War movies from Finland


Does anyone know about, or have an overview of all the war movies made in Finland?
If you ask me, they do know how to make good war movies.

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There are quite a few. The overwhelmingly most famous one, according to a very recent Finnish poll, is 'Tuntematon Sotilas' (The Unknown Soldier), released 1955. There was a remake in 1985. 'Rukajärven Tie' (Ambush), 1999, available with English subtitles, at least on Region 2 VHS, is rather good in my opinion, although others have disagreed with me. 'Talvisota'(The Winter War), 1989, was excellent, and some years ago was available in USA as well, but through a Finnish-American newspaper as I recall. Perhaps my personal favourite is 'Sissit' from 1962, in which the narrative is flashback style, beginning at a veteran's reunion, recalling the story of a Re-Con; Special Forces; guerilla style mission. Certainly there are many more, but these came to mind.

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TIMPPATIMI

Thx.
I have many of those movies that you are mention.

The Unknown Soldier, both.
Ambush
The Winter War (One of my favourites)

Sissit was new to me

Thanks for answering.
If you recall any other movies, please post them here.

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Hei Thomahal,
You have seen the major ones then, at least concerning the Second World War, that I am aware of, off hand. There are Dramas, or melodramas that aren't war films per se, however they have the war as a background. However, there are a couple of "made for television" films: 'Kun Taivas Repeää' approximately 1997, and 'Taivas Sinivalkoinen', a few years later. I do not believe the titles have been translated into English, but refer to "Blue Sky" and metaphorically blue skies in distress. Those were certainly worth watching, and they dealt with the Lottas, and specifically, had one Lotta (Combat Nurse, or Army Nurse), played by Eeva Palonen, as the heroine.

Edvin Laine, the director of the original Unkown Soldier, also adapted the same author's (Väinö Linna) novel Täällä Pohjan Tähden Alla (here Under the North Star) into a television film in 1968. That was a Finnish miniseries of its day, and quite good. The narrative is from the perspective of a "Red" family, before , during, and after the Finnish Civil War. There was a TV sequel in 1971 titled Akseli and Elina, which partially deals with the children of this couple in the Russo Finnish War. They aren't war films however, although have combat scenes in them.

Oh yes, Åke Lindman, the director of Tali-Ihantala which I have yet to see, made Framom Främsta Linjen (2004), about a Swedish speaking Regiment in the battle of Viipuri. It had some interesting attributes, such as an officer wearing a Parisian style bohemian beret. However, the lack of funds in the Finnish film industry was evident in some of the combat scenes, however that is only my opinion. Nevertheless, Mr. Lindman is a craftsman, and did justice to that effort. Some unrelated trivia: Colonel Marttinen, the Finnish speaking commander, after the war and the consequent weapons cache crisis of the late 1940s, emigrated via Sweden to USA where he served as an officer in the US Army.

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Thx for all the good information.
I have Framom Främsta Linjen in my collection of movies, are any of the other titles you mention available on DVD?

To your information.
I have a picture of Mannerheim framed on my wall.

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Taivas Sinivalkoinen and Kun Taivas Repeää are available on Region 2 dvd.
The Edvin Laine directions of Here Under the North Star series are on VHS, PAL format. I really do not know if they have been transferred to dvd yet. My guess is that they will do so, if it hasn't already been done. I don't live in Finland, therefore I'm a bit behind the events, as far as film.

Coincidentally, I also have a framed picture of Marshal Mannerheim on my wall. It is in color, and was taken either on, or for, his 75th birthday in the field.
I purchased it in Helsinki as a lad in 1982 or so, from a 'militaria' shop on Annankatu, and had it framed the same week in gold colored decorative trim. Initially I gave it to my father as a birthday gift.

The Hollywood director Renny Harlin, is finalizing plans to shoot a biography of Mannerheim with a projected release date of 2009. I do not know which portion of Mannerheim's life the film will cover.

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I would think Harlin will make it about his whole life leaving some parts out. Most likely there is small parts of his childhood as his family roots are quite interesting. Then it might jump to his days in Russian military academy. Then some major things like his mariage and divorce. His Russian army career like Russo-Japanese War and his two different expedition to China. Then his feats in Poland where he raised ranks quickly and fought in WWI. His "retirement" to Finland were he was convinced to lead the whites in Civil War. Then they might show some of his ideology as he didn't really like the Communism or Germans who helped whites to win the war. They might show parts of his visits in England and France as he was sent to convince them to reconise Finland as independent state. Might also show some of the trips that he made before the WWII around the world. WWII will be in the movie without a doubt as it one of the key things in his life. Also it would be odd if the meeting with Hitler and the famous only existing conversation of Hitler speaking with his normal voice ever recorded would not be in the movie. It would be great way to show that Mannerheim really didn't like Hitler. Then some parts after the war and his death in Switzerland. If you anyone really wants to know more about him you can find a bio about him in wikipedia. Still these are just things that would be nice to see in the movie but we have to wait and see.

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Use IMDB's powersearch with genre war and country Finland

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Wow

That power search did the trick.
I got 47 matching titles on Finland and war.

And thanks for all that info on Mannerheim.

I collect war movies, documentaries and books.
Finnish war movies are simply the best.

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I collected a few Finish war movies, I would like to buy some more.
I allready have :
1.) The Unknown Soldier (1985)
2.) The Unknown Soldier (1955)
3.) The Winter War
4.) Ambush
5.) Dog Nail Clipper
6.) Mosku
7.) Etulinjan Edessa (Beyond Enemy Lines)
8.) Pikkusisar (Little Sisters)
9.) Lupaus
I collected those in the last 4 years, from ebay and from amazon, one from
ethaicd.com and one from dvdasian.com
Now I would like to get those ones:
1.) Taivas Sinivalkoinen
2.) Kun Taivas Repeaa
3.) Here under the North Star
4.) Taivas Sinivalkoinen
5.) Tali Inhantala 1944
6.) Sissit
and of course other ones that haven't been mentioned, but are available on DVD or VHS. Format does not matter, I own region-free dvd and vhs units.
However, I would prefer German, English or Spanish subtitles.
Could You Guys throw me a few links ? Preferable with an easy to understand
menu for foreign shoppers.

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That already is a good collection.

There are a couple more


Hylätyt talot autiot pihat "Abandoned Houses" (2000)
Päämaja "Headquarters" (1970)
Meidän poikamme merellä (1933)
Raja 1918 (2007)

- I however believe that only the first one of these has been out on DVD.



The Apple Scruffs Corps, 05
I am the brain and she's the muscle.

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Thank You for pointing them out for me, I'm a fan of finnish historical movies.
But You don't know, where I could purchase this title ?

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Sissit is my 2nd favorite Finnish war movie after Talvisota. Unfortunately the DVD has no subtitles.

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Raja 1918 (The Border 1918) is also now available on DVD and has also English subtitles (Region 2 though). It´s not actually a war film but more like drama taking place in the aftermath of a Finnish civil war. Still a great film.

At least "Filmifriikki" sells it abroad http://www.filmifriikki.fi/~yeDEx0000001/?Y999=PIF&Y104=006438044133851

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Yes, I just ordered my copy from ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Raja-1918-Border-1918-Finnish-2007-independence-war_W0QQitemZ360037224113QQihZ023QQcategoryZ2288QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem.

Sissit has not appeared on ebay yet,only the theme music CD
Need a finish friend to help me with the order.
If SISSIT contains a lot of action, I can watch it without englisch or german subtitles.

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This One is Excellent.Available only on VHS at the moment, but very hard to get.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377291/
-it translates as Nine Men's Boots.
It is about a pair of soldier-boots which pass on from one soldier to another,altogether nine men, during the years of the continuation war.

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I realize this thread is almost 5 years old. But I am convinced that lovers of Finnish War Films will find this one day.
In all seriousness, there have been many excellent films made in Finland since the thread. Raja18 was terrific. There have been two or three other films, in the 2000's, concerning the post Independence, and Pre World War II period. Also one very good one titled "Kuulustelu" (Interrogation) about the immediate post war period, when the Communists had a grip on the Ministry of the Interior in Finland in the dangerous late 1940's. Yrjö Leino, then, was like the Lavrenti Beria, and J.Edgar Hoover, of those times.

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