In this article, readers are offered a rating of television projects, which includes the best series about the Second World War. They reflected not only heroic sagas with self-sacrifice and feats of ordinary people, but also battalion canvases telling about numerous battles and battles. Some of the series most liked by the viewer about the Second World War are quiet melodramas, which tell piercing, soul-turning stories. But no matter what genre a military series about World War II belongs to, it is certainly an outstanding project.
We look at the rating of the best tapes, allowing us to learn more about the monstrous disaster that happened in the 20th century.
"Interpreter"
Four episodes of this film, released in 2014, begin our list, which includes the best series about the Second World War. They reflected the story of how an ordinary, unremarkable person became a real hero.
The television project tells about a simple chemistry teacher - Andrei Petrovich Starikov, who was stuck with the nickname "Charlie Chaplin." This completely ordinary person lives in an old well-house with his mother and wife. His neighbors, with whom he is friends, are a motley international composition. Among them are Jews and Ukrainians, Armenians, Tatars and Russians. However, the usual and measured way of life dramatically changes the arrival of the Germans ...
Remembering the most memorable series about the Second World War, we can make an unambiguous conclusion that this project is not like most of them.
The protagonist of the movie "Translator" is not a super-soldier of the Soviet army. He is an ordinary teacher who is forced to work for the Germans. There are no shootings traditional for military plots in the film. At the same time, the main character does not fulfill the top-secret command mission.
If you watch various Russian TV series about World War II, it is worth noting that this one remains in the memory for a long time. The first feeling the film evokes is confusion. Indeed, for many, especially for the younger generation, World War II is a beautiful story, and its central image is a soldier who proudly and confidently carries the banner of the coming Victory.
However, the authors, who created, without a doubt, a new movie, introduce their viewers to the tragedy of the 20th century, presenting it without any embellishment. This makes it possible to understand what people were scared not only on the battlefields or when receiving intelligence data. They were confronted with a dangerous choice and in what seemed to be a routine for them.
The protagonist of the film "Translator" - Andrei Starikov - was fluent in German. During the war, he remained in his hometown of Taganrog, which was occupied by the Germans. Soon, the Nazis offered the teacher a job at the headquarters as a translator. Refusing her for Starikov was tantamount to suicide.
It would seem that a simple chemistry teacher continued to live his measured life during the war. Despite the occupation, he has a good job. However, he is ready to give a lot (but not his life) in order to abandon it. And this is despite the fact that Andrei’s “colleagues” are completely intelligent, and sometimes friendly people. However, Starikov understands that under no circumstances will they become his like-minded people. And this family is keeping this quiet man at work, in which replenishment is expected. And the translator of the German headquarters does not know how much more he will be able to rejoice that his loved ones are next to him. Of course, immediately he takes everything to continue to live, as before. However, war requires to side with either white or black. She does not tolerate any midtones. Sooner or later, war forces a person to take a firm stand. But sometimes before that he has to pass serious tests.
The film clearly shows the ambiguous attitude of the local population to those who collaborate with the new authorities. And this applies not only to adults, but also to former students of Starikov. And in this regard, the authors of the television project successfully conveyed the psychological atmosphere that developed around the person who had once mixed children with the gait of Charlie Chaplin. A whole chain of tragic events leads Andrei to the understanding that he simply can’t stay away. A very relevant plot detail was a trap, which suddenly slammed shut on the translator's foot. A very competent and artistically bright idea of this mini-series was the way of turning a little inconspicuous man into a real hero.
The reviews for the film “Translator” also touch on the theme of the music sounded in it. She is sometimes called the avant-garde and well conveying the naive and sincere character of the hero, as well as the mood of the whole picture. Sometimes light music seems to make attempts to march. This only confirms that the war that came to the city is not at all for the hero of the film. He simply participates in it, since there is no other way out.
In general, according to the reviews of film critics and viewers, the authors of the film successfully coped with their task. They made each person involved in viewing their paintings to relive the story shown, feeling every moment of it.
This military series about World War II was a wonderful television debut directed by Andrei Proshkin. The basis of this project is the plot of the French film "The Old Gun", which tells of a raging intellectual. The main role in the film was very convincingly played by Vitaliy Khaev. According to the opinions of viewers and film critics, this actor brilliantly coped with his dramatic role.
“Battalions ask for fire”
In 1985, the Soviet mini-series about the Second World War was released. The list of the best of such television projects is impossible to imagine without this film. After all, he is distinguished by a unique cast of actors and impressive large-scale scenes.
The film "Battalions are asking for fire" can with confidence be in the ranking, which includes the best series about the Second World War. Indeed, at the heart of its plot is one of the most decisive stages of hostilities. The series tells about the forced forces of the Soviet army of the Dnieper. The action takes place in 1943. The two battalions are tasked with getting to the river bank occupied by the Germans. The purpose of this disastrous breakthrough is to divert the enemy’s forces for the successful deployment of the division to the strategically important point for our army - the city of Dnieper. Initially, the command assured the soldiers of the battalion in supporting their throw with aviation and artillery fire. However, suddenly the offensive plan underwent significant changes.
Many series about the Second World War were a film adaptation of literary works. This television project was no exception. It was shot based on the novel of the same name written by Yuri Bondarev.
The mini-series “Battalions Ask for Fire” was the first in the national cinema to raise a problem that is still being discussed today. It raises the question of the need for the colossal loss of life of the Soviet people that occurred in this monstrous war. Or maybe they should have been avoided by displaying literacy and sophistication in the planning of military operations? And would our army come to Victory if the generals did not look at the soldiers as "cannon fodder" or as cogs, thoughtlessly carrying out the most ridiculous orders of the commanding staff? This question was raised by the hero of Alexander Zbruyev - combat captain Ermakov. He miraculously survived, going through a bloody meat grinder in a battle with significantly superior enemy forces. The captain, having lost many of his comrades, boldly threw in the face the division commander, who sent them to certain death, cruel words about his indifference to people and callousness, adding that his immediate commander can not be called a decent officer.
At one time, Bondarev’s novel was reckoned to be a special literary trend, which had the scornful name “trench truth”. Critics believed that you can not rely on the opinion of a simple soldier who knows nothing about the visionary and wise plans of the command. However, what would the plans of military officials be worth if the personnel did not show real heroism and courage?
A series of unforgettable and vivid images of officers and soldiers passes through the audience of the film "Battalions Ask for Fire". At the same time, each person is endowed with his own zest, his own unique character traits. By the end of the film, not all heroes will survive. And this is the harsh truth of a brutal war, which is talented and honestly shown in the film, directed by directors Alexander Bogolyubov and Vladimir Chebotarev.
"Pacific Ocean"
Continues our rating of the American series about the Second World War. It was released in 2010 and told the audience about the battles waged by the US marines in the Pacific Ocean, namely on the islands of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. They were faced with the task of protecting Australia from Japanese attacks.
“Pacific Ocean” is a series about the Second World War (USA), which reflects the life of the characters before the outbreak of hostilities and after them. The film clearly shows the characters of the heroes, their inner world, and gives a description of the way of life familiar to soldiers.
Like many series about the Second World War, the picture makes you worry about the heroes as very close people.
According to many viewers, after reading that the film was shot by the Americans, there was no particular desire to watch it. After all, the opinion of this country about participation in the Second World War is different from ours. And these fears were confirmed in the first series of the film. In them, as expected, brave war heroes proved the indestructible power of the American army. However, with the development of the plot, the viewer more and more begins to plunge into the atmosphere of the events taking place, thinking less and less about small details. In some places, the series makes you surrender to those events that occur on the screen, to empathize and sympathize with the heroes, at the same time horrified by the sensations of a terrible war. The apotheosis of the described events occurs in the 9th series, which looks in one breath.
The series is worth exploring from two sides. Only in this case can we talk about the completeness of the picture. On the one hand, the film describes the American everyday life, which is not only boring to the viewer, but also has no semantic load. On the other hand, the authors of the picture can be praised for the excellently shot military operations, which amaze with their scale and cling to the soul. There is a sea of blood and clods of dirt flying after the explosions, chic scenery and crazy bullets. All this deserves the highest praise.
The directors D. Podesva, C. Franklin and D. Nutter were able to convey well the spirit of the army and the atmosphere prevailing in it. The melancholy of inaction, rare moments of fun, the sadness of parting with your home, as well as the unity and unity of the team, which never tires of exchanging endless barracks jokes. And all this is superimposed on the true horror of war, the complete insecurity of a person standing just a step away from his death. Vividly reflected in the film is the fear of the unknown, and the endless horror of death on both sides of the war. The face of the war in the film is shown so clearly that the viewer looks at some events as if in trenches with heroes and overflowing with emotions from a surging wave of fear.
"Geters of Major Sokolov"
Considering the most popular Russian military series about the Second World War, it is impossible not to mention the film directed by Bakhtiyor Khudoynazarov. He shot the story of the confrontation between the villain nicknamed the Cross (played by Philip Yankovsky) and the major of the Soviet counterintelligence Sokolov (actor Andrei Panin).
The action takes place in September 1939, when the Second World War began. Major Sokolov arrived in Crimea to identify the intelligence network of the anti-Soviet terrorist organization (ROVS). This Russian All-Union Union is headed by Captain Semenov (Cross).
Once the main characters of the series were white officers. But in 1917 their paths diverged - Semenov and Sokolov found themselves on opposite sides of military operations. Of course, they know each other, they know that each of them is an opposing organization. However, despite the desire to end the enemy, they are in no hurry to execute the sentence. Both Sokolov and the Cross are very gamblers. They build a complex game to lead to the death of the entire enemy system. The chances of both are almost equal. Against the well-established intelligence network of the ROVS, Sokolov puts a female reconnaissance group assembled from inexperienced girls.
According to film critics, the creators of the series just show their viewers everything that happened in those distant years. There is no imposition of opinions in this film.
This was the last picture of Andrei Panin. This actor from God did not have time to make it in the series in connection with the death. That is why the plot of the film was slightly changed by the authors.
"Submarine"
If we consider the series about the Second World War foreign, then the list of the best should certainly be a film shot by director Wolfgang Petersen. This film is produced by Germany, Great Britain and France.
The project decorates those films about the Second World War, which talk about the everyday life of sailors. The action takes place in a German submarine during the confrontation between the critomarin and the British fleet. The authors vividly show the viewer the life boiling inside the submarine, its close-knit and courageous male team, its battle with the elements and the constant threat of death that the English destroyers carry.
According to critics, the film "Submarine" was a full-fledged television version, fully and vividly illuminating the theme of military submarines. No wonder the series was nominated six times for an Oscar, including for excellent camera work (the dynamic action of a six-hour movie takes place in the narrow space of a boat under water).
In 1983, the film was banned. For some time he did not go on the screen for ideological reasons. The fact is that the series showed its German heroes as ordinary sailors, used as "cannon fodder", and not as evil fascists.
"Apostle"
Many series about the Second World War are very interesting and fascinating. One of them, of course, is the Apostle, filmed in 2008 by directors Yuri Moroz, Nikolai Lebedev and Gennady Sidorov.
The plot of the film begins with the story of how at the beginning of the war an unsuccessful landing of a German spy on the territory of the USSR took place. A saboteur captured by the NKVD officers is killed while trying to escape. The German spy turned out to be a Russian thief in law, who accidentally remained in the occupied territory. The NKVD is faced with the task of uncovering the enemy's intelligence network. For this, the Chekists turned to the twin brother of the thief in law - a simple rural teacher. He took the place of the deceased and began to carry out a deadly task.
The series became a benefit of Evgeny Mironov (he played both brothers). At the same time, critics note his impressive viewer a double exit in the role of diverse twins. The series and the game were decorated by Nikolai Fomenko, who created the image of the captain of the NKVD, as well as Alexander Bashirov, the Russian defector.
The whole plot takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing World War II. However, he seemed to be torn from her. The series tells the story of a separate group of heroes. That is why critics attribute the picture to a historical, detective genre, pointing out that this is a real espionage action movie. There are many conspiracies and intricacies in the movie, so the viewer almost does not understand to the end who of the characters is a friend and who is an enemy.
Mussolini and I
This series describes the story of the collapse of the dictator of Italy, which was told by his daughter Edda. The film clearly indicates the position of Mussolini, which during the dramatic events that separated him from his family. The dictator is supported only by his devoted wife, as well as a young lover. At the same time, Mussolini feels the hatred of his daughter Edda, whose husband became the main reason for the arrest and fall of the fascist protege.
"In June of the 41st"
There are series about World War II (Russian and foreign), the plot of which is based on a love story. These paintings include the film “In June 41st,” which was released in 2003. The dramatic story that she told the audience about was unfolded in the very first days of World War II.
Then Rosa Ashkenazi, a young twenty-year-old American, came to her parents' homeland in a small Belarusian village. She decided to prepare musical material from local folklore, which would be useful when creating a Broadway musical. June 20, 1941 the girl arrived in Zhdanovichi. Two days later, the Nazis, having captured part of the territory of Belarus, drove the population of the village into a synagogue and burned down helpless people alive. Rose miraculously escaped death. Together with the officer of the Soviet army Ivan Antonov, who survived after the defeat of his battalion, the girl makes attempts to catch up with the front retreating inland. True love flashes between the characters ...
The film was directed by Mikhail Ptashuk. This is a joint production of Russian and American filmmakers.
New films
The series about World War II in 2016 set a completely new level of coverage of the tragic events that took place in the 20th century. Low-quality films have been shown less and less on screens.
Series about the war in recent years have been more popular with viewers than film projects about police and bandits. And this is no coincidence. Significant budgets are laid in military series for the use of real equipment, authentic items and costumes.
Of the most interesting new products in 2016, the series “Order” can be distinguished. Its plot covers the events of 1945, when the country celebrates Victory, and some territories of China and Manchuria continue to remain under the rule of fascist Japan. Soldiers of the Soviet army, faithful to their allied duty, engage in battle with a cruel and very strong enemy.
Another interesting series is The Last Frontier. It is dedicated to the 71st anniversary of the Victory. The film is dedicated to the exploit of Panfilov’s. These young soldiers, just admitted to the ranks of the Soviet army, must defend the Volokolamsk highway in order to prevent the Nazis from reaching Moscow.
Documentary
In 2008, the picture was shot jointly by Polish and British filmmakers. This is a documentary series about the Second World War. The cycle, entitled “World War II: Behind Closed Doors,” told the audience a true story about how Stalin clashed first with the Nazis, and then with Roosevelt and Churchill. At the same time, the authors highlighted the topic of the enormous influence of these events on the course of the Second World War and the fate of the states of post-war Europe.
Viewers of the series get acquainted with the unimaginable tragic facts that were taken from archival materials. The events that influenced the fate of the post-war world are also clearly revealed.