“[advising her daughter-in-law at her wedding reception] Do not permit yourself to get fat. Fat has ruined more marriages than actresses and pretty widows. ” – Mrs. Korstad
Number of Times Seen – 1 (26 Nov 2018)
Brief Synopsis – Following the German invasion of Norway, a widower and his young daughter try to go about their lives as quietly as possible until they realize that that’s not possible.
My Take on it – This is a film that I came across while looking at the filmography of Paul Muni.
The premise sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try.
The truth is that the premise itself is a bit misleading since the majority of this film actually deals with the way of life in Norway following the German invasion of their country and only a small portion shows the commando attack.
Muni is great in the lead role and manages to give off a very nationalistic feel for his character as he struggles to decide what is better for him and his young daughter once Norway is invaded by the Nazis.
This film does a great job showing how the small sparks of resistance against the oppressor expand into a more prominent resistance.
The fact that this film was made at the height of the battles of World War II help make things even more poignant.
The first half of the film which deals with life in Norway is much stronger than the second part which deals with the commando raid.
Both parts tho deal with the idea of how people can be brought together solely due to nationalistic pride when facing an aggressive invading army.
Bottom Line – Muni is great in the lead role and manages to give off a nationalistic feeling for his character as he and his countrymen deal with the Nazi invasion of their peaceful land. The way that the film shows the sparks of resistance works quite well especially given the fact that the movie was filmed during the midpoint of the war itself. The first half of the film is much stronger than the second, but the way that they bring together nationalistic pride in the second half works quite well. Recommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Director John Farrow served in World War II as a highly decorated Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy. He was recovering from typhus at the time of this film. (From IMDB)
Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)
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