Before Winter Comes

After World War II ends, a British Major Giles Burnside, David Niven, is assigned to a refugee camp in occupied Austria. His task is clear but fraught: sort the displaced civilians into the Russian or American zones. He is a by-the-book officer, precise and orderly, yet the camp’s multi-lingual chaos creates constant friction.

Language barriers push him to rely on Janovic, Topol, a multilingual refugee who can translate Burnside’s orders and help the camp run more smoothly. With his skill, the camp begins to operate with greater efficiency, though tensions simmer just beneath the surface.

Janovic forms a romance with Maria, the innkeeper, Anna Karina, but the relationship becomes strained when he discovers her affair with Burnside. The personal entanglement adds a layer of complication to an already tense logistical operation, forcing choices that test loyalties and trust.

Meanwhile, a troubling label shadows Janovic: he is revealed to be a Red Army deserter, a fate that could mean execution if handed over to Soviet authorities. Burnside offers to help him escape, but Janovic struggles with whom to trust and what danger he is willing to risk for freedom.

During a quiet moment, Burnside tells Lieutenant Pilkington, John Hurt, a story about a brave Major who tries to defuse a bomb on a bridge. The tale, intended to honor heroism, takes a sharp turn when a general reveals that Burnside was the very Major in question, and that his so‑called bravery led to the deaths of about 200 men and cost him this posting to the camp.

Janovic makes a vain attempt to escape to Switzerland but is captured by Americans and returned to Burnside. As Burnside organizes his release to Linz, he is informed by the British army that Janovic is to be sent to Freistadt to prevent any conflict with the Russians. Reluctantly, Burnside orders a truck to depart with Linz as its label, while Pilkington arrives and tries to intervene, only to be refused.

The film ends with Burnside being reassigned to Indonesia and another camp, effectively ending his chance to rejoin his unit. Pilkington visits Maria and breaks down angrily at Burnside. Burnside earns a commendation from his sergeant for being a capable officer, even as Janovic remains in a truck surrounded by Russian soldiers, his fate uncertain.

Last Updated: December 13, 2025 at 08:21