Watching the film, there were a number of really interesting scenes to discuss, but that last scene stood out. We have all seen movies and shows that revolve around war. When the war is over and the soldiers get to return home, we see the celebration of victory and the reunion of families. That is how I would expect a movie like this to end. For me, the Soviet twist here is when Veronica hands starts handing out the flowers to strangers. It is as if Stepan’s speech and her experiences throughout the movie have almost helped her see that the flowers belong to everyone. Everyone in the Soviet Union played a role in the war effort. It really is great branding for the Soviet government. At the same time, we see how memories of war can destroy lives. What are your thoughts on the final scene? Is there anything to say about Stepan’s speech advocating for peace? Again, after the harsh experiences of war, of course you might want to try to avoid another one, but that is probably not realistic.
My thoughts on the final scene are exactly yours, usually in war movies the soldiers come home to family but in this movie that was not the case. Also, we do see how war can ruin so many things and not just for the soldiers that went but for the people they left at home when they went to go fight.