The Cuckoo Movie Review 2002

It's not a joke but the film does have its humorous moments: a Russian, a Finn, and a Lapp are drawn together in 1944. That was the year the Nazis, who occupied Finland, pulled out, leaving behind Finns who had been pressed into service against the advancing Russians. One of these Finns is reluctant sniper Veiko (Haapasalo). The Russian is Ivan (Bychkov), wounded and found by the Lapp--young war widow Anni (Juuso)--who is caring for him in her hut. Veiko also stumbles upon the hut. None speak the other's language, which doesn't prevent a lot of conversation and misunderstandings as well as desire. In Finnish, Russian, and Sami (the Lapp language) with subtitles.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on DVD
Running time 104 minutes.
Originally from Russian.

Cast and Crew

Genres

World War II, Romantic Triangles, Military: Foreign, Anti-War War Movies

Screenplay

Alexander Rogozhkin

Cast

Willie Haapsalo, Anni-Kristina Usso, Vikter Bychkov

Cinematography

Andrei Zhegalov

Director

Alexander Rogozhkin

Music

Dmitri Pavlov

Other

Anatoly Goudkovsky, Sergey Sokolov, Yulia Rumyatseva, Marina Nikolaeva, Vladimir Svetozarov

Producer

Sergei Solyanov, CTB, Sony Pictures Classics