad of a Soldier released?
- Ballad of a Soldier was released in 1959, with a runtime of about 89 minutes.