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:
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.
Submachine Guns
PPSh-41
Some Soviet soldiers are armed with PPSh-41 submachine guns.
MP40
MP40s are brifely seen in hands of German soldiers.
Rifles
Tokarev SVT-40
Some Soviet soldiers are armed with SVT-40 rifles with sword baynets.
Mosin Nagant M1891/30
Mosin Nagant M1891/30 rifles (some may be original M91s) are briefly seen in hands of Soviet soldiers.
A damaged and abandoned Maxim MG08 is seen on the battlefield.
MG34
An MG34 on tripod is seen in the German pillbox, captured by Lt. Gorlov's unit.
Degtyaryov DT
Degtyaryov DT machine guns are mounted on BT-7 and T-26 tanks.
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.
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.
RGD-33 hand grenades are also used by Soviet soldiers.
45 mm 53-K AT Gun
45 mm 53-K AT guns are deployed against the German tanks.
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.