Men and Beasts (1962): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1962, Men and Beasts is a drama film directed by Sergei Gerasimov, running about 200 minutes.

What it’s about. The plot is based on the dramatic fate of the Red Army commander Aleksei Ivanovich Pavlov. Having been captured in January 1942 and being among the displaced persons, he didn't immediately decide to return to the USSR. Having rolled around the foreign country for 17 years, Aleksei nevertheless returned to his homeland. He goes to his brother in the south of the country to Sevastopol. Aleksei accidentally meets the doctor Anna Andreyevna, who was saved from death in besieged Leningrad. She travels by car from Moscow and also to the south, with her daughter Tanya; she suggests he join them. Aleksei tells about his life on the road.

Who’s in it. Men and Beasts stars Nikolay Eryomenko as Aleksei Ivanovich Pavlov, Tamara Makarova as Anna Andreyevna, Zhanna Bolotova as Tanya and Vitali Doronin as Pyotr Ivanovich Pavlov, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.6/10, Men and Beasts has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Men and Beasts page.

If you liked it. Fans of Men and Beasts tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.