What makes it different from others?

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

a child. a poor idiot. and their strange, natural friendship. the war. theirs games. and a murder. the broken silence of a village. the fear. and the solution for protect the lives of the elite. a film about childhood and life. profound psychological analysis from a director well known for his historical films. and a great role for Amza Pellea, the role of his life for the young Cristian Șofron. portrait of souls, the film presents the clash between different universes. and the impact of key moments for each character - the lost of his father and the war as model for revenge for the boy, the radical change of social perception for Ipu, the basic fear of people who define the escape from death as trade. in same measure, it is an interesting picture of the universe of village. and one of the most significant films by Sergiu Nicolaescu.

The world as construction of a child. A village. A war. A crime. And the best scapegoat. Some circles. like Visniec circles. And few walks in the search of essence of life. A movie who must be discover. Story about colors of ages, about a lost village and its leaders. The Nazi presence. And a boy with his fried, the fool of community. A film like a spring morning. Delicate and common. Sad and profound. Game of gestures and lace of words. After all, the death. As last sign of a long expectation. As key of soul's treasure. As definition of silence. A lesson for be yourself not a shadow of intentions. Old "El laberinto del fauno". Same taste. Different recipes.

This is in the top of the list for Sergiu's best films, maybe right under "Mihai Viteazu". A delicate, clever insight on human behavior in times of fear and oppression, written by Titus Popovici, Sergiu's long-time friend and collaborator. Powerhouse cast and crew renders even more beauty to the script. For a change, everything works in this Romanian film. From the first shot, one can feel this is a great film - the kid running in the field, and this feeling persists to the mind-blowing end. Discussions about the army, between Pellea and the kid, the dinner sequence, the funeral rehearsal - they are all unforgettable moments. Definitevly a winner at Cannes Festival 1971, if it had been selected.

Great movie with great actors. You don't have to be from Romania or eastern Europe to really understand this movie. Try it,you won't regret it. It's one of those movies that you won't forget as long as you live. The best movies ever made in Romania are those who have been made between 1970-1990. Sergiu Nicolaescu is the greatest director from Romania. You must see at least one of his many movies.You'll be amazed by his simplicity and his characters.Amza Pelea is one of the best actors from Eastern Europe.He's an icon in Romania and he is still alive after all of this time,in people's minds.If he was American,he would have become famous around the world.