Figure 1.-Here Ivan is writing a report about one of his spy missions. The information is coded in the nature specimins he brings back. Yje specimens help him remember the numbers of Germans, tanls, and other equipment he sees. These are put into order and then Ivan writes up his report. Its a sad film. Ivan is killed when he goes on another mission.

'Ivan;s Childhood' depicts the German invasion of the Soviet Union through the eyes of 12-year old Ivan. The Great Patriotic War is the subject matter for countless Soviet films. This film is the story about a 12-year old boy who chooses to be a soldier when his parents are killed by the NAZIs during World War II.

Opening Mission

The story begins in the Russian Army barracks. This is an abandoned building the soldiers have taken over. There is dripping water and a sense of dampness as Ivan appears. He is a slightly built boy of about 10 or 12 years of age. He is dirty and muddy. It transpired that he has returned to the Soviet lines after going on a reconnaissance mission. A soldier takes care of him. A fire is lit, hot water is boiled and a galvanized bath tub is found filled with the hot water and Ivan takes a bath. After it he dresses in a night shirt and sits at a table where the soldier has placed food and drink. This is very simple food, bread and tea. While eating it Ivan falls asleep and the soldier carries him to a bed were he snuggles under a warm looking duvet and falls asleep.

Costuming

Ivan wakes up and his face lights with joy when the soldier he is very fond of comes into the room. Ivan rushes over to him and gives him a hug. The soldier has a suitcase. Inside are clothes for Ivan. We see Ivan dressed in a warm polo neck jersey and military style long ridding trousers. He is wearing stout army boots. he wears these clothes throughout the film when he is off duty. When Ivan is going on a mission he wears peasant clothes and a cap which looks like a First World War flyers leather helmet.

Adopted by the Soldiers

The soldiers explain that Ivan is a war orphan his family had been killed by the NAZI soldiers when they invaded the Ukraine. Since being found by the Russian soldiers Ivan has lived with them. They are very protective of him. They want him to go away from the war. They sent him to a Children’s Home but he ran away to rejoin the patricians and help in the fight against the NAZIs. They next want him to go to military school and again he refuses to go and runs away. The commander tracks him down and finds him in a bombed out building with a crazed peasant whose home has been destroyed.

Spying for the Partisans

Ivan gets in the car and argues to be allowed to spy for the Partisans. He believes he can do this because he is a small boy and can get into the enemy lines easier than a grown man. It is decided to let him do this. The film never shows the missions he goes on but only his going and returning. The soldiers discuss Ivan’s future and there is some rivalry because two of the soldiers would like to adopt Ivan. Ivan becomes a child spy and a very successful one. He collects nature speciams to help remind him of the numbers associated with German troop mumbers and movements.

Playing War

Ivan is left alone after he has returned from a mission. We see him play army. However this is very sinister because it is not the innocent childhood game of army. It is practicing for the war Ivan is fighting. We watch Ivan has he fanaticizes about rescuing trapped Russians who the NAZIs are going to put to death. This is a very frenzied game in which all of Ivan’s fears come to the surface as he plays his war game.

Flash Backs

There are several scenes in which Ivan is recalling his life before the war. Here we see him in the hot summer sunshine with his mother. They are looking into a well. Ivan is wearing shorts. He is barefooted and he wears no shirt. He is enjoying the sunshine. Another flash back recalls helping his father feed apples to the horses. Ivan is on the back of a lorry full of apples. There is a little girl there too who he likes. He wants her to eat an apple but she will not. It is raining throughout this scene. He wears a course woolen vest. A reader writes, "The flying scenes in the flash backs to Ivan's happy pre-War life are interesting. This is used in quite a few Russian films and sometimes in French films as well to illustrate a phantasy or wish fulfilment."

Ending

Ivan goes with the soldiers across the river to the German lines. He vanishes into the mist. We never see him again. The soldiers start to return to their lines and the scene changes to Berlin. The Russians have arrived. The NAZI leaders are dead and we see newsreel footage of their dead families. In one building soldiers are taking away records of soviet soldiers who have been executed by the NAZIs. One of these records is Ivan’s. He was captured and executed. The film ends with a dream scene from Ivan’s pre-War childhood. He is playing with children on the lake shore. The game is hide and seek. A girl is hiding and Ivan sees her. He chases after her. They run into the water and Ivan over takes her and runs on and on.

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Created: 1:36 AM 2/27/2011
Last updated: 1:36 AM 2/27/2011