Set in German-occupied Norway, resistance fighter Knut Straud enlists the reluctant physicist Rolf Pedersen in an effort to destroy the German heavy water production plant in rural Telemark.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Dr. Rolf Pedersen: Kirk Douglas
• Knut Straud: Richard Harris
• Anna Pedersen: Ulla Jacobsson
• Uncle: Michael Redgrave
• Arne: David Weston
• Major Frick: Anton Diffring
• Terboven: Eric Porter
• Col. Wilkinson: Mervyn Johns
• Sigrid: Jennifer Hilary
• Jensen: Roy Dotrice
• Professor Logan: Barry Jones
• Nilssen: Ralph Michael
• General Bolt: Geoffrey Keen
• Doctor: Maurice Denham
• Knippelberg: Wolf Frees
• General Courts: Robert Ayres
• Gunnar: Sebastian Breaks
• Freddy: John Golightly
• Oli: Alan Howard
• Henrik: Patrick Jordan
• Claus: William Marlowe
• Einar: Brook Williams
• Captain of “Galtesund”: David Davies
• Hartmuller: Karl Stepanek
• Woman on Bus: Faith Brook
• Mrs. Sandersen: Elvi Hale
• Erhardt: Gerard Heinz
• German Sergeant: Victor Beaumont
• Businessman: Philo Hauser
• Sturmfuhrer: George Murcell
• Mr. Sandersen: Russell Waters
• Watchman in Factory: Jan Conrad
• Girl Student (uncredited): Annette Andre

Film Crew:

• Director: Anthony Mann
• Producer: Benjamin Fisz
• Screenplay: Ivan Moffat
• Screenplay: Ben Barzman
• Novel: Knut Haukelid
• Novel: John Drummond
• Original Music Composer: Malcolm Arnold
• Director of Photography: Robert Krasker
• Editor: Bert Bates
• Casting: Maude Spector
• Art Direction: Anthony Masters
• Set Decoration: Robert Cartwright
• Set Decoration: Ted Clements
• Special Effects: John P. Fulton
• Camera Operator: Egil S. Woxholt
• Production Supervisor: George Pitcher
• Production Manager: Timothy Burrill
• Location Manager: Jimmy Komisarjevsky
• Continuity: Kay Mander
• Sound Editor: Teddy Mason
• Sound Recordist: Bill Daniels
• Sound Recordist: Gordon K. McCallum
• Camera Operator: John Harris
• Camera Operator: Ronnie Maasz
• Camera Operator: John Burrows
• Wardrobe Supervisor: Elsa Fennell
• Makeup Artist: Neville Smallwood
• Hairdresser: Maude Onslow
• Stunt Coordinator: Gerry Crampton
• Production Manager: Bill Kirby

Movie Reviews:

• John Chard: The Battle for Heavy Water.
• The Heroes of Telemark is directed by Anthony Mann and written by Ben Barzman and Ivan Moffat. It stars Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Ulla Jacobsson, Michael Redgrave and David Weston. Music is by Malcolm Arnold and cinematography by Robert Krasker.
• 1942, Nazi occupied Norway, and the Germans are making great strides with their plans for atomic weaponry. It’s down to a band of resistance fighters and a scientist to blow up the German heavy water factory located up in the Telemark mountains.
• Perhaps it’s stating the obvious considering Mann and Krasker’s reputations as quality visualists, but The Heroes of Telemark is a splendid looking war movie. It’s solidly performed by the cast, the story, which is based on a real and crucial incident in the war, is gripping, while some of the tech flourishes shown by Mann for the more pacy scenes are impressive.
• Problems only really arise when the film resorts to standard character interactions, shifting focus away from the film’s strength, that of the mission, the planning and execution of such. The script doesn’t really give the characters much to work with, so in truth it’s hard to really care about them in context to their own personal trials and tribulations.
• However, such is the visual treats and excellent action choreography on show, it still rounds out as a wholesome meaty war epic well worth investing time with. 7/10
• Wuchak: **_The more realistic precursor to Where Eagles Dare_**
• During WW2, a resistant fighter in German-occupied Norway (Richard Harris) and an Oslo physics professor (Kirk Douglas) team-up to stop the Nazi operation of creating & transporting heavy water in order to produce the first atomic bomb and thus win the war.
• “The Heroes of Telemark” (1965) debuted three years before “Where Eagles Dare” and is based on the true story of Norwegian heavy water sabotage. It’s more mundane and believable, but lacks the great score and all-around pizazz of that more well-know WW 2 film. The wintery Norwegian locations are certainly a highlight (listed below).
• This was director Anthony Mann’s second to last movie. He would die a year and five months after its release from a heart attack in Berlin at the age of 60.
• The film runs 2 hours, 10 minutes, and was shot in Norway (Telemark, Oslo & Tinnsjø) and England (Pinewood Studios, Winchfield station & Poole Harbour).
• GRADE: B