Norwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II.Norwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II.Norwegian resistance tries to stop German efforts to produce an atomic bomb component during World War II.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn early 1940, the Allies approved a naval campaign designed to seize the northern part of Norway, a neutral country, including the key port of Narvik, and possibly also to seize the iron mines at Gällivare in northern Sweden, from which Germany obtained much of its iron ore. The British planned to invade Norway in March 1940 to use the ports as bases for the Royal Navy in order to encircle Germany, but the operation (codenamed Plan R 4) was postponed. The British and French had previously planned to invade Sweden, in order to assist Finland during the Winter War against the Soviet Union. Adolf Hitler found out about Plan R 4, and militarily intervened as the British began Operation Wilfred by laying mines in neutral Norwegian waters.
- GoofsAfter the commandos blew up the canisters in the factory containing the heavy water and got away there was no shooting involved because the German guards couldn't find the switches to turn on either the floodlights or the alarm.
- Quotes
Terboven: Winston Churchill is puffing an extra big cigar today. And we laugh at him. Why? Because all these containers, which the British did so much to destroy, have already been pre-fabricated in Berlin. They are already on their way here and will be installed by tomorrow.
Nilssen: That is... I must say that is fantastic efficiency!
Terboven: Don't you ever make the mistake of under-rating the Germans. By Easter we will have not merely 10000 pounds of heavy water, but 12000 pounds of heavy water.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits prologue: GERMAN-OCCUPIED NORWAY 1942
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Real Heroes of Telemark (2003)
Directed by Anthony Mann (his last film) with a mostly British cast, and starring KIRK DOUGLAS and RICHARD HARRIS, it's based on a little known true-life episode. Their mission: to return to Telemark from England and see whether ground invasion is possible--rather than bombing, because the village nearby is heavily populated. As someone else observed, Kirk and Richard spend more time fighting each other than the Nazis. Whatever animosity lies beneath the surface of these two stars, it shows on the screen.
Douglas reluctantly joins a group of nine men who go on the ground mission after a bombing raid wipes out some of the resistance fighters. Director Mann gets every bit of suspense out of the perilous mission...and the aftermath when the men are hunted by the Gestapo and wanted dead or alive.
Some of the derring-do has been fictionalized, I'm sure. Douglas manages a narrow escape on skis even though he's been wounded with a gunshot to his ankle. Several other aspects of the story have the ring of dramatic license.
It's tense and taut with remarkably good performances from KIRK DOUGLAS and RICHARD HARRIS especially. Well worth seeing and enjoying as a World War II adventure yarn based on a true incident.
- Doylenf
- Jan 24, 2007
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Anthony Mann's The Heroes of Telemark
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $5,600,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 11 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1