The Steamroller and the Violin
A shy young violinist finds confidence and companionship through an unlikely friendship with a steamroller operator in Moscow.
Overview
A young boy's passion for music finds new life through an unexpected friendship.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- gentle
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet afternoon
- family viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the short as a tender, visually poetic childhood drama marked by Tarkovsky's emerging artistic sensibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sasha's violin practice and encounters with the steamroller worker turn everyday Moscow spaces into a poetic emotional landscape.
Withdrawn young violinist Sasha forms a bond with Sergei, a working steamroller operator in an upscale neighborhood.
Sasha's violin playing is central to his isolation and to the film's developing relationship between art, labor, and companionship.
Sergei's steamroller work receives the same attentive, expressive treatment as Sasha's musical training.
Films like The Steamroller and the Violin, and why
Kes
shared child-centered drama, gentle humanism, and emotionally transformative friendship
The Red Balloon
shared lyrical childhood perspective, working-class setting, and wistful coming-of-age atmosphere
The 400 Blows
shared poetic visual storytelling, child protagonist, and compassionate outsider friendship
Movie Details
- Director
- Andrei Tarkovsky
- Release Date
- 1961-12-30
- Runtime
- 46 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (169)
Cast
- Igor Fomchenko
- Vladimir Zamanskiy
- Marina Adzhubei
- Yuri Brusser
- Vyacheslav Borisov
- Lyudmila Semyonova
- Tanya Prokhorova
- Natalya Arkhangelskaya
- Marina Figner
- Antonina Maksimova
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Steamroller and the Violin about?
- A shy young violinist finds confidence and companionship through an unlikely friendship with a steamroller operator in Moscow.
- What is The Steamroller and the Violin like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Steamroller and the Violin as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Steamroller and the Violin violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Steamroller and the Violin.
- What did critics think of The Steamroller and the Violin?
- Critics broadly regard the short as a tender, visually poetic childhood drama marked by Tarkovsky's emerging artistic sensibility.
- Which films are like The Steamroller and the Violin?
- Films with a similar feel include Kes, The Red Balloon, and The 400 Blows.
- How long is The Steamroller and the Violin?
- The Steamroller and the Violin runs 46 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Steamroller and the Violin?
- In United States, The Steamroller and the Violin streams on Criterion Channel.
