This film is part of Free
Men of Norway
A shipment of dried cod bound for Germany is sprayed with kerosene by a young Norwegian in one of the more inventive acts of anti-Nazi sabotage from this gripping film.
Overview
A group of Norwegians stage a daring escape across the North Sea in the dramatic centrepiece of this Academy Award-nominated March of Time report from 1941. The sighting of a surfacing submarine provides a genuine moment of nail-biting tension. Various forms of resistance, from setting up of shortwave radio transmitters to digging up railway lines are shown in recreated sequences which vividly depict the inventiveness and bravery of the young people of Nazi-occupied Norway.
A perfectly pitched blend of reconstructed scenes and genuine footage combined with an informative commentary - characterised by the nonchalant humour of the Norwegian speaker - earned this March of Time issue a deserved Academy Award nomination. The depiction of a raid on a Nazi radio station and oil refinery features authentic film of Nazis being rounded-up and blindfolded, adding a note of real-life drama to the reconstructed sequences and boosting morale at the same time. One of the nicest features of the film is the prominence of Scandinavian knitwear featuring snowflakes, deer and trees: an unofficial uniform wholly in line with the self-deprecating bravery of the Norwegian resistance itself.
Related
Private Life of the Gannets Private Life of the Gannets
Documentary 1934 14 mins Location: Pembroke/Penfro
The marginal lives of a breeding colony of gannets on the isolated Pembrokeshire island of Grassholm
Giuseppina Giuseppina
Drama 1959 32 mins
Short film by James Hill about a girl who works in her father's rural Italian petrol station and her longing to escape.
London Can Take It! London Can Take It!
Documentary 1940 9 mins Location: London
Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt’s famous GPO film is an enduring example of British self-mythology; a hymn to London’s resilience that helped persuade America to join the war.
Prelude to Victory Prelude to Victory
Documentary 1943 18 mins
Nominated for an Oscar, this film dramatically depicts the carefully plotted invasion which took Hitler by surprise and led to the defeat of Axis powers in Africa.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Luke Bean of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Samantha Arnold of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.
Horace Ové on Pressure Horace Ové on Pressure
Inside Film 2005 36 mins
The acclaimed director discusses his landmark film in this interview from 2005.
Baltimore - Exclusive Q&A Baltimore - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 28 mins
Directors Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor dig deep into their thrilling biopic Baltimore, in discussion with Nadia M Oliva.
Pressure star Herbert Norville on Horace Ové's masterpiece, the first full-length Black British film Pressure star Herbert Norville on Horace Ové's masterpiece, the first full-length Black British film
Inside Film 2023 17 mins
Actor Herbert Norville discusses working with the pioneering filmmaker on his groundbreaking 1975 drama, Pressure.
Horace Ové: Reflecting the People – A Career Retrospective Horace Ové: Reflecting the People – A Career Retrospective
Inside Film 2023 77 mins
An impassioned discussion on the life, work and legacy of the eminent filmmaker Horace Ové, chaired by Samira Ahmed.