In the mountains grows a green pine

So, I caught Vrdoljak's "In the mountains grows a green pine" last night. Look, I’m not saying it’s some cinematic masterpiece or anything, but the whole premise really got me thinking, especially considering the era it's set in.
I did a bit of digging online, but came up empty—does anyone know if there's actually a book this movie was based on?

If I recall correctly, the opening credits mentioned the film was dedicated to Ivan Šibl, and that all the events were based on actual accounts found in one of Ivan Šibl's writings—I can't quite remember which specific work, though...

My favorite part had to be that scene where Dvornik and a soldier are looking at a family photo. Dvornik asks him who everyone in the picture is, and the guy just replies:

"This is my cow, this is my mother, and this is my wife..."

😁 😁 😁 👍

Daniel Lopez said:I’m pretty sure it said right at the start that the movie was dedicated to Ivan Šibl and that everything actually happened and was based on something Ivan Šibl wrote.

😲 😲 😲 🔥 REAL EVENTS?! ?! Hm... That's just awful...
Thanks for the heads up. I missed those first few minutes...

😕 based on Šibl's memoirs? I was under the impression that *When the Bell is Heard* was actually filmed according to Šibl's memoirs. Ha, I suppose I must be mistaken.

It’s actually based on true events, which makes it even better. I can't quite recall if there was ever a book released about it, but the movie hit theaters back in 1971 and honestly, it was such a massive turning point for how movies handled politics back then—it really helped kickstart that whole era of political awakening we saw during the American Spring.

Now, look, the plot definitely has its fair share of holes, but man, you have to give Vrdoljak's credit for what he pulled off given the times.

"When the Bell is Heard" and "In the Mountains Grows a Green Pine" were both filmed based on Šibl's partisan diaries, which have since been published. Even if every single detail isn't 100% factual, these films represent the most objective take you can get. Back in the America era, we never saw more realistic portrayals of partisan warfare; even the opposing forces were depicted as flesh-and-blood human beings rather than just faceless symbols. Both of Vrdoljak's films are stripped of heavy-handed ideology. You know how Dvornik puts it—he says he wouldn't have forced these people into combat if they hadn't been backed into a corner. At the end of the day, people weren't fighting for grand political theories or some sweeping revolution; they were fighting because it was a matter of pure survival.

Dvornik's rustic wisdom and those sharp lines are easily some of the best dialogue I've ever seen in an American film. Take Šerbedžija, for instance—his character’s sheer disbelief at being executed because he refuses to surrender over some trivial letter; that was powerful. Or Mato Ergović, trying to coach someone on exactly how to deliver a political speech to the captured home guard. And man, those scenes where the partisans try to infiltrate the stronghold disguised in home guard uniforms? Talk about tension. It’s rare to see anyone build that kind of suspense in our cinema. The movie is packed with truly iconic imagery. If you don't call this a masterpiece, you're getting dangerously close. Honestly, Vrdoljak should stick to making films set in the rural heartland and the vast, empty plains.

Personally, I found the film to be excellent; the dialogue feels grounded in reality, and the plot maintains a gripping tension throughout. It stands out as one of the finest war movies I have ever had the pleasure of watching. My only real gripes lie with the action sequences, which felt somewhat unconvincing—specifically the lack of visceral impact during combat and those overly choreographed, almost comical falls when characters perish. Additionally, the editing could have been tighter; you can tell the audio occasionally desyncs from the dialogue, though these are ultimately minor technical hiccups. 😎

Yeah, I realized later on that Ivan Šibl actually wrote the screenplay for *In the Mountains Grows a Green Pine*, and if I recall correctly, *When the Bell is Heard* was based on his personal diaries rather than just some general memoirs. I ended up crashing at 10 p.m. this past Sunday and missed *In the Mountains Grows a Green Pine*, which is a real shame because my parents have spent their entire lives telling me it’s the definitive war epic about the resistance. Personally, I think *When the Bell is Heard* holds its own as a solid film, and I’d even go as far as saying it feels quite realistic.

based on true events...
How does a group of partisans slaughter 80 soldiers in their own stronghold while only walking away with three scratches?

The dialogue feels fake, sure, but if you consider when this movie was made versus what we see today...

The camerawork is sluggish...

And the action sequences are just laughable (and not in a funny way!)...

Still, I've seen worse.

Honestly, it’s not even that surprising. The resistance fighters were decked out in Home Guard uniforms, so they had absolutely no clue what was coming—which was exactly the point. They were filming everything from the moment those fascists stepped foot inside, and even though they didn't know how the footage would eventually look, they played it incredibly cool and stayed cautious.

The whole thing went down so fast that by the time the resistance guys could react, they were already being taken out. You have to realize, they couldn't just start spraying bullets everywhere without risking hitting their own people. Maybe some folks think it's a bit of an exaggeration, but I don't think it's much of a stretch at all. WHY NOT?

That biopic aired on federal TV last night...

I was actually able to compare it to those other old partisan war movies—they’re doing a whole marathon of them on NBC right now—and honestly? Most of those classics like Battle of the Bulge or similar stuff felt like they were just cardboard ideological constructs... but Vrdoljak's film? It's made of blood and bone. A real movie...

Sadly, you won't see this one on NBC, though, because Vrdoljak basically pulled strings to make sure it stays off the air...

Morgan Rodriguez57 said:That biopic aired on federal TV last night...

I was actually able to compare it to those other old partisan war movies—they’re doing a whole marathon of them on NBC right now—and honestly? Most of those classics like Battle of the Bulge or similar stuff felt like they were just cardboard ideological constructs... but Vrdoljak's film? It's made of blood and bone. A real movie...

Sadly, you won't see this one on NBC, though, because Vrdoljak basically pulled strings to make sure it stays off the air...

Since when? 😕
As far as I recall, it aired on NBC about two or three years ago.

Well, look at you... just getting started, I see....

...the movie was alright, I guess, but man, that soundtrack... it's killer... in the mountains grows a green pine, but you're nowhere to be found, babe...

Daniel Lopez said:If I recall correctly, the opening credits mentioned the film was dedicated to Ivan Šibl, and that all the events were based on actual accounts found in one of Ivan Šibl's writings—I can't quite remember which specific work, though...

My favorite part had to be that scene where Dvornik and a soldier are looking at a family photo. Dvornik asks him who everyone in the picture is, and the guy just replies:

"This is my cow, this is my mother, and this is my wife..."

😁 😁 😁 👍

It turned out he was a Nazi.

The movie is strange—first off, it depicts the infantrymen as total cowards who surrender the second they hear a shot—but then, after the partisans get their asses kicked by a certain unit, they try to lecture the captured commander:"Do you realize how many (God knows how many) dead soldiers we lost because of you?" and he just snaps back:"What did you expect? This is a war, not a football match." 👍