User Reviews

This was the only national socialist (i.e. nazi) feature movie ever made in Norway during the years of German occupation in Norway (1940-1945) The story was so politically pathetic and the characters were so badly played, that even convinced nazis (barely 2% of Norwegians) laugh of it! Since the rest of the population boycotted it, the movie was never a success, and has been forgotten ever since.

I have only seen a few scenes of it, since the movie has been locked down in the shelves since 1943.

Will certainly make a good laugh for scholars of history or political science. Everyone else, forget it.

Like much of the Fascist regime's propaganda during the occupation of Norway this film is quite amateurish. The story itself is a bland but representative presentation of Nasjonal Samling's self perception and ideology. However, the acting, the editing, lighting and scenography is stilted, rushed, flat and often involuntaril funny.

The film has many of the party slogans presented as lines from the younger characters, and mythologizes Quisling as a true visionary on so many levels.

The film failed completely at the box office, and was the only nazi propaganda film with wide distribution during the occupation. It was ridiculed by the audience, and withdrawn to only be circulated within the party - like the very few other propaganda films made during the war.

As a film it is also quite boring, with chaotic dramaturgy and a disjointed storyline. It is however an interesting film for historians of the occupation.

This is a propaganda movie, that very crisply displays the ideological agenda of the Norwegian fascist party.

It is very interesting, because it highlights the similarities between the fascism of late 30s and early 40s to later labour party politics, which was similar to and heavily influenced by fascism. The labour party has dominated Norwegian politics since world war 2.

Some of these similarities are:

• national unity instead of class struggle. This was the main agenda for the norwegian fascist party, and was copied directly (but never credited, of course!) by the post-war labour government. - a strong leader ("fører") (in the form of gerhardsen for labour party) - corporativism in commerce and politics (the elites in the labour organisations and commerce organisations cooperating and heavily influencing/deciding the top political decisions) focus on norwegian nature and and use of nationalist rhetoric, as opposed to the international orientation of the labour party in the early 1930s anti-communism

The main differences, must also be said, were the presence of freedom of speech, a unbiased justice system, and free elections.

Fascism is much more part of the political heritage in Europe today, than what most would like to admit. This movie shows that trying to distinguish post war social democracy from fascism is very difficult, it was all built together from the same kettle of ideas in the 1930s.

This true to life movie with it's impeccable acting and wondrous cinematography is much sought after by Norwegians today. I watched it at least 3 times and was moved so vey deeply, as I have lived in Scandinavia and speak Swedish.

As with Vichy France the Norwegians were ruled by their own people with invited support by the National Socialist heroes, Quisling and Knudsen, who had save tens of millions of further deaths during the dastardly Holodomor in Ukraine by setting up over 700 relif camps to distribute food.

The film is elegantly set in a Norwegian fishing village, very reminiscent of the time, as it is being set upon by Marxist Union leaders and their behind closed door collaborators who run the factory, the Capitalists. They wish to unscrupulously exploit the workers and terrible things are caused to occur. As the people of the village begin to gather with their "Samlingen", so they pay homage to their leadership and sing the anthem, then discuss matter to thwart the evil unleashed on them. It's a tight suspense movie with a love story intertwined that's played out beautifully by the young stars in their starring roles.

As the message of political purity runs deep in this movie, then its probably difficult for people of today to relate to it as an actual way that can be. That politics can be for the people, by the people, without greed and corruption. I give it a 100% ten out of ten, more if I could fit it! It is one of those films that stays with you for decades as it's true message is always ringing in your ears, and how you would wish for those times to be realised today.