The Front (Front ) is a 1943 Soviet war film directed by Sergey and Georgiy Vasilyev (Chapaev ) and adapted from the theatrical play by Aleksandr Korneychuk. In late 1941, the Soviet commander of the front Lt. Gen. Ivan Gorlov (Boris Zhukovsky), a veteran of the Red Army from the days of the Russian Civil war, commands his troops in the old-fashioned way and suffers the defeat with enormous casualities. His subordinate, the commander of the army Maj. Gen. Ognyov (Boris Babochkin ) dares to go against the will of Gorlov and saves the day. The Supreme Command finds Gorlov unfit for this war and replaces him with Ognyov.
The following weapons were used in the film The Front :
Pistols
TT-33
TT-33 pistols are service sidearms of Soviet generals and officers. The pistols are seen only in holsters; visible lanyards prove that the holsters aren't empty.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tokarev TT-33 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev. Pre-1947 version.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lt. Sergei Gorlov (Nikolay Kryuchkov ), Gen. Gorlov's son, carries a TT in holster.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maj. Gen. Vladimir Petrovich Ognyov (Boris Babochkin ) carries a TT in holster.
Submachine Guns
PPSh-41
Some Soviet soldiers are armed with PPSh-41 submachine guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing PPSh-41 - 7.62x25mm Tokarev
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Ostapenko (Boris Blinov ) carries a PPSh when he returns from scouting.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Medical orderly Marusya's (Anna Petukhova) PPSh is lying on a snow parapet.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jr. Sgt. Gomelauri (N. Kostov) fires a PPSh.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pvt. Shayakhmetov (Zhagda Oguzbaev) with a PPSh and Sgt. Bashlykov (Aleksey Chepurnov) with a PTRD-41 AT rifle.
MP40
MP40s are brifely seen in hands of German soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 - 9x19mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A crewmember of a destroyed German tank holds an MP40.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40s are seen in hands of German soldiers atop the tank.
Rifles
Tokarev SVT-40
Some Soviet soldiers are armed with SVT-40 rifles with sword baynets.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Tokarev SVT-40 - 7.62x54mmR
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A sentry with an SVT in Gen. Gorlov's headquarters.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier of Lt. Gorlov's unit with an SVT.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing One of the attacking soldiers holds an SVT.
Mosin Nagant M1891/30
Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles (some may be original M91s) are briefly seen in hands of Soviet soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soviet Mosin Nagant M1891/30 - 7.62x54mm R
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier at the foreground holds a rifle that seems to be an M91/30 due to the shape of the front sight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soldiers with Mosin Nagant and SVT rifles in attack.
Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbine
Soviet artillerymen carry Mosin Nagant M1938 Carbines .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine - 7.62x54mm R
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Artillerymen at the 45 mm AT gun carry M38 Carbines.
Machine Guns and Autocannons
Maxim MG08
A damaged and abandoned Maxim MG08 is seen on the battlefield.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maxim MG08 on Schlittenlafette 08 mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An abandoned MG08. A bullet hole is seen on the water jacket.
MG34
An MG34 on tripod is seen in the German pillbox, captured by Lt. Gorlov's unit.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG34 on tripod - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maj. Gen. Ognyov (Boris Babochkin ) examines the captured MG34.
Degtyaryov DT
Degtyaryov DT machine guns are mounted on BT-7 and T-26 tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing DT machine gun - 7.62x54mm R
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A coaxial DT on the T-26 tank.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A coaxial DT on the BT-7 tank.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A DT in the rear niche on the BT-7 tank.
TNSh-20
20 mm TNSh-20 autocannons are main guns of T-30 light tanks. In the film several T-30s are used as stand-ins for German Pz.II tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing TNSh-20 automatic cannon - 20x99mmR. It is mounted on T-60 light tank.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The TNSh-20 autocannon on the T-30 tank.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the TNSh-20.
Other Weapons
PTRD-41
During the last stand of Lt. Gorlov's unit, PTRD-41 AT rifles are used by Sgts. Ostapenko (Boris Blinov ) and Bashlykov (Aleksey Chepurnov). When Bashlykov is killed, Lt. Sergei Gorlov (Nikolay Kryuchkov ) takes his AT rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing PTRD-41 - 14.5x114mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Ostapenko with a PTRD and Jr. Sgt. Gomelauri (N. Kostov) with a PPSh-41 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Bashlykov and Pvt. Shayakhmetov (Zhagda Oguzbaev) with a PTRD.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bashlykov's PTRD.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bashlykov fires at German tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Bashlykov reloads the PTRD.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A close-up of Ostapenko's PTRD.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lt. Gorlov fires the PTRD.
RPG-40
RPG-40 anti-tank grenades are widely used by Soviet soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soviet RPG-40 anti-tank grenade. The manual for use of grenade is seen on its body.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier (Anatoliy Alekseev ) readies an RPG-40 and an RGD-33 hand grenades.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Bashlykov (Aleksey Chepurnov) holds an RPG-40 grenade.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Medical orderly Marusya (Anna Petukhova) with two RPG-40 grenades.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Lt. Sergei Gorlov (Nikolay Kryuchkov ) with two RPG-40 grenades.
RGD-33
RGD-33 hand grenades are also used by Soviet soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing RGD-33 high-explosive fragmentation stick grenade, shown with the diamond-patterned fragmentation sleeve.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A soldier (Anatoliy Alekseev ) of Lt. Gorlov's unit holds an RGD-33 grenade.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The soldier readies an RPG-40 and an RGD-33 hand grenades.
45 mm 53-K AT Gun
45 mm 53-K AT guns are deployed against the German tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1937 (53-K) anti-tank gun - 45 mm (1.77 in)
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Artilleryman Vasya (Evgeniy Nemchenko ), the last survivor of the crew, operates the 45 mm AT gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The AT gun fires at German tanks. This is a late version of 53-K, with the wheels of ZiS-3 field gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Destroyed 45 mm guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Vasya loads the gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing He aims the German tank.
Trivia
Soviet T-26, BT-7 and T-30 tanks are used to represent German Panzers, attacking the positions of Lt. Gorlov's unit. In the final scene BT-7 and T-34 tanks participate in the Soviet counter-offensive.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing T-26 (at the far right), BT-7 (at the background) and T-30 (at the right) represent destroyed German tanks. Both T-26 and BT-7 are fitted with false cupolas on the turrets to make them look more like Pz.III/IV tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A "German" BT-7 in attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A "German" T-30 in attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A "German" T-26.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soviet BT-7 tanks in attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soviet T-34 tanks in attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A T-18 (at the left) and Renault R35 (at the right) tanks support the infantry. Possibly this French R35 was captured from the Polish army in Autumn 1939.