本部电影讲述身处硝烟弥漫的战争年代，一对热恋中男女青年的悲情爱情故事。薇罗尼卡（塔吉娅娜·萨莫依洛娃 Tatyana Samojlova饰）和鲍里斯（阿勒克塞·巴塔洛夫 Aleksey Batalov饰）本是沉浸在甜蜜热恋中的幸福情侣，可随着战争的爆发，这一切的美好即将 破灭。鲍里斯参军，薇罗尼卡的父母在敌机的轰炸中双亡，悲痛欲绝的她只能寄宿在鲍里斯父亲的家中。鲍里斯的表弟趁机占有了她，薇罗尼卡受到众人指责。双重打击下的薇罗尼卡本想一死了之，可心中仍苦苦等待着鲍里斯的归来。当得知鲍里斯牺牲的消息后，薇罗尼卡彻底绝望了。战争结束，当所有人都在庆祝胜利的时候，薇罗尼卡也双手捧着鲜花来到广场上。这时，一行大雁在空中飞过，就像当初的美好时光一样。
　　本片一经问世，就轰动了整个世界影坛，以其绝美的光影对比，绝佳的镜头运用，一举荣获1958年戛纳国际电影节金棕榈奖和摄影大奖。

　　二战期间，德国纳粹将战火燃至捷克境内，一时间硝烟四起。然而，在捷克某个乡村火车站内，却生活着一群事不关己、高高挂起的乐天派。谄媚且爱养鸽子的站长马克思（Vladimír Valenta 饰）、风流成性的胡比克（Josef Somr 饰）、成天想着与胡比克鬼混的女站员赞妮克（Vlastimil Brodský 饰）以及羞涩的见习员米罗（Václav Neckár 饰）。正因为有了他们，沉闷的乡间小站才充满着欢声笑语。
　　米罗与女列车员玛萨（Jitka Scoffin 饰）相爱，但在欢愉之时他却发现自己不举！这令米罗失去活下去的勇气……
　　本片荣获1968年奥斯卡最佳外语片奖。

May 1945: the end of the Second World War in the Tyrolean Alps. SS man Anton has deserted and been shot. On the run from his unit, he swaps his SS uniform for that of a dead Wehrmacht soldier and discovers a lonely mountain hut. Hannah, a Jewish woman, is hiding here. She takes Anton in and tends to his wounds.                                    
                               　　But there is great mistrust between the two. Together they cope with the harsh everyday life in the remote hut. They are looked after by 16-year-old peasant girl Charlotte, whose family pays Hannah not to betray them. And at night, they hear fighting between the German troops and Italian partisans. Over time, a cautious familiarity develops between Anton and Hannah - he, who has done terrible things in the war, she, who has lost her family and has been struggling with fear and loneliness up here in the mountains for months. They grow closer. Hannah finds out that Anton was no ordinary soldier. He was in the SS, a man of conviction, at least at first. Brutal truths come to light. The war is as good as over, but what kind of future awaits them?                                    
                               　　Georg turns up at the hut: He's been looking for Anton, hunting him down. He was the one who shot Anton - his best friend. Georg is fighting a battle that has long been hopeless, driven by hatred and the will to destroy. And he also wants to kill Hannah. High in the mountains, the decision is made.                                    
                               　　The Deserter is a story about war and guilt, but also about helpfulness and humanity.