In July 1942, in the Second World War, the rearguard of the Russian army protects the bridgehead of the Don River against the German army while the retreating Russian troops cross the bridge. While they move back to the Russian territory through the countryside, the soldiers show their companionship, sentiments, fears and heroism to defend their motherland.
Vasiliy Shukshin
Piotr Lopakhin
Vyacheslav Tikhonov
pvt. Nikolay Strel'tsov
Sergey Bondarchuk
pvt. Ivan Zvyagintsev
Yuriy Nikulin
pvt. Nekrasov
Georgi Burkov
pvt. Alexander Kopytovsky
Ivan Lapikov
sergeant Poprischenko
Nikolai Gubenko
lieutenant Goloschyokov
Nikolay Volkov
pvt. Nikiforov
