The Fourth (Russian: Четвёртый, romanized: Chetvyortyy) is a 1972 Soviet drama film directed by Aleksandr Stolper.

[1][2][3] The film tells about an American journalist who has to make a difficult choice: to publicize the plans of supporters of the war, having lost all his life's benefits or to retreat.

However, his commander and comrades refuse, explaining that only three are needed for the plan; a fourth person would arouse suspicion among the Germans and make the escape impossible.

As he bids farewell to his friends departing on this fatal mission, he says: "-Honestly, Dick (the name of the commander of the "Flying Fortress"), I’ll feel ashamed to live."

The protagonist faces a moral dilemma: to make a public statement exposing the provocative plans he’s learned of, which would cost him his career and personal comforts, or to remain silent.