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The Cuckoo Movie Cast, Plot and Everything to Know

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Last modified: Nov. 9, 2008

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The Cuckoo

Release Date: Friday, July 11, 2003

Starring: Anni-Christina Juuso Ville Haapasalo Viktor Bychkov Aleksei Kashnikov Mikhail Korobochkin

PG-13 Comedy N/A

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Plot – What's the story about?

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Plot
September 1944. Several days before Finland, an ally of Nazi Germany, pulls out of World War II, Veiko, (Ville Haapasalo) a lone Finnish sniper, is turned on by his compatriots for a being a pacifist and, in their eyes, a reluctant fighter. As a punishment, the young man is placed in shackles, nailed to a heavy rock and forced to wear a German uniform, knowing full well that Russian soldiers have orders to shoot Germans on sight, without accepting surrender. Veiko is thus left to die in a remote Lapland forest, with nothing but a few supplies and his wits. Days pass, and after several failed attempts, he succeeds in freeing himself and heads for safety, shackles still attached. While trying to escape, Veiko witnesses the following through his rifle's telescope: Ivan, a captain in the Russian army accused of anti-Soviet correspondence, is being held prisoner by the Soviet Military secret police. En route to his court martial, Russian planes accidentally bomb the vehicle carrying the disgraced captain, killing the driver and his guard. Not far away is Anni (Anni-Kristiina Juuso), a Lapp reindeer farmer whose husband was drafted into the war by the Finnish authorities four years earlier, never to return. Hungry and alone, the young and resourceful widow locates the bodies of Ivan and his captors while foraging for food. As she begins to bury the dead, Anni discovers that Ivan is still alive, but seriously hurt. She carries him to her wooden hut and nurses him back to health. Meanwhile, Veiko, in search of tools to remove his shackles, stumbles upon Anni's farm. Thus World War II creates the unlikeliest of bonds (between three different people, from three different cultures, speaking three different languages.) Comic, and sometimes tragic, misunderstandings soon arise, resulting in a passionate, and very human, three-way relationship. Unable to communicate with the others and unaware that the war between the USSR and Finland is over, Ivan is convinced that Veiko is a German soldier gone astray; to Ivan, the German uniform the Finnish soldier was forced to wear is further proof. But Veiko is unaware of Ivan's hatred and just wants to cut off his shackles, return home and put the war behind him. Yet, to avoid falling into enemy hands, Veiko opts to stay on Anni's farm for temporary safety. The earthy and sensuous Anni, who has not been with a man in four years, could not be more delighted with her good fortune, language barrier be damned. For Anni, Veiko and Ivan are not enemies, but just men. An uncommon and touching bond develops, as the three unlikely souls begin a domestic routine of hunting and gathering in preparation for the long Lap winter. The two men do what they can to contribute to Anni's well being: Veiko builds a sauna and Ivan picks mushrooms... but their war is not over.
Comedy Drama War

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Who stars in The Cuckoo – Cast List

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Who is making The Cuckoo – Crew List

Director
Screenwriters
Producer
Sergei Selyanov
Production Companies

Production – What we know about the The Cuckoo

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Movie Filming Timeline: Production Status Updates

Completed

Changed The Cuckoo movie production status. The movie is ready for release.

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Additional Information

Parent Rating
PG-13 Parents Strongly Cautioned for sexual content and violence
Runtime
N/A
Tagline
Not available
Also known as
Kukushka

Language
English
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The Cuckoo Trailers and Clips

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The Cuckoo Release Date: When was the film released?

The Cuckoo was released in on Friday, July 11 , 2003. There were seven other movies released on the same date, including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Housekeeper and The Holy Land.

The Cuckoo DVD & Blu-ray Release Date

The Cuckoo is scheduled to be released on DVD and Blu-ray on . Availability may vary by region. Pre-order your copy of The Cuckoo today on Amazon.

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  • United States

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  • Added the DVD release date of December 2, 2003

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