Sokolovo (Russian title Соколово) is a 1974 Soviet–Czechoslovak war film made by Otakar Vávra depicting the Battle of Sokolovo in 1943. The film was published in two parts and was meant as the middle part of Vávra's "war trilogy" consisting of movies Days of Betrayal, Sokolovo and Liberation of Prague.
Contents
Plot
The film tells the story of Soviet aircraft designers and test pilots who, after the end of World War II, dedicate themselves to mastering MiG jet fighters, often risking their lives in the process. The plot focuses on three main characters—Viktor (Igor Yasulovich), Yevgeny (Sergey Nikonenko), and Alexei (Gennady Saifullin)—as they return from the war in the Far East and begin working on the development of a new jet aircraft. Viktor and Yevgeny take positions at an aviation factory as a designer and an engineer, respectively, while Alexei becomes a test pilot for the new technology.
The film also explores the personal challenges faced by the protagonists. Viktor's wife (Elena Sanaeva) leaves him for a wounded man she nursed in a hospital. Alexei's actions lead to the destruction of his own family. Only Yevgeny manages to maintain a stable and happy family life amidst the professional and personal turmoil.
Cast
Ladislav Chudík as Ludvík Svoboda
Vladimir Samoilov as generálporučík
Yury Solomin as general Shafarenko
Bohumil Pastorek as Klement Gottwald
Martin Štěpánek as npor. Otakar Jaroš
Lev Ivanov as náměstek lidového komisaře
Jiří Pleskot as Eduard Beneš
Hanjo Hasse as Reinhard Heydrich
Vladimír Ráž as Sergěj Ingr
Josef Langmiler as Zdeněk Fierlinger
Ladislav Hádl as Kopecký
Ivan Ryzhov as pplk. Bilyutin
Štefan Kvietik as Špígl
Pavel Pípal as Opatrný
Jiří Krampol as Karel Horák
Jan Kanyza as Rataj
Rudolf Jelínek as ppor.Antonín Sochor
Ladislav Lakomý as Rediš
Emil Horváth as Daniš
Renáta Doleželová as Anka Kadlecová
Yuriy Nazarov as npor. Filatov
Vladimír Protasenko as por. Šironin