''Vi vil leve'' (We Want to Live) is a Norwegian film from 1946 directed by

Olav Dalgard Olav Dalgard (June 19, 1898 – December 25, 1980) was a Norway, Norwegian literary and art historian, filmmaker, author and educator. Biography Dalgard was born Olaf Hanssen in Folldal Municipality, in Hedmark, Norway. From the age of three, h ...

and Rolf Randall. The film deals with the

German occupation of Norway The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until th ...

. The film studies professor Gunnar Iversen characterizes it as "an uneven and choppy film that is marred by melodramatization that undermines authentic material." Dalgard and Randal wrote the manuscript while confined at the

Grini detention camp Grini prison camp (, ) was a Nazi concentration camp in Bærum, Norway, which operated between 1941 and May 1945. Ila Detention and Security Prison is now located here. History Grini was originally built as a women's prison, near an old croft ...

and had it smuggled out before being sent to the

Sachsenhausen concentration camp Sachsenhausen () or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a German Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used from 1936 until April 1945, shortly before the defeat of Nazi Germany in May later that year. It mainly held political prisoners t ...

Plot

It is April 9, 1940 and an airplane takes flight to warn Norwegian merchant vessels that German naval forces are on their way toward Norwegian waters. The pilot signals to a Norwegian-flagged ship that responds by firing at the aircraft. The pilot is injured but manages to land on the water. He is picked up by a Norwegian boat on his way to Kristiansand. Before he dies, he informs Captain Knut Viker and First Mate Harald Bakken about the incident. Sussie Holm is waiting for Captain Viker on the dock. However, he is concerned with more important things than spending time with her, and therefore introduces her to Harald. Knut immediately goes to Kristiansand's military to inform them about the incident with the flight. At the same time, the message comes that Norway is at war with Germany. The air raid alarm goes off when German airplanes circle the city. Knut decides to fight the Germans and takes Harald with him. Germany proves to be overwhelming and they both move to Harald's hometown of Utøy, where they embark on dangerous underground work. They meet Harald's former girlfriend Elsa, and she and Knut fall in love with each other. At the same time, the Nazi county governor suspects Knut and Harald and has them watched. Sussie meets the Gestapo member Vogel and does hesitate to tell him about Knut as revenge for leaving her. One night Knut and Harald are planning to put a captain on board a Norwegian warship to take the captain to England. The county governor is alerted and goes out with the Germans to arrest the captain. However, the captain has already gotten on board and he instead begins hunting for Knut and Harald. They have been given important papers to take ashore. Knut jumps ashore while Harald is arrested and interrogated by Vogel. Later, Knut is also arrested and he is also questioned and tortured. He confesses, but protects Harald as best he can. Soon, all the residents of Utøy are arrested and sent to the Grini detention camp. Knut and Harald are told that they risk being sentenced to death and therefore decide to escape. Elsa and Ruth manage to dress in German uniforms to get Knut and Harald out of prison. They flee to Sweden.

Cast

* Oscar Egede-Nissen as Harald Bakken * Harald Heide Steen as Captain Knut Viker *

Berit Alten Berit Alten (May 2, 1915 – December 18, 2002) was a Norwegians, Norwegian actress. Family Alten was born in Oslo, Kristiania (now Oslo), the daughter of the judge Edvin Alten (1876–1967) and Ragna Aass (1880–1975). Her half-sister was the ...

as Elsa * Bjarne Bø as Bøttun, a sheriff * Leif Enger as Falck, an art dealer * Helge Essmar as the commandant at Grini *

Jack Fjeldstad Jack Fjeldstad (24 March 1915 – 4 September 2000) was a Norwegian actor and stage producer. He was active on stage and in films for more than fifty years. Biography Fjeldstad was born in Kristiania on 24 March 1915. His parents were Gunv ...

as a German officer * Kari Frisell as Ruth Sørensen * Svein Grythe as a Norwegian officer * Nils Hald as Harald's father * Ragnhild Hald as Harald's mother * Haugestad as the detention camp officer *

Ola Isene Ola Isene (2 June 1898 – 6 May 1973) was a Norwegian opera singer (baritone) and actor. Isene was born in Rødenes and studied at the Musikkonservatoriet in Kristiania. He made his professional debut at the Mayol-teatret in 1923. His operati ...

as the Swedish doctor * Vilhelm Lund as the German prison director at no. 19 * Arne Magler as a Norwegian pilot * Sigurd Magnussøn as the doctor at Grini * Fridtjof Mjøen as Vogel, a Gestapo member * Sigrun Otto as Mrs. Sørensen at Grini * Rolf Randall as a German officer * Aagot Støkken as Sussie Holm * Stig Vanberg as an SS member from Grini * Lulu Ziegler as a café customer * Øyvind Øyen

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0217877
''Vi vil leve''
at the

National Library of Norway The National Library of Norway () was established in 1989. Its principal task is "to preserve the past for the future". The library is located both in Oslo and in Mo i Rana. The building in Oslo was restored and reopened in 2005. Prior to the e ...

1946 films Norwegian drama films Norwegian black-and-white films 1940s Norwegian-language films 1946 drama films Films directed by Olav Dalgard