User Reviews

The second world war is almost over.Men are getting tired of fighting.Ensign Lepistö is really sick of the war and disobeys the order given by Major Hartti.He shoots the reluctant soldier.Then we see the wounded Hartti lying on the hospital bed.His nurse is Leena Auer, the wife of the man he shot.He does not know that.They both feel attracted to each other.But the truth must come out sooner or later.Ratkaisun päivät (1956) is directed by Hannu Leminen and it's based on the novel (1954) by Juhani Konkka.Risto Orko is the executive producer.I borrowed the VHS of this movie from the library.After this movie there was an interesting documentary called Mennyttä Helsinkiä- Kino-Palatsi (1966) by Martti Saarikivi.Kino-Palatsi was the movie theater also this movie had its premiere at.It was built in 1911 and destroyed by some brutes in 1965.Now back to this movie.It's a pretty good war drama with big emotions.And it's a historical movie due to the fact that Ansa Ikonen and Tauno Palo appeared in a same movie together for the last time.And they're both great as always.There's some sensibility in Ansa's performance as Leena Auer.And Tauno is just the right man to play Yrjö Hartti.Jussi Jurkka portrays Veikko Lepistö and he does terrific job.Maija Karhi is wonderful as the nurse, miss Paukku.The scenes between her and lieutenant Kalle Nuuttila are pretty funny.Leo Riuttu is great as doctor Heinonen.And so is Heikki Savolainen as the guard.Oke Tuuri does good job as the detective.Marjut Leminen (director's daughter) is lovely as Eila.Mai-Brit Heljo plays Keskusneiti.Also Mikko Niskanen, who became later a famed director, appears as Taistelulähetti in the movie.The movie has some fine dramatic moments.One of them is when the child Hartti found lying on the snow while fighting the war is taken away from him.And when Hartti sees the picture of Leena and ensign Lepistö and realizes it was her husband he shot.This is a movie that raises some questions.It asks if one can forgive a man who has taken the life of one's husband.It asks what is right and wrong.This is a good conclusion to the movie saga of Ansa Ikonen and Tauno Palo.They did 12 movies together, starting in 1935.What a great pair they made.