Directed by Anthony Mann, The Heroes of Telemark is a gripping British war film based on the true story of the Norwegian resistance’s sabotage of Nazi Germany’s heavy water production—a critical component in Hitler’s atomic ambitions. Released in 1965, the film stars Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris, and dramatizes one of the most daring missions of World War II.
Plot Summary
Set in occupied Norway, the story follows Dr. Rolf Pedersen (Kirk Douglas), a reluctant physics professor drawn into the resistance by Knut Straud (Richard Harris). Their mission: destroy the Vemork Norsk Hydro plant in Telemark, where the Nazis are producing heavy water for nuclear weapons. After a failed British commando raid, Pedersen and Straud lead a small team of Norwegian saboteurs in a perilous operation that culminates in the sinking of a ferry carrying barrels of heavy water—ensuring the Nazis never receive the shipment.
Cast Highlights
- Kirk Douglas as Dr. Rolf Pedersen
- Richard Harris as Knut Straud
- Ulla Jacobsson as Anna Pedersen
- Michael Redgrave, Roy Dotrice, and Eric Porter in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film was based on Knut Haukelid’s memoir Skis Against the Atom and John Drummond’s novel But for These Men
- Shot on location in Norway, including the actual town of Rjukan, adding authenticity to the snowy landscapes
- During the skiing chase scene, Roy Dotrice’s stand-in was one of the original saboteurs from the real-life Telemark operation
- Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris reportedly clashed during filming, creating noticeable tension on set
- The sabotage depicted in the film only partially succeeded in real life, and the plant continued producing until it was bombed by the USAAF in 1943
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