Original subtitles

A BASIC CAREFREE BOY

GERMANS HAVE LOST THE PIVOTAL BATTLE FOR STALINGRAD

IN FEBRUARY 1943.

IN JUNE, THE ALLIED FORCES DISEMBARK IN ITALY.

430 OOO FINNS SERVE IN THE WAR.

THE TROOPS ARE STUCK IN TRENCH WARFARE ON ALL FRONTS.

...where the remains of SS General Heydrich have been placed.

The flames burn high in the bowls placed on both sides of the hall.

The guard of honor includes eight high-ranking members from the SS,

the secret service, the air forces and the army.

On the right side of the coffin stand two medal cushion carriers.

You know women enjoy my company.

You're pulling the cards from your sleeves.

There were still two queens left in the deck.

Goddammit...

Shuffle the deck.

Did you check?

What do you have?

- Two pairs. - Dammit.

SVIR REGION JULY 1943

What are you doing? Who are you?

I'm the sentry.

A sentry is the kind of man you don't wanna start yellin' at.

- He's a man with authority. - What are you doing?

Etching a design on this lamp stand.

It's startin' to take shape real nice.

Don't you realize you're the sentry?

Of course I do.

You can tell without asking 'cos I keep looking in the periscope.

That's what a sentry does.

What's your name?

Yes. I'll pass the order on. Over.

Rokka. It was Lammio.

He ordered you and your squad to clean the command area.

The paths need to be lined with round stones.

Round stones...

So you're not going?

- Good evening. - Good evening.

Gut Shabes.

Look what I got ya.

Sit.

Go ahead, have some.

You seem to be intent on disregarding all discipline.

What's that?

As if military discipline meant nothing to you.

- It doesn't. - It will soon.

To hell with it.

You want me to pick up leaves and line up pebbles.

I chose that task to see if you'd comply.

- You thought I'd obey? - I'd advise you to.

You think I'm scared?

I don't.

If you would just behave like a proper soldier,

especially a high-ranking one like yourself,

I could promise you the Mannerheim Cross of Liberty.

Offer you a damn cigarette.

You're the best man in battle I've seen.

I sure am.

But don't think that gives you license to do whatever you want.

You now have the chance to make things right. Carry out the task!

You know what? I won't.

- This means court-martial. - It means a lot more than that.

Don't you start with me.

My pregnant wife is harvesting rye back home by herself.

And a numpty retard like you

wants to make me line up little rocks along your paths.

I ain't gonna do it, you hear me?

I'll fight the war, but I ain't playing your stupid games.

Court-martial me if you want. I ain't dying like no dog.

A couple of men will die before I do. Keep that in mind.

Who have we here?

Don't go. Everything's okay.

Don't go anywhere.

- Well? How did it go'? - What d'ya think?

Same old twaddle you'd expect from that blowhard.

Go get some sleep.

Friendlies.

Alright.

- Cigarette? - I don't smoke.

You shouldn't either. It's bad for you.

Alarm!

Alright, get UP-

We had a Finnish-Soviet wrestling match. Darn it.

Guess I broke some rules, but they ganged up on me.

Take some cold water with the rag. Wipe your mouth with it, like so.

Go on.

- Is that Russky here? - Sit down.

What did he say?

They came to capture someone. Seems like they failed.

- He's a captain. - Listen, Ville.

- He's big brass. - Don't tell anybody about this.

They promised leave to anybody who brings in a prisoner.

Vanhala, the gramophone!

Go ahead.

We even have pigs at our farm.

Floppy ears, curly tail and all.

Don't you worry none.

We'll go to jail together. We'll make lamp stands.

I'll teach you how to make them.

- Who is this? - This here is the Baranov boy.

- The Baranov boy? - Yeah.

If somebody's documenting this hearing,

- ...why not process us together. - How did you capture him?

They came to get me. I said no way.

I got this court-martial to go to.

I killed three, but this one I took alive.

This Baranov here is brass. He's a captain.

- How do you know that? - The boys interrogated him.

He's a patrol leader.

- Who are you, anyway? - Don't you know me?

Ant“ Rokka, a Karefian farmer.

Nowadays I model for the gun industry.

- Ossi.

- Take the prisoner out. - Yes, sir.

Alright then. They'll take good care of you.

Sit.

Why must you flout military discipline at every turn?

I don't know crap about discipline. I never needed it.

I was happy to head off to war. I want my homeland back too.

But you know that none of you stand a chance against me.

I ain't here because of you. I got a wife and kids.

And I should bejumpin' up and down like an idiot?

Bloody hell.

You think we're here simply for your pleasure,

clicking our heels and yelling, “Yes, sir! Yes, sir!"

No.

But that thing that you call bowing and scraping

is the outward sign of discipline.

The absence of it means the absence of discipline.

You have to remember that not everybody is like you.

Be rational. Where will you find a company commander this lenient?

Rational. Dammit.

You've been following your own whims, not principles.

For fuck's sake! Put that in your records!

I've had enough.

The battalion can manage just fine without you.

War does not depend on one man, no matter what kind of man he is.

I'll let this be. For the time being.

From now on, you will take orders just like everyone else.

If you brag about this to others,

this will become a matter of authority.

In which case I'll set the mill in motion.

Your behavior will determine what happens to you. Dismissed.

Oh, I almost forgot. You promised us leave for taking a prisoner.

That gives me fourteen days. And I brought in a captain.

You can have your leave. You've certainly earned it.

Submit your application at once.

- Dismissed. - Major, sir.

Dad.

Don't go back.

It'll be over soon. The fighting.

Eat your soup.

I'm leaving now.

No use cryin'. Things get rough when horses hump.

The ground shakes and fences fall.

- There you go. - Thank you.

Look at those hips.

Wish I could see a naked woman even once.

Stop that, will ya?

Smile. Wider.

I want this war to be over.

- I want to have a normal life. - You better enjoy your days off.

Stay still.

THE FRONT LINE DECEMBER 1943

We can make a million rings with these.

You go! I'll hold them off.

- What happened? - Nothing, I stumbled.

Go, Susi, go!

Can you make it?

Go, hurry UP!

Forget lampstands. We should be making coffins.

No need. They've no trouble burying us without them.

He laughs best who gets buried last.

We're... We're gonna lose this war, Antti.

We're gonna lose everything.

Don't you worry none about that. Let the brass worry.

Everything's gonna be fine.

Trust me, buddy.

Attention! Right, face!

At ease! Attention!

Right, face!

Left, face!

Left, face!

Right, face!

Fuck! Behave yourselves! Right, face!

Fall out!

Attention! Fall in!

Mouse. Prediculus humanus. Phylum: Arthropoda.

Subphylum: Hexapoda.

If only a storm would blow all this shit to hell.

I have but one wish:

that the war would end so I could serve as a stud.

Die, you goddamn lice!

Fuck. Die, you sons of bitches.

They are Russian spies.

Peace be with you.

- How's our bowman doin'? - Thanks for asking. Frost-bitten.

- Want a cup of substitute coffee? - Yes.

Made any progress with the perpetual motion machine?

"One four-part symmetry axis produces a tetragonic unit cell“

"with two squares and two pairs of rectangles as boundary surfaces."

Captain, sir.

Private Honkajoki reporting in as requested, sir.

What kind of educational officer do you think you are?

Captain, sir. Keeping up morale cannot be bad, sir.

- Who is the protector of our nation? - Sir, the noble gentleman himself,

the Finnish Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.

That's right.

Him and his army.

You are the vermin of this army.

A louse that enjoys rolling in dirt.

I don't think lice are to blame for the dirt, sir,

as they are not the cause but the effect.

Are you a Communist?

Communism will collapse under its own weight.

The government will lose its way

as the Germans are confiscating all the barbed wire.

Are you mentally ill?

A person under such suspicion cannot answer that question, sir.

It's always defined by the surrounding society.

But I'd like to warn you about another matter:

the yellow peril is the greatest danger of all.

Yellow peril.

Get out.

Bless this food, O Lord, and bless our father.

- Amen. - Amen.

You can eat now.

As it's late, a prayer for this dwelling would be appropriate.

Protect us from the enemy's plots,

and above all from their snipers and artillery.

Your children would be grateful if the daily rations were larger,

should You have any extra food to give.

Give us tolerable weather

so that it would be more fun to stand outside guarding Your cause.

Moonlit nights would be welcome,

to ease our tension and spare our depleted flares.

Protect the patrolmen, sentries, marines and cavalrymen,

but don't trouble yourself about artillerymen.

Protect the supreme commander and the chief of the general staff,

and the littler guys, if You have the time.

Protect the Army Corps, division, regiment and battalion commanders.

And especially the commander of the machine gun company.

Finally and above all: protect Finland's politicians...

...so they don't bang their heads against the Karelian pine again.

Amen.

We're gonna lose this war.

Will you stay for the harvest?

I don't think so.

Your brothers have already been killed in the White butchers' army.

Why must you get yourself killed, too?

Bye, then.

- Bye. - Bye.

I'm leaving now.

Take care, son.

Time to move out.

RETREATING FROM THE FRONT LINE JUNE 1944

The enemy has launched an offensive on the Karelian Isthmus.

It's advancing towards southern Finland.

That's why our regiment will start retreating west,

towards the old border. We move out at 06:00.

Dismissed.

Put the backpack on.

Is it good?

- Where do I put the kittens? - In the barn.

- They'll wait for us here. - Are we coming back?

Yes.

You've no idea what a nice place we're going to.

Hurry. Bring the cows out. We'll take them with us.

The waves of the Svir River.

It never became Finland's new border.

Air raid!

Take cover!

Salo's been hit!

- Get moving! - Back to the road!

Get moving!

Moving, moving.

No need to sob over a leg.

I've had enough running anyway.

But we never did see Stalin. Didn't see Stalin.

- Sailamaa. - Yes, sir.

- Ranninen. - Sir.

I expect you can handle a horse.

- And what's your name again? - Dunno about any goddamn names...

I hope you know your own name. How can we know which card is yours?

It's Korpela. Private.

Where are the goddamn boneheads?

Walkin' the horses around so the rich can get even richer.

For fuck's sake.

Why don't you take a hike as well.

And stop fondling your holster or I'll throw it in the forest.

- Westen berg? - Yes, sir.

- Asumaniemi? - Sir.

- Harjula? - Sir.

Before omniscient God and these witnesses,

I ask you, Jorma Juhani Kariluoto,

do you take Sirkka Linnea Klenberg as your lawfully wedded wife?

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse,

- ...till death do you part? - I do.

Before omniscient God and these witnesses,

I ask you, Sirkka Linnea Klenberg,

do you take Jorma Juhani Kariluoto as your lawfully wedded husband?

To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse,

- ...till death do you part? - I do.

Please don't go.

I'll come back.

Couldn't you apply to be transferred to Helsinki?

I'm sure they'd approve it.

Right.

You've done your fair share.

I'm needed there.

All the officers are needed on the front line.

My duty is to fight for Finland, lngria, Karelia...

Greetings, old friend. I see you're still up and around.

God won't have you, and the devil knows where to find you.

- Hello. And congratulations. - Thanks. How's it going?

We're alive. We've covered some ground.

Second Platoon is across the road, First and Fourth on this side,

and Third in reserve.

Jaeger Platoon on both sides, and that's all the reserve we've got.

Sarastie believes the line will hold.

Maybe, but both flanks are open.

How about we eat before I take over command?

Why not.

Stay there for a while.

It's over.

It's completely and totally over.

There's no hope whatsoever.

Then we'll fight without hope.

That's how it's been. The whole time.

They're sending old men and boys here, now.

When we do our sowing One day it will grow

A new age of happiness Shines brighter than a thousand suns

Then the humble Finnish people Shall thank their heroic sons...

- How old are you, boys? - Born in 1925, sir.

Nineteen? Well blow me down.

We were young when we were drafted, but we weren't babies.

Sir, where are the Russkies, so we can start killing them?

Better not shout. They'll hear you and run away.

Get down!

Stay in the hole!

I told you to stay in your hole, dammit!

You just took a bit of a beating.

My eyes hurt.

I've no eyes. No more cryin' for me.

No matter.

Goddammit...

I'm just a basic carefree boy.

Makes no difference to me.

It's Rokka.

Take it easy.

Life's not over yet.

If we both make it, we'll meet again.

Hear ya later then! Tell the boys bye from me!

Take care of yourself!

I can walk. I can walk.

I've been an emperor for too long.

I need to become General Bonaparte again.

The officers need to become submachinegun troops.

- Our people shall persist. - Sir.

Thank you. We shall indeed.

There's life without victories. I have a family, after all.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

Major, sir!

- The enemy is flanking! - That can't be.

Take up positions!

Front lin...

Who's shooting? Friendlies?

I'm burning!

Can't anybody hear me? Help!

I won't leave you!

Take my hand. I'll pull you out.

Get out yourself if you can.

Go behind the truck!

I won't leav...

Help me! Somebody help me!

Why did you leave me?