I watched this the other day for the first time since I was a bairn and thought it was really good. This is my favourite kind of war based film. It is based on actual events with only a limited artisic license. The true war stories are fascinating enough without the crap Hollywood adds to them these days. It has a level of reality many war film makers find hard to stick to present all the way through. No superhuman strength/avoidance of bullets/death defying acrobatics. A great real story well told. The only negative aspect as far as I was concerned was that the American/English lead actors made no effort to mask their accents, while the German characters have the mandatory "vee haff vays of making you tok" speech with them. So if you've not seen it in years, I'd recommend checking it out.
Hello DelBoy. This going to sound harsh, so brace yourself. I'm glad you enjoyed the movie, BUT: It is widely judged as Hollywood gone to far. It complies little with actual events and has thrown in some extra for enertainment. The Telemark sabouteurs all expressed thei disgust over it. If you read my thread http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/special-forces/29127-telemark-sabotage-battle-heavy-water.html which is fairly accurate, you are in for a surprise.
Delboy, Tend to agree with Stormbird, I'm halfway through The Real Heroes of Telemark, which was released to accompany the bbc series some years back - if you pm me your address I will happily forward it on to you when I've finished it - its a tad different.... Pete
Hello DelBoy. This goung to sound harsh, so brace yorselff. Im glad you enjoyed te movie, BUT: It is widely jodged as Hollywood gone to far. It complie little with actual events and has trhown in some extra for enertainment. The Telemark sabouteur all expressed thei disgust over it. If you read my thread http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/special-forces/29127-telemark-sabotage-battle-heavy-water.html which is faily accurate, you are in for a surpris. SB, Unfortunately this holds true for most of the Hollywood made warfilms, which have to be taken as action entertainment value only. Regards Tom
I'm glad you asked me to brace myself! Oh well. I'd read there had been only a small amount of artistic license, bu that was my mistake. Perhaps it just shows how far Hollywood has gone that this 60's film seems so much less glamourised than I first thought. Thanks for keeping me right though. I bought a bundle pack (15) of war films for sweeties recently, so look out for more highly innacurate reviews ha ha! Cheers, Derek.
While we are at the theme:In 1948 a movie "The battle for heavy water" was made. It starred 3 of the original saboteurs throughout the movie. I would very much like to get hold of a copy of this movie. Does anybody know if and how this is possible ?
The Battle For Heavy Water Rapidshare Downloads Freshwap.Net I'm pretty sure Channel 4 showed it in the UK about 25 years ago during their long-running WW2 season which used to go out every afternoon. I don't think it's ever been released on video or DVD though.
The Battle For Heavy Water Rapidshare Downloads Freshwap.Net I'm pretty sure Channel 4 showed it in the UK about 25 years ago during their long-running WW2 season which used to go out every afternoon. I don't think it's ever been released on video or DVD though. Thank you SO much for the info and the link!
Hello DelBoy. I think most people enjoyed the film `Heroes of Telemark, even if there was a bit of poetic licence. I agree it is well worth viewing Ray Mears “The real Heroes of Telemark”. Also I have a friend who now lives in Oslo Norway and he told me that their local WW2 hero is Max Manus. A film was made about him you may want to check out. Sorry if this is old hat to you. Regards, Paul Rickwood
slightly OT but in reference to Max Manus i have it on blu ray brilliant movie would highly reccomend it
If anyone has the Ray Mears series I would be grateful to borrow it - the book is excellent - funnily enough the previous one I read was also about a Norwegian whose team were killed (murdered) by the Germans, he had to survive on his own, same author as wrote the Shetland Bus. Pete
Max Manus wrote two best-selling books immediately after the war and was a charismatic, entertainer-type of personality who enjoyed much popularity. He remained a national icon after his death in 1996 and his memory was revitalised when the movie about his war effort was released in 2008. I recommend this movie, "Man of war", to anobody interested in the subject. To be able to fully appreciate it, I believe one should first obtain some information on the realities of living under Nazi rule in wartime Norway. BTW, Max Manus' wife Tikken Manus, who during the war worked as a liaison for Norwegian resistance fighters at the Britsh Embassy in Stockholm, died earlier today. To the Norwegian public I believe Max Manus will for ever keep his status as a war icon. Historians and military professionals however, know to fully appreciate also people like Gunnar Soensteby (still alive and unrivalled as the nation's highest decorated citizen) Leif Larsen (Shetland Larsen, the highest decorated allied Navy officer) and the Telemark Saboteurs, just to mention a few.
... the previous one I read was also about a Norwegian whose team were killed (murdered) by the Germans, he had to survive on his own, same author as wrote the Shetland Bus. Pete You are referring to David Howarth: We die alone ? I reviewed that one here: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/book-reviews/25534-commando-raid-disaster-lone-survivor-miracle-review-david-howarth-we.html Almost OT, Jan Baalsrud's (the surviving commando) grandson is in the same company at the Royal Guards as my daughter !
Hello DelBoy. I think most people enjoyed the film `Heroes of Telemark, even if there was a bit of poetic licence. I agree it is well worth viewing Ray Mears “The real Heroes of Telemark”. Also I have a friend who now lives in Oslo Norway and he told me that their local WW2 hero is Max Manus. A film was made about him you may want to check out. Sorry if this is old hat to you. Regards, Paul Rickwood No Paul, all new hat in fact! I'll keep an eye out for the doucumentary and other bits and bobs mentioned in the topic. Cheers, Derek.
.... and the Telemark Saboteurs, just to mention a few. Did you see this, SOE files on Knut Haugland (free download). There was a post on it somewhere here, but I cannot find it now A selection of recently released files - May 2010 | The National Archives cheers, geoff
The Battle For Heavy Water Rapidshare Downloads Freshwap.Net....... Do NOT use this link/web site. I's a a scam ! I have, however, dug up a way to obtain a DVD version of the 1948 The Battle For Heavy Water movie, starring several of the original Saboteurs: mil.no | Videokassetter | Kampen om tungtvannet <br>The Heavy Water Sabotage Their mail address is post.nhm@gmail.com (Drop me a message if they don't pick up their mail.) The movie is in Norwegian with English voiceover. The cost will be the eqv of 20 GBP + postage from Norway.
