The Heroes of Telemark (1965)

(On TV, June 2022) As far as WW2 war movies go, The Heroes of Telemark is clearly in the 1960s mould – still very much thinking that war is an adventure, but with a few growing signs that it may be hell from time to time. The hook here is the subject matter and, in many ways, the setting – Taking place in Norway and talking about the heavy water research program that -if not sabotaged- could have led the Nazis to the nuclear bomb, it’s a war film that eschews grand battle sequences in favour of a more thriller-like approach with smaller thrills and a more focused feel. Kirk Douglas stars as a Norwegian physics professor (!) who ends up discovering his inner action hero when recruited by the British for a sabotage operation. It’s loosely based on a true story, if that’s any help. The Norwegian setting is clearly an attraction here, with the climax being set on a ferry crossing a fjord – the film was clearly shot on location, and offers, at least visually, something slightly different from other commando-raid films of WW2. (Although the grim reality, compared to the save-the-kids thrust of the film’s final action sequence, is that 18 people died when the ferry was sunk.)  Director Anthony Mann keeps it moving, even if the pacing and intensity do not compare to latter films in similar genres. Douglas fans will like his square-jawed take on a reluctant action hero, and the mountainous backdrop has something new to offer even to seasoned WW2 buffs.