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Kampen om tungtvannet

  • 1948
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
649
YOUR RATING
Kampen om tungtvannet (1948)
DocudramaPeriod DramaActionDramaHistoryWar

A factual reconstruction of the sabotage which took place to prevent Germany from getting the heavy water needed to make an atomic bomb during World War II.A factual reconstruction of the sabotage which took place to prevent Germany from getting the heavy water needed to make an atomic bomb during World War II.A factual reconstruction of the sabotage which took place to prevent Germany from getting the heavy water needed to make an atomic bomb during World War II.

  • Directors
    • Jean Dréville
    • Titus Vibe-Müller
  • Writers
    • Jean Marin
    • Arild Feldborg
    • Diana Robertson
  • Stars
    • Raoul Dautry
    • Frédéric Joliot-Curie
    • Lew Kowarski
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    649
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Jean Dréville
      • Titus Vibe-Müller
    • Writers
      • Jean Marin
      • Arild Feldborg
      • Diana Robertson
    • Stars
      • Raoul Dautry
      • Frédéric Joliot-Curie
      • Lew Kowarski
    • 8User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos10

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    Top cast41

    Edit
    Raoul Dautry
    Raoul Dautry
    • Self - Rustningsminister
    Frédéric Joliot-Curie
    Frédéric Joliot-Curie
    • Self - Professor
    • (as Joliot-Curie)
    Lew Kowarski
    Lew Kowarski
    • Self - Laboratoriesjef
    H.H. Halban
    H.H. Halban
    • Self - Professor
    Allier
    • Self - Sprengstoff-offiser
    • (as Jacues A)
    Holme
    • Oberst Wilson
    • (as Major Holme)
    Jourdier
    • Liaisonoffiser
    • (as Major Jourdier)
    Stibbard
    • R.A.F.-offiser
    • (as Major Stibbard)
    Øyvind Øyen
    • Leif Tronstad - Major Professor
    Jens A. Poulsson
    Jens A. Poulsson
    • Self - Fenrik
    • (as Jens-Anton Poulsson)
    Johannes Eckhoff
    Johannes Eckhoff
    • Knut Haugland - Fenrik
    Arne Kjelstrup
    Arne Kjelstrup
    • Self - Sersjant
    Claus Helberg
    Claus Helberg
    • Self - Sersjant
    Henki Kolstad
    • Einar Skinnarland - Sersjant
    Claus Wiese
    Claus Wiese
    • Joachim Rønneberg - Fenrik
    Knut Haukelid
    Knut Haukelid
    • Self - Fenrik
    Andreas Aabel
    • Kasper Idland - Fenrik
    Hans Storhaug
    Hans Storhaug
    • Self - Sersjant
    • Directors
      • Jean Dréville
      • Titus Vibe-Müller
    • Writers
      • Jean Marin
      • Arild Feldborg
      • Diana Robertson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    7.0649
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    Featured reviews

    10Old man from scene 24

    Some of the actors are the real men who performed this difficult operation in 1943

    This movie is a half-documentary...and it is pretty interesting....

    This is a good movie...based on the true story of how a bunch of norwegian saboturs managed to stop the heavy water production in Rukjan, Norway and the deliverance of the rest of the heavy water to Germany.

    This movie isn't perfect and it could have been a bit better... the best part of the movie is that some of the saboturs are played by themselves!!!

    If you're interested in history of WWII and film this is a movie that's worth a look!!
    8Global_Marketing_Pros

    Atomic Energy Commission Post War advisory confirmation with Univ of Chicago concerning security studies with military science

    "In April 1946, the University of Chicago agreed to operate Argonne National Laboratory, with an association of Midwestern universities offering to sponsor the research. Argonne thereby became the first "national" laboratory. It did not, however, remain at its original location in the Argonne forest. In 1947, it moved farther west from the "Windy City" to a new site on Illinois farmland. When Alvin Weinberg visited Argonne's director, Walter Zinn, in 1947, he asked him what kind of reactor was to be built at the new site. When Zinn described a heavy-water reactor operating at one-tenth the power of the Materials Testing Reactor under design at Oak Ridge, Weinberg joked it would be simpler if Zinn took the Oak Ridge design and operated the Materials Testing Reactor at one-tenth capacity. The joke proved unintentionally prophetic."

    The S-50 plant used convection to separate the isotopes in thousands of tall columns. It was built next to the K-25 power plant, which provided the necessary steam. Much less efficient than K-25, the S-50 plant was torn down after the war.

    Concerned that the Atomic Energy Commission research program might become too academic, Lilienthal established a committee of industrial advisers, and during a November visit to Oak Ridge, he discussed with Clark Center, manager of Carbide & Carbon, a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation at Oak Ridge, the possibility of the company assuming management of the Laboratory.

    Prince Henry (of Prussia) Arriving in Washington and Visiting the German Embassy (1902). Evidently, with Prince Henry of Prussia according to the principles of science and its dangers their were already concerns with the applications of new science with military applications. The Hohenzollern (1902/II), "Kaiser Wilhelm's splendid yacht at the 34th St. Pier, New York. Taken at the exact moment of Prince Henry's arrival, and the raising of the royal standard." If Royalty knew of these necessary precautions to citizen welfare then what was the necessity of the warfare WWI and WWII. The quality of management control I presume?

    Thus, did the commandos of Operation Swallow volunteer for a military mission, or a business plan, based on the security principles of Laboratory management? Because supposedly their were no survivors, and the ones who were caught in Europe ordered to be executed. Of the 400 man commando team the survivors who were captured were executed under orders of the German Army against subversion, and espionage acts of the State of Germany.

    The Führer No. 003830/42 g. Kdos. OKW/WFSt, Führer HQ, 18 Oct. 1942, (signed) Adolph Hitler; Translation of Document no. 498-PS, Office of U.S. Chief of Counsel, certified true copy Kipp Major, declassified DOD 5200.30 March 23, 1983, reproduced at the U.S. National Archives.

    The OSS Society® 6723 Whittier Ave., 200 McLean, VA 22101
    action-6

    Pretty solid stuff

    "Kampen om tungtvannet"("The Battle for the heavy-water") is a movie about how Norwegian saboteurs destroyed the factory at Rjukan, which produced heavy-water, which again was vital for making a German atomic-bomb. Some of the guys playing the Norwegian saboteurs are the real men, who risked their lives by blowing up the factory at Rjukan. The acting isn`t the best, but remember that the movie is from 1948, and the fact that this is no American blockbuster. If you can forgive it for having these flaws, you should be able to enjoy it. 7/10
    10ceasetoamaze

    goes to show that a movie does not need to be good,to be great.

    by saying that,I mean that this is not a well made movie but it's a very good version of the real event and the best depiction so far.and if you are a WW2 buff then this is a treat for you,cause there are three out of four saboteur members playing roles in this movie. It's theater acting at best but then this is still as said before a semi documentary.

    Me personally am a die hard fan of our nearly over-human heroes of the second world war,and there should be hundreds of these movies showing us what they did so it won't get forgotten by next generations.Cause nowadays kids doesn't read books,they watch movies.

    So if you want a action extravaganza,rent Private Ryan,this is the truth about lingering pain,outrageous endurance and the will to fight when all seems lost.
    10OJT

    The great original movie about the WW2 Heavy water battle

    This is the original Heavy Water Battle-film about the sabotages done by the Allied to prevent Hitler-Germany getting the heavy water they needed to experiments in making the world's first atomic bomb. A French-Norwegian co-production made just after the events took place during the second world war. It's also quite unique that many of the saboteurs are playing themselves in this film about the famous sabotage action.

    The film is a drama-documentary, very close up to the real events. In the start of the movie we are given a narrative introduction to the war as well as the reason for Allied and German interest in the heavy water produced only at the Vemork plant in the little industrial town Rjukan in the heart of southern Norway.

    The film starts off with the French and German interest in getting the water, and the Allied forces managing to get the first little badge of water. But the Germans have the facility in Rjukan, and they command a new production of 5000 liters. In London they soon get this message from Norway, and starts the first plan of sabotaging the German plans.

    This film is a quality production, and not only loved because many of the saboteurs play themselves. The two directors, Titus Vibe-Müller and Jean Dreville manges to tell the story in an interesting and exciting way, though a mix of drama and documentary was not very usual for cinema release back then, like it is on the Discovery channels now. Shown first in 1948, this was a few years before TV was commonly released on the public. t's fun to see that the real saboteurs are doing a great job acting. Claus Helberg is stealing a lot of the screen.

    No doubt one of the most important Norwegian films ever, also because it was a huge success at the cinemas shortly after the war. It was also given a wide release across the world, and was successful in telling about this sabotages which has had a large following and interest after the war.

    This is of course one of the most famous sabotage actions during the war, and there's several film-productions planned about this still. Both Michael Bay and Danny Boyle is involved with their own productions. This story is dramatized several times, and is just released as a six episode Norwegian TV-series which is sold all over the world. This TV-drama is also very close to the true events, and nothing like the large production The Heroes of Telemark from 1965. This is still quite entertaining. So is also the Canadian 1979-production A Man called Intrepid, which is both made as a feature and a TV-series.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Many of the actual people involved in the sabotage retold in this movie, play themselves reenacting the actual events.
    • Connections
      Edited into Jens-Anton Poulsson - tungtvannssabotør og fjellmann (2008)

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Operation Swallow: The Battle for Heavy Water?Powered by Alexa
    • Where can you see film clips in English & full film in Norwegian?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 5, 1948 (Norway)
    • Countries of origin
      • Norway
      • France
    • Languages
      • French
      • Norwegian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Operation Swallow: The Battle for Heavy Water
    • Filming locations
      • Rjukan, Telemark, Norway
    • Production companies
      • Hero-Film
      • Trident
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 47m(107 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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