Max Manus is a Norwegian foreign language film set in Norway, based on the life of Max Manus, a real life Norwegian war hero during the Second World War.
The film follows Max as he joins the Norwegian resistance movement in their fight against the Germans and cruel Gestapo forces in the Nordic region.
Max Manus remains to be one of the top highest-grossing films in Norwegian history. It touches on many issues pertaining to the start of the Second World War and the German occupation of Norway.
Synopsis
Max Manus is a film that closely details the historical actions of the real Max Manus (who lived from 1914 -1996) during his time with the Norwegian resistance movement in World War Two.
The film follows Max after he comes back to Oslo from fighting communist forces in Finland. He returns to a Norway that is under German Occupation.
He ends up joining the aforementioned resistance movement which was connected with British allied forces in Scotland.
The film follows Max and the other members of the resistance force as they plan, target and execute missions to sabotage Nazi advancements in Norway and across Scandinavia.
The remainder of the film follows the main characters of the film as the war wears on. As tensions rise with the timeline of the war in the region during the 1940's.
Important Themes
Max Manus is a film that is accredited to be one of the most historically accurate films to be produced about the German occupation of Norway.
The film was based on the book Det vil helst gå godt & Det blir alvor, written by Max Manus as well as from personal accounts and historical documentation.
The film is renown to be true to real life events with the only real conflicting details following the placement of select supporting characters during missions.
The film's premiere was attended by King Harald V of Norway, Tikken Manus (Max's Wife) and Gunnar Sønsteby (who was portrayed in the film by actor Knut Joner).
During the Second World War the Norwegian resistance movement was responsible for protecting the people and values of Norway.
Altogether the occupation of Norway lasted from 1940 to 1945. During the occupation period over 400,000 German soldiers and 6,000 Gestapo officers were sent to Norway, who at the time only had a population at around three million.
These troops provided the Nazi regime protection from UK and allied powers to the North of the German Empire.
Furthermore the occupation saw 15,000 Norwegians serve the Nazi regime as combat volunteers and 6,000 of those men becoming members of the Gestapo, fighting their own people.
Moreover, the Germans also saw Norway as the most ideal place to spread their Aryan ideals. As many of us know, the most particular Aryan traits were blue eyes and blonde hair, something very common within the genetic makeup of most Norwegians.
The Germans treated the country as their own personal playground. And also gave rise to the Nazis setting up the Norwegian Lebensborn program - (a program that both Hitler and General Himmler took a very particular interest in), which was a branch of the Gestapo responsible for breeding "racially pure" Aryan children. The Nazi regime also encouraged German troops to have one-night stands and have Norwegian girlfriends with the understanding that any children they produced would be provided for.
But when the Germans fled Norway after the collapse of the regime, these women were denounced as traitors by the country.
Approximately 14,000 women had relationships with Nazis. Most were were arrested at the end of the war and 5,000 women of the 14,000 were sent to labour camps.
It is also estimated that 12,000 children were birthed as a result of the Gestapo program.
Conclusion
Ultimately Max Manus is a tremendously well put together film which accurately depicts the action and emotion behind the Norwegian resistance movement during the Second World War.
The film is thoroughly entertaining and keeps you glued to your seat. It follows a quite real and relevant storyline and is a must see for those who are interested in film about war.
Max Manus will put you in the shoes of a real life war hero. One who did everything he could to fight for what was right. No matter what the consequences were for him personally.
