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Nikolai Burlyayev, Valentin Zubkov, Yevgeny Zharikov, Nikolai Grinko, Valentina Malyavina ... see more see more... , Stepan Krylov , D. Milyutenko , Irina Tarkovskaya , Andrey Konchalovskiy , Ivan Savkin , Vladimir Marenkov

This debut feature-length wartime drama by noted Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky was a remarkable introduction to a remarkable career. The poetic touch of Tarkovsky's hand and his measured pace is a... read more read more...lready evident as the tale of the young, twelve-year-old Ivan (Nikolai Burlyayev) evolves. Ivan is orphaned after his village is wiped out by an invading Nazi army and as a consequence, he ends up in a prison camp. The inventive lad escapes and is adopted by Captain Kholin (Valentin Zubkov), whose intention is to send the boy away to school. But Ivan is determined to help the Russian army and so he starts spying on the German forces. Because of his tender years he manages to pass freely back and forth behind enemy lines -- at least for awhile. This exemplary film won the top prize, the Golden Lion award at the 1962 Venice Film Festival and also won the Grand Prize at the 1962 San Francisco Film Festival. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky

Release Date: April 6, 1962

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DVD Release Date: July 24, 2007

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Flixster Reviews (324)

  • bbcfloridabound
    November 10, 2011
    bbcfloridabound
    From the Criterion Collection Spine Number 397, this is a excellent Russian film about a young boy who is actually a spy for the Russians against the Germans in WWII. A very capturing story. In Russian with English subtitles. The child is an excellent actor, afraid of nothing. A... read more good Black and White Film. A treasure in this collection worth 4 1/2 stars
  • SirPant
    May 11, 2010
    SirPant
    Tarkovsky's masterpiece is the absolute embodiment of the cruelty of war and the loss of innocence. His craftsmanship is untouchable, although many a director has been influenced, Ivan's Childhood remains one of his greatest and most important films of his relatively short career.
  • blacksheepboy
    November 7, 2009
    blacksheepboy
    Tarkovsky's first major film is a wonderful piece of work, each take beautifully crafted, leading to a most poignant, devastating ending.
  • flixsterman
    August 22, 2009
    flixsterman
    Tarkovsky's near masterpiece of lost innocence. The story of a young Russian boy who, having lost his family, serves as a spy behind the German front. Everything in this film works, from the minimalist landscapes to the fantastic dream sequences. Not a single frame of film is ... read morewasted.
  • kenstachnik
    April 4, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Tarkovsky's first film is easily his most accessible. Shot in stark black and white, this powerful tale of revenge and patriotism is an excellent starting place for any one interested in the great directors work.
  • fb1142797643
    June 7, 2011
    fb1142797643
    Andrei Tarkovsky's first feature doesn't have much plot, but it's worth seeing for the evocative, black-and-white cinematography alone.

    "Ivan's Childhood" (sometimes known as "My Name Is Ivan") focuses on a 12-year-old boy who acts as an spy for the Russian army during World War... read more II. His small size and unlikely age give him an advantage. He is a hardened, insolent lad whose parents and sister are dead -- nothing is left for him beyond the war.

    The story opens as he swims across a boggy river, returning from a dangerous mission. Russian soldiers suspiciously take him into custody, but gain respect for him after his military status is verified.

    The plot doesn't go much further than this, and mostly details the interim until the child's next assignment. Screen time is spent on intense conversation, picturesque wandering through war-ravaged landscapes and a few low-budget dream sequences (mostly serving to show the boy's longing for his late mother). Apples, fractured wood and a forest of white birch trees are among the memorable visual elements, though we also get Tarkovsky's most aggravating quirk: his eternal fascination with water. Rippling water, running water, dripping water...he loves it all. A few scenes are practically torture, due to the nagging plip-plop of unseen droplets. What purpose do they serve?

    Another strange feature is a lazy subplot involving a pretty nurse named Masha and the soldiers who are gently attracted to her. It leads nowhere useful. But the film's shot compositions are gorgeous, and the imagery does a fine job of putting us inside Ivan's head (the young actor is quite solid, by the way).
  • ryguy4738
    March 1, 2011
    ryguy4738
    9.0/10

    It takes a gifted filmmaker to truly respect the visual medium that is film. They say that most filmmakers just don't have a grasp on this concept; and for the most part, I agree. But I also agree that there are artists who understand that a film needs to lo... read moreok good to be entertaining; and these are the people who make highly respectable works of art. Andrei Tarkovsky started his career the right way with his debut feature "Ivan's Childhood"; a dark, poetic, and beautiful portrait of a youth who grew up during war-time. Some of my favorite films have similar attributes; brilliant visuals, and a timely story about children influenced by violence and war. "Ivan's Childhood", however, is one of the most brilliant films ever made, at least when it comes to films about rough childhoods. This is a film without comedy and without what most would call "joy". It's a cold, powerful, and nearly heartless film. But maybe that, as well as Tarkovsky's spot-on direction, is what makes it such a memorable and worthwhile experience. Whilst watching the film, I couldn't help but feel like this is one of the highest-budget film debuts I've ever seen. The picture (especially with its semi-recent Criterion Collection release, which restores the picture to its best quality) looks fantastic, and NOTHING about the film gives off a "low budget" feel. Its spectacular filmmaking, story-telling, and visualization. It's never a "war" movie (as some have described it), but more so a full-on drama; and a perfect one from the looks of it. I loved "Ivan's Childhood" because it is historic, inspiring, and influential. It makes us all kind of wish that we were born with the sort of visual genius that Tarkovsky was born with; but the reality is that wishing will not get us anywhere. You must be skillful to be a painter, and the same goes for a filmmaker. Tarkovsky is a natural-born filmmaker in the best sense of the phrase; a beautifully poetic man creating beautifully poetic films. His first film is brilliant; and I highly recommend that everyone see it. It's never over-long, which is surprising considering the story it tells, although it gets everything accomplished in its 95-minute run-time. It's a treasure; a gem. And that's what I love about it.

    The film has a story; and it's a story of many layers. It is the tale of a young boy who was born and raised in war-time; World War II, to be precise. He lives in fear with a hint of ambition; longing to help serve his country. It's a sad film in the end; a tragic tale of loss and youth that shall not be forgotten after you've experienced it. I have watched "Ivan's Childhood" twice now, and let me tell you; I finally feel like I've seen the film in all its beautiful entirety. The story is told slowly but delicately; savoring room for little details, symbolism, and beautifully haunting imagery. Tarkovsky seems to have a gift for each of these things, and that probably why I'm pondering looking into more of his work soon. "Ivan's Childhood" is a powerful dose of youthful story-telling; and it is engaging both emotionally and in its narrative style. But what seems to take center stage here is the style; and in that sense, this film is a masterpiece in that department. The most unforgettable aspect of the film is how Tarkovsky's imagery blends in so well with the suitably bleak and dark story-line. I find it masterful, and I find "Ivan's Childhood" to be a complicated but unforgettable tragedy of a film. Some may think it is a mess, but if it is one, then it's a beautiful mess. They say that you cannot have a good film without a good story and that is true. I will tell you up front that "Ivan's Childhood" does have a story, and it's a damn good one. But half of the story is told through what we can see rather than what we can hear. If you find that you and your five senses are closely in-tact, then "Ivan's Childhood" is most definitely for you. Just don't doze off, since there's too much to see here for you to be sleeping on the job. Tarkovsky is talented; and I adore talented artists. Thus, I liked "Ivan's Childhood".

    I found that Nikolai Burlyayev was very hard to ignore as Ivan. There was a haunting, nigh demeaning quality about the actor that elevated both his character and his performance to pure greatness. As I have expressed, I loved this film. Everything about it was completely arresting in a bleakly visual sort of way. Burlyayev's performance only does so much as help this film be better than it already is; and there's something very, very special about his efforts. He's a part of what makes "Ivan's Childhood" so darned intoxicating.

    "Ivan's Childhood" has no regrets when it comes to expressing filmic art in the most bizarre, dark, but beautiful ways. I've seen worse when it comes to graphic war depictions, but "Ivan's Childhood" simply does not linger on such a thing; not even for a moment. The story does not care about the details of the war, but more-so the impact that the events have on its character. Ivan was surrounded by daily violence and eternal fear. We are shown how this affected him to great extents; and this is definitely what makes the film as powerful of a knock-out as it truly is. The cinematography is absolutely breathtaking; I'm not going to lie about that. Tarkovsky nearly demands that this film be visually awesome; and some of the shots are just plain intimidating. But that's why they're so darned unforgettable. The film also has a relentless, consistent sense of dread going on throughout. The film makes use of its visual style as well as the score to create a perfect atmosphere, and quite frankly, it creates a perfect film as well. I've seen a lot of great films in my time, but "Ivan's Childhood" is great because it has shown me something that few other films truly have; pain, sadness, and power. Sure, we've all seen a little bit of each. But seldom do we see them together. Ah, hell; look at me. Only one film in to his career, and I'm already praising Tarkovsky as if I'd known his career for years. It sort of feels that way, now doesn't it? I adored this film for its artistic merit and its stunning visual mastery. It is a visual masterpiece. And that's enough to make it great.

    I've been watching some seriously depressing films lately. That's not to say that "Ivan's Childhood" is a masterpiece as far as depressing films go, since it's not even THAT depressing of a movie (or at least not enough of one to turn away those who despise general on-screen depression), mostly since it's a masterpiece in many other things. But it's a gritty film; relentless in its emotional impact and powerful in its story-telling. There is no other film quite like it, and frankly, that kind of statement only applies to some of the best films out there. I love "Ivan's Childhood". I loved the story, I loved the visuals, and I loved Tarkovsky's wondrously ominous sense of direction. It's official; the guy is a genius. But then again, his work has proved to be influential, so he must be, right? Yes, right; he must be a great man. He must have been one, at the least. However, despite my personal love for this film, Tarkovsky didn't seem to share the same sort of admiration. He complained that the film was a disappointment, and that the script wasn't as he had wanted it to be. All I can say to that is; oh well. There are people who can appreciate it, and it's too bad that the director himself cannot. But I'm sure that Tarvosky learned to love his debut as time went on. But then again; so did most people. This film has aged very well. It's the kind of movie that will never age anything more or less than well; and that's saying a whole lot of good when regarding the thing. It's dark, seductive craft is not to be missed; and I feel that "Ivan's Childhood" should be seen by just about everyone; although it is not FOR everyone. None the less, it's a classic. I will now go on to watch other Tarkovsky masterpieces. Wish me luck there.
  • robfearon
    March 20, 2010
    robfearon
    Ivan's Childhood provides an unusual combination of psychological realism and haunting, surrealistic imagery.
  • kit85
    March 30, 2009
    kit85
    In terms of the display of technical expertise, this should be compulsory viewing - the cinematography is breathtaking. The story is remarkably cliché-free, given the subsequent potential for parody/ homage. The occasionally unsettling scene structure befits the tone of the fil... read morem and the protagonist's mindset.

    This film isn't perfect. Given the troubled production, the rare narrative dead-end is forgivable. These scenes are often well captured and offer further potential for subtext development. Nikolay Burlyaev's performance is particularly powerful.
  • Dracula787
    July 19, 2008
    Dracula787
    I've been meaning to catch up with the work of Andrei Tarkovsky for the longest time. Up until now the only movie of his I had seen was Andrei Rublev, which was excellent. Ivan's Childhood was his first feature film, as good a place to start as any. This film would make an intere... read moresting companion piece with Grave of the Fireflies, both films deal with the effects of war on a very young child caught in the middle of a war. The catch is that this kid isn't a complete bystander, he deliberately joins the war bent on revenge and agianst the advice of more rational adults. The cinematography here is excellent and the story is very compelling. I was a bit annoyed by the film's score and I don't really think it pays off enough in the long run. It wasn't quite to the level of Andrei Rublev but I can definitely see the start of a great career here.

View All Ivanovo detstvo (Ivan's Childhood)(My Name Is Ivan)(The Youngest Spy) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Beauty, poetry and sadness are certainly lodged in its brief dramatic span, to be seized and embraced by anybody who will give a compassionate mind to it. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
November 21, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

The plot is straight out of the grayish, state-approved, thesis-tidy Ballad of a Soldier bin, but the landscapes and visions are Andrei Tarkovsky's and nobody else's Full Review

Jeremiah Kipp
July 27, 2007
Jeremiah Kipp, Slant Magazine

Even in this, his first feature, we see that Andrei Tarkovsky is compelled by memories of precious things. Full Review

August 30, 2006
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Much more than a war film about a young boy, My Name Is Ivan is a pure film experience. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
July 16, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Leaves us with a haunting vision of war and what it does to children. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 16, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Tarkovsky deviated from the conventional dictums of Socialist realism, providing an unusual combination of psychological realism and a haunting, surrealistic imagery of an adolescent, who was rubbed o... Full Review

Gabe Leibowitz
December 22, 2003
Gabe Leibowitz, eCinemaCenter.com

Tarkovsky's most underrated film, simple but riveting.

Marjorie Baumgarten
March 10, 2003
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

[A] visually poetic portrait of a 12-year-old Russian orphan during WWII. Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Leo Goldsmith
April 14, 2004
Leo Goldsmith, Not Coming to a Theater Near You

No review available.

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