Kampen om tungtvannet

Receiving great reviews and being a success among the public, setting the new record for drama series when it premiered on national TV network in Norway on January 4, 2015, winning the live audience of about 1.2 million viewers on Sunday night (about 24% of the Norwegian population was watching the season premiere), the Norwegian TV mini-series Kampen om Tungtvannet (original title) or The Heavy Water War: Stopping Hitler's Atomic Bomb (in English) depicts a true story of World War II. Narrated in three angles the Norwegian production of 6 episodes follows the trajectory of the Nazi nuclear program, the fight of the Allies to stop them and the management of Norsk Hydro, the company that owns the heavy water plant, a key substance for the German plans.

The TV mini-series begins slowly, developing the characters and their dilemmas and also exploring the reasons Allies and Nazis fight for the heavy water. Why it was so important and where it would be possible to get it? Over the first episodes this whole plot is made clear.

The Nazi research program is shown through the eyes of Werner Heisenberg (played by Christoph Bach, known for Shirley: Visions of Reality - 2013), German scientist who in 1933 won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution in quantum mechanics. Heisenberg devoted his life to science, abdicating social and family life. In 1939 he began working for the German government, conducting the research for the development of nuclear energy. He sees the atomic bomb as a nuisance, but a necessary means for the development of science. The war would be at the service of science.

The Norwegian scientist and professor Leif Tronstad (played by Espen Kloumann Høiner, known for Reprise - 2006) was one of those responsible for the construction of the chemical factory Norsk Hydro, in the Vemork plant on the outskirts of the town of Rjukan in Norway. By joining the Allies in England, he was essential to prevent the success of the Nazi plans, since he was a member of the Norwegian Resistance and still stayed in touch with them. He also was aware of the building plan and the site procedures. To Tronstad the lives of employees and other inhabitants of the area should be preserved in the conflict.

The director of Norsk Hydro, Bjørn Henriksen (played by Dennis Storhøi, known for Zwei Leben - Two Lives - 2012), runs the facility in Rjukan, unique in the world to produce heavy water. As it was a byproduct of fertilizer production, its production was limited and on a small scale. While the Norwegians remained neutral in World War II, France made an agreement with the company to acquire the entire stock of heavy water. But with the invasion of Norway by the Germans, on the morning of April 9, 1940, Norsk Hydro started to meet the Nazi interests in obtaining the precious liquid. To Henriksen the war would be something temporary, so it would be important to keep the jobs and company's business intact.

To give more excitement and make the story more dramatic some fictional characters were drafted, but that did not come to interfere significantly in the actual events that occurred. Among them we can mention Bjørn Henriksen, which was created from three real directors of Norsk Hydro, and his wife, Ellen Henriksen (played by Maibritt Saerens, known for Sykt Lykkelig - Happy Happy - 2010), who also was not part of the original plot, but was responsible for addressing some dilemmas of the couple apart from the moral issues of the war.

Another fictional character is Julie Smith (played by Anna Friel, known for the TV series Pushing Daisies - 2007-2009), who gives life to a British official responsible for the British Special Operations. Here we have to highlight a historical mistake, because in real life the role was played by Scottish Colonel John Skinner Wilson. At that time there were no women occupying the position of command in the army. Despite the good performance of Friel, it would be more appropriate to stick to historical and real facts (put a man) instead of opting for the politically correct of the current times.

The film's director Per-Olav Sørensen depicts in a chronological and historical way the events surrounding the dispute by heavy water. It is noted along the mini-series all the characterization work of an era: uniforms, clothes, cars, equipments and weapons. One bright spot was the maintenance of the three native languages ​​of the countries involved in the plot: Norwegian, German and English. Sørensen also knew how to choose the cast, who gave convincing performances.

The photography is very beautiful and the soundtrack fits well in the plot. However, the director of the mini-series does not do enough to explore more some action scenes and he also could have created more suspense. The rigorous living conditions to which the members of the Norwegian resistance were submitted in missions due to the harsh climate of Norway, as hunger and cold, as well as other difficulties faced when fighting the enemy would have been better dramatized.

This story was also dramatized in a Norwegian docudrama called Kampen om Tungtvannet (Operation Swallow: The Battle for Heavy Water - 1948), in a British production The Heroes of the Telemark (1965), with the participation of Kirk Douglas (citing some of his films: Ace in the Hole - 1951, Paths of Glory - 1957, The Vikings - 1958 and Spartacus - 1960) and Richard Harris (known for A Man Called Horse - 1970) and a Canadian TV mini-series (A Man Called Intrepid - 1979). The Swedish power metal band, Sabaton, also honored this episode through the music called Saboteurs.

Originally posted in: https://vikingbyheart.blogspot.com.br

The Heavy Water War is a long awaited update of one of the most significant and interesting sabotage actions during the Second World War. Previously filmed in many documentaries and as feature dramatizations. First in 1948 in a French-Norwegian co- production, just a few years after the war, with many of the saboteurs playing themselves, "Kampen om tungtvannet". Secondly in 1965 in the Anthony Mann-production "Heroes of Telemark" (with Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris in main roles), and last in the great and too forgotten Canadian feature film and also miniseries "A man called Intrepid" in 1979 (starring David Niven, Michael Yorke and Barbara Hershey).

This mini-series has been very much awaited, as a fresh update though the older ones are still all very see-worthy and recommended dramatizations. All filmed on location in Rjukan, where the sabotages took place, with mainly local youngsters doing the main sabotage job under allied commando. Currently there's at lest three other projects being developed, with a rumored Michael Bay-production ("Sabotage"?), and a 10 episodes TV-series "Telemark" under the direction of Danny Boyle, obviously with different angles of this fantastic epic true war story. There's also made many documentaries, most known the ones from BBC.

It's been 10 years in the planning, this series by production company Filmkameratene, with John M. Jacobsen's sturdy work of getting in place the financing. Finally succeeding when changing the concept from a feature movie to a mini-series with Norwegian national broadcaster NRK as the company with enough means to ascertain a quality production, which felt both important and necessary.

The script writer has based this story on a different angle than the earlier ones. The four sabotage actions is a common basis, but here we at the time go behind both the allied and German actions around creating the world's first atomic bomb. We also follow the local Norwegian resistance, as well as the company view, which has been very controversial stuff for years after the sabotages took place. More about the many moral dilemmas, and a bit less focus on the heroics of young students.

We start off in 1933 when Werner Heisenberg is rewarded the Noble Prize in physics in Stockholm, and is greeted by fellow Danish colleague Niels Bohr. Celebrating this, Heisenberg is later called in for interrogation by the Nazi's which accuse him of being gay. He is almost sent to the front, only saved by top connections. Why did the Nazi need the heavy water (D2O), and where to get it? It's all explained, while we meet young professor Leif Tronstad, which is the main role from Norwegian side, the inside brains of the technology as well as the detailed planning of the sabotage. He is a very much unsung hero, now being pulled out into the light, brilliantly played by Espen Klouman-Høiner. We also see another main role, the facility director Bjørn Henriksen (a fabulous Dennis Storhøi), which is a fictive emerging of three real company directors juggling between Allied (mainly French) and German interest in the new discovery of nuclear physics during the 30'ies, towards the fatal 2nd World War started by the Nazi regime.

Well played in all roles, we early understand this series is about to fulfill the needs of a proper, true and interesting dramatization of this epic story. We all know that the Americans beat the others in finalizing the misunderstood importance of creating an atomic bomb With European development-help. But it's also easy to understand the immense fear of the Allied forces had towards the Adolf Hitler and his extreme right wing dictatorship getting hold of the bomb. The fear of us all seeing an all together different world under the rule of the Nazi dream the Third Reich world leadership. No short cuts have been taken, to assure our need for credibility, since the series is in all correct native languages, so prepare to be reading subtitles, if not dubbed in your country. If you ask me, it's a big relief that the Germans speak German, the Norwegians speak Norwegian as of course it's very often English amongst the allied forces.

I wouldn't be afraid to say that this production is setting a new standard for Norwegian TV-drama, brilliantly casted and directed by Per-Olav Sørensen, very keen on giving this important history lesson a proper updated reference in World history. Already before airing all episodes in Norway, the series is sold to large markets for national TV-distribution in the USA, Spain, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany, a lot of markets will follow in the following months. After airing the series hold record numbers for viewing of a dramatized series in Norway, with a up to 65% marked share of viewers at the time Sunday nights.

It's without doubt going to mean a lot of newfound interest in the famed actions, and incredible heroism of young Norwegian resistance movement, as well as well planned and performed allied actions in the little mountain town Rjukan, which in June 2015 eagerly awaits a decision from Unesco-headquarter Paris if the modern industry revolution site Rjukan - Notodden - Møsvatn area is going to be a future Unesco world heritage site for future generations to experience. What a great story and history this is! Be sure to catch it when it's on in your country, and enjoy the best telling of the story, so far!

A variety of languages, with subtitles as needed. Dramatic but in keeping with history. Outstanding sense of the challenging times of WW2 & the decisions made by different groups & individuals, courage & compromise. Risking life & decisions made to protect others & self as the Nazi noose extended itself into Norway.

This is a miniseries about the German efforts to create the first nuclear bomb as well as the Allied effort to put a stop to it. Much of the film is set in Norway, as it was the center for Nazi deuterium production. Because of this, the series is in Norwegian, English and German (with a tiny bit of French). While it might not sound that interesting, it is--provided you are patient and give the programs a chance. My only reservations are minor. First, although it's stylish, the shaky cam is a STUPID idea and I have no idea why it's used throughout the show. I watched it on a very large screen TV and it practically induced motion sickness. Second, the CGI of the B-17s was rather poor. Eight year old episodes of "Dogfights" look better and more realistic. Still, with excellent acting, an engaging script and a nice history lesson, it's well worth seeing.

By the way, some of what occurs in the show can also be seen in the excellent Kirk Douglas film "The Heroes of Telemark"--and is mostly covered in episode 6 of the series.

I'm flabbergasted by the few critical reviews of this film as I think it's one of the best series on WWll ever made. Telling the story of Britain & Norway's efforts to destroy the heavy water production by the Nazis (used to create an atomic bomb) it covers the same ground as the 1965 film with Kirk Douglas. This an intense, gripping war drama showing the amazing bravery and tenacity of the Allies to stop Hitler from getting the bomb before them no matter what the cost. Critical reviewers might want to read their history as I found this film to have no "fluff" or "PC" elements at all. Gut wrenching with tons of action not to mention political drama and also blending personal stories into the characters it succeeds on every level in my opinion. I've seen/own every WWll film available and this is one of the best.