Overview
In the skies of World War II, love and bravery intertwine as pilots face their greatest fears.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- spirited
- witty
- warm
- classic cinema night
- war film marathon
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The veteran pilots form a singing ensemble, with music functioning as a recurring expression of fellowship and morale.
Captain Maestro and the older pilots train young flyers for the realities of combat, love, and loss.
The film foregrounds Soviet fighter pilots battling the Luftwaffe in prominent flying sequences.
The pilots' relationships and romances develop alongside missions that may determine who returns.
Films like Only Old Men Are Going to Battle, and why
The Battle of Britain
shared wartime aviation combat, camaraderie, sacrifice, and balance of humor with battlefield drama
The Red Baron
shared ensemble military drama, youthful recruits learning under veteran leadership, and emotional combat stakes
The Cranes Are Flying
shared mixture of wartime peril, romance, musical interludes, and affectionate ensemble comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Leonid Bykov
- Release Date
- 1974-08-12
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (138)
Cast
- Leonid Bykov
- Serhiy Pidhornyi
- Sergei Ivanov
- Rustam Sagdullaev
- Yevgeniya Simonova
- Olga Mateshko
- Volodymyr Talashko
- Viktor Miroshnichenko
- Aleksei Smirnov
- Alim Fedorinsky
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Brew, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Only Old Men Are Going to Battle about?
- Soviet fighter pilots turn aerial combat, mentorship, music, and romance into a spirited yet deeply poignant portrait of wartime brotherhood.
- What is Only Old Men Are Going to Battle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Only Old Men Are Going to Battle as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Only Old Men Are Going to Battle violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Only Old Men Are Going to Battle as moderate.
- Which films are like Only Old Men Are Going to Battle?
- Films with a similar feel include The Battle of Britain, The Red Baron, and The Cranes Are Flying.
- How long is Only Old Men Are Going to Battle?
- Only Old Men Are Going to Battle runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Only Old Men Are Going to Battle?
- In United States, Only Old Men Are Going to Battle streams on Amazon Prime Video, Brew, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
