Sunflower: Soviet-Italian war poetry

[j***@faf.mil.fi]

Simple question: does anyone remember the wartime Soviet poem that was
quoted in Vittorio de Sica's "I Girasoli" ("Sunflower")?

Everyone, or at least our Italian posters, probably remembers the
movie. Sophia Loren falls in love with Marcello Mastroianni, who's
drafted to serve on the Eastern Front and ends up missing in action.
Years after the war, Sophia travels to the USSR, attempting to
relocate her husband.

It's been probably a quarter a century since I last saw the movie in
Finnish television, but I still remember that one Russian poem which
was quoted in one scene. The poem displays the sad, melancholic
affection and sympathy of the average Soviet soldier towards the
Italian soldier on the other side. I can't remember the exact words,
but it was something like "Young son of Naples, what brought you to
Russia? When I saw you across my rifle sights, I thought of the
distant Vesuvius".

But anyhow. Assuming that it wasn't just an ad hoc verse for the
movie, who wrote this poem? And can anyone point me to the original
quote in Russian?




Cheers,

J. J.

[Michele]

Post by j***@faf.mil.fi
But anyhow. Assuming that it wasn't just an ad hoc verse for the
movie, who wrote this poem? And can anyone point me to the original
quote in Russian?

Sorry, no. I remember the movie and I think I remember the scene, but if I
had to guess I'd say it was something made up for the movie. A quick search
with keywords in Italian (assuming that was something you had not done) did
not turn up anything, as, say, an Italian translation of such a poem.

[Louis C]

Post by j***@faf.mil.fi
Simple question: does anyone remember the wartime Soviet poem that was
quoted in Vittorio de Sica's "I Girasoli" ("Sunflower")?

Good question. It looks like parts of the film can be viewed online on
the usual suspects (try "I Girasoli" as a keyword on You Tube...)

Doesn't it appear on a monument or something? It's been a really long
time since I saw it...


LC

[Maidros]

Giorno 05/11/2008 10.57, ***@faf.mil.fi ha scritto:

<snip>

Post by j***@faf.mil.fi
It's been probably a quarter a century since I last saw the movie in
Finnish television, but I still remember that one Russian poem which
was quoted in one scene. The poem displays the sad, melancholic
affection and sympathy of the average Soviet soldier towards the
Italian soldier on the other side. I can't remember the exact words,
but it was something like "Young son of Naples, what brought you to
Russia? When I saw you across my rifle sights, I thought of the
distant Vesuvius".
But anyhow. Assuming that it wasn't just an ad hoc verse for the
movie, who wrote this poem? And can anyone point me to the original
quote in Russian?

I found a quote of russian poet/journalist Svetlov in an italian book
about the "Russian Front". It is in Italian and I'm giving you an
English translation:

<<Oh young man born in Neaples, what were you looking for on the fields
of Russia? Why didn't you stay, happy, in your renowned gulf?>>.

I don't know if this is what is in the movie nor if the source for that
poem is the same, but it seems more than likely, given the style and the
reference to Neaples. A further research pointed me to these pages:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Arkadyevich_Svetlov>

<http://www.itcmarchetti.net/Sito%20con%20Frame/THE%20WAR.htm>

In the wiki one, you'll find a reference of the monologue "Italian
Cross" (1943) that could definitely be the source. The second one has a
quote of Svetlov in the same style, but with no credits.

Cheers, Marco

[Louis C]

Post by Maidros
I found a quote of russian poet/journalist Svetlov in an italian book
about the "Russian Front". It is in Italian and I'm giving you an

Congratulations, you got it!

With the author's complete name from the Wikipedia entry, one is only
3-4 clicks away to the text of the poem - the English version provided
in the page you linked to is better than my own attempt (which doesn't
rhyme) though of course the original tone is lost in translation.

For those who might want to read it in the original, here is the text:

http://www.litera.ru/stixiya/authors/svetlov/chernyj-krest-na.html


LC

[JJR]

Post by Louis C

Post by Maidros
I found a quote of russian poet/journalist Svetlov in an italian book
about the "Russian Front". It is in Italian and I'm giving you an

Congratulations, you got it!

Thanks to both of you, for raising interesting theme an answering it.
A moving poem.

Unfortunately, the translation does not give justice to original. Even as
poetry in general is all but impossible to translate, this is by far not the
best try.
Still it's hard to blame the translator - I wouldn't have reached even that.
All in all an English native-speaker would have better chance.

--
pzdr,
Jedrzej

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of coloured ribbon." Napoleon
Bonaparte

[l***@gmail.com]

Young sons of Naples,
What brought you to the fields of Russia?
Ain't you happy by your own renowned coasts?
When I met you near Vostok,
I thought of Mt. Vesuvius
So far away.

Post by j***@faf.mil.fi
Simple question: does anyone remember the wartime Soviet poem that was
quoted in Vittorio de Sica's "I Girasoli" ("Sunflower")?
Everyone, or at least our Italian posters, probably remembers the
movie. Sophia Loren falls in love with Marcello Mastroianni, who's
drafted to serve on the Eastern Front and ends up missing in action.
Years after the war, Sophia travels to the USSR, attempting to
relocate her husband.
It's been probably a quarter a century since I last saw the movie in
Finnish television, but I still remember that one Russian poem which
was quoted in one scene. The poem displays the sad, melancholic
affection and sympathy of the average Soviet soldier towards the
Italian soldier on the other side. I can't remember the exact words,
but it was something like "Young son of Naples, what brought you to
Russia? When I saw you across my rifle sights, I thought of the
distant Vesuvius".
But anyhow. Assuming that it wasn't just an ad hoc verse for the
movie, who wrote this poem? And can anyone point me to the original
quote in Russian?
Cheers,
J. J.