Max Manus (film)
Encyclopedia
Max Manus is a Norwegian 2008 biographic
war film
based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus
(1914–96). The story follows Manus (played by Aksel Hennie
) from the Winter War
against the Soviet Union
, through the outbreak of World War II
and the German occupation of Norway
until peacetime in 1945. Its budget is estimated to be , making it the most expensive of all purely Norwegian film productions before 2009. The production included around 1,800 extras
, and 2,000 workers behind the cameras.
The film is based on Max Manus's own books Det vil helst gå godt and Det blir alvor, as well as other accounts and historical documentation. The film stays largely historically accurate, but omits some events, and moves some of the supporting characters around to show them taking part in events in place of others.
The film's première was attended by King Harald V
, 'Tikken' Manus, Gunnar Sønsteby
along with other notable individuals. Reception from critics was largely positive, though some found the film to be too traditional, and compared it unfavourably to the recent Danish
film Flame & Citron
. Max Manus also sparked a public debate about the role of the Norwegian resistance movement
during the German occupation
.
in Finland
, Max Manus
returns to Norway
, finding it occupied by the Nazis. He joins with the Norwegian resistance movement
in their fight against the Germans but is arrested. He manages to escape to Scotland
where he receives the British Commando training before being sent back to Norway to carry out sabotage missions against the occupying forces. Returning to Norway with his friend Gregers Gram
, his first mission is an attack on German supply ships. He is spectacularly successful, and soon he becomes a special target for the local Gestapo
chief Siegfried Fehmer. Manus, however, avoids capture, and with Gram and Gunnar Sønsteby
he forms the so-called "Oslo Gang
".
Stockholm
in the neutral Sweden
becomes a meeting point for Norwegians in allied
military service. Here Gram introduces Manus to Tikken, who works as a Norwegian contact for the British consulate
, and the two soon develop a special relationship. As the war becomes more and more brutal, many of Manus' friends lose their lives in the struggle against the Germans, and he starts to blame himself for being the one who survives. In a meeting with Fehmer he realises that everyone is just a victim of the meaninglessness of war.
were involved, and around 2,000 people worked behind the camera. To produce a realistic effect, parts of Oslo
were transformed into an early–1940s look, a process that included flying the flag of Nazi Germany from the roof of the parliament building, for the first time in over 60 years. Some large sets from Stockholm
, Sweden, are sequences from the Swedish movie 1939.
during the war was inefficient, irresponsible, and in some cases directly counter-productive. The general response from academic historians was that, even though a critical debate about the role of the resistance movement was necessary, Fossen's arguments were overstated and largely based on ignorance. Historian Lars Borgersrud
has expressed stern criticism of the film's lack of adherence to history. For instance, the film portrays Manus fighting in the Winter War
, a war in which Borgersrud claims Manus did not see action at all, despite Max Manus detailing this in his own books. Borgersrud accused Norway's Resistance Museum
, which was assisting the film makers in a consultancy capacity, of distorting history. Historian and director at Norway's Resistance Museum, Arnfinn Moland
rejected Borgersrud's accusations, stating that there is ample evidence that Manus endured heavy artillery bombardment and machine gun fire in Finland and that this affected him for the rest of his life, including dead and wounded in their unit.
as well as 90-year old Gunnar Sønsteby, one of the resistance fighters portrayed in the film. The King, who himself is old enough to have experienced World War II, was allegedly moved to tears by the film. Both Sønsteby – the only remaining member of Manus' group – and Max Manus' widow, Tikken Manus appreciated the authenticity of the film. Among the other guests were Minister of Defence
Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen
and Minister of Culture
Trond Giske
.
Per Haddal
, writing for the newspaper Aftenposten
, gave the film four out of six points. He commended Hennie's effort as Manus, as well as the direction and the high production values. At the same time he found the format of the film overly traditional and lacking in originality. Meanwhile Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Einar Guldvog Staalesen gave the film five points. He pointed out a few glitches in the realism, but generally found the film credible and watchable. Eirik Alver of Dagbladet
gave five out of six points
and praised the films technical qualities and Hennie's acting. However, he felt the film was very traditional in its expression, pretending to be a Hollywood production.
Five out of six points were also awarded by Norway's largest newspaper VG
and veteran film critic Jon Selås, calling it a gripping portrait "that is a reminder to new generations of the price that was paid to make the Norway we know today". Mode Steinkjer, in the paper Dagsavisen
, gave praise to Aksel Hennie for his portraiture of the "adventurer" Max Manus. Geir Jardar Olsen, writing for the website of the largest commercial TV station TV2 called it "one of the best Norwegian films ever made", giving the film six out of six points. He especially praised the film for its credible and warm portrayal of the relationship between Manus and his fellow saboteurs, as well as his romance with future wife Tikken.
The larger papers based outside of Oslo were harder in their critique. They were generally impressed by the film's production values, but found it lacking in nuances in its depiction of the resistance. Many of them compared Max Manus to the Danish film Flammen og Citronen, a film about the Danish resistance released the same year. In Bergens Tidende
, critic Astrid Kolbjørnsen gives praise to the film's ending and overall good intentions, but found the acting uneven and the dialogue artificial. Her biggest accusation was that "Max Manus" lacked nuances, with no moral dilemmas. In an interview with the paper's television channel, she drew the comparison to Flammen og Citronen, calling the latter a better and more complex film. Terje Eidsvåg of the Trondheim
paper Adresseavisa called Hennie's portrayal of Max Manus "a Norwegian Rambo", and found the film "black and white" with "no moral gray areas", falling short to Flammen og Citronen as well as the Dutch Black Book. Stavanger Aftenblad
s critic, Kristin Ålen, praised "Max Manus" acting and the film's ending. However, she expressed a need for a film that dares to question the liquidations conducted by the Norwegian resistance, and like her colleagues she drew parallels to Flammen og Citronen. These three newspapers awarded four, four and five points respectively.
The film was seen by around 140,500 people on its opening weekend, a national record for a Norwegian film. The previous record of 101,564 was set earlier the same year by the horror film
Cold Prey 2
. The film remained popular through its second week. During the Christmas weekend traditionally a period of many high-profile premières Max Manus was seen by 133,923 people, which corresponded to 55% of all cinema visitors. This was 100,000 more visitors than the next film on the list Yes Man
starring Jim Carrey
. In the first two weeks the film has been seen by over 317,000 people. By 27 December 2009, 1,161,855 tickets had been sold.
In 2009 Max Manus became the first Norwegian film ever to be chosen for a gala viewing at the Toronto International Film Festival
in Toronto
, Ontario. The Toronto presentation would be the film's international première.
, Max Manus became the largest Amanda winner at the 2009 Norwegian International Film Festival
:
, the recording appeared to have been made in an empty theater, which raised suspicion that a projectionist may have been involved. The matter was reported to the police for investigation.
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus
Max Manus
Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother...
(1914–96). The story follows Manus (played by Aksel Hennie
Aksel Hennie
Aksel Hennie is a Norwegian actor, director and writer. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards....
) from the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, through the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the German occupation of Norway
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
until peacetime in 1945. Its budget is estimated to be , making it the most expensive of all purely Norwegian film productions before 2009. The production included around 1,800 extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
, and 2,000 workers behind the cameras.
The film is based on Max Manus's own books Det vil helst gå godt and Det blir alvor, as well as other accounts and historical documentation. The film stays largely historically accurate, but omits some events, and moves some of the supporting characters around to show them taking part in events in place of others.
The film's première was attended by King Harald V
Harald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
, 'Tikken' Manus, Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby DSO was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II...
along with other notable individuals. Reception from critics was largely positive, though some found the film to be too traditional, and compared it unfavourably to the recent Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
film Flame & Citron
Flame & Citron
Flame & Citron is a 2008 Danish drama/action co-written and directed by Ole Christian Madsen. The film, a fictionalized account based on fact, is about two Danish resistance movement fighters during the Nazi occupation of Denmark.- Plot :...
. Max Manus also sparked a public debate about the role of the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
during the German occupation
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
.
Plot
After fighting the Soviets as a volunteer during the Winter WarWinter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Max Manus
Max Manus
Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother...
returns to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, finding it occupied by the Nazis. He joins with the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
in their fight against the Germans but is arrested. He manages to escape to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he receives the British Commando training before being sent back to Norway to carry out sabotage missions against the occupying forces. Returning to Norway with his friend Gregers Gram
Gregers Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram MC MM was a Norwegian resistance fighter and saboteur. A corporal and later second lieutenant in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during the Second World War, he was killed in 1944....
, his first mission is an attack on German supply ships. He is spectacularly successful, and soon he becomes a special target for the local Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
chief Siegfried Fehmer. Manus, however, avoids capture, and with Gram and Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby DSO was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II...
he forms the so-called "Oslo Gang
Oslogjengen
Oslogjengen was a sabotage group operating in Oslo from May 1944 to May 1945, during the last year of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. The group had its basis in both the British Special Operations Executive and the Norwegian Milorg, was coordinated by Gunnar Sønsteby, and had around ten...
".
Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in the neutral Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
becomes a meeting point for Norwegians in allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
military service. Here Gram introduces Manus to Tikken, who works as a Norwegian contact for the British consulate
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
, and the two soon develop a special relationship. As the war becomes more and more brutal, many of Manus' friends lose their lives in the struggle against the Germans, and he starts to blame himself for being the one who survives. In a meeting with Fehmer he realises that everyone is just a victim of the meaninglessness of war.
Cast
- Aksel HennieAksel HennieAksel Hennie is a Norwegian actor, director and writer. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards....
as Max ManusMax ManusMaximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother... - Agnes KittelsenAgnes KittelsenAgnes Elisabet Hilden Kittelsen is a Norwegian actress. She is known for her role as "Anneli" in the TV-series Skolen and as the title character's wife "Tikken" in the 2008 film Max Manus...
as Ida Nikoline 'Tikken' LindebrækkeTikken ManusIda Nikoline "Tikken" Manus, née Ida Nikoline Lie Lindebrække, formerly married Bernardes was a Norwegian resistance member.... - Nicolai Cleve BrochNicolai Cleve BrochNicolai Cleve Broch is a Norwegian actor of theatre and film. He rose to national fame playing one of the leading roles in the 2002 drama series Lekestue, which aired on NRK in 2002. He is also known for playing the protagonist in Buddy, a romantic comedy from 2003. Other major film credits...
as Gregers GramGregers GramGregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram MC MM was a Norwegian resistance fighter and saboteur. A corporal and later second lieutenant in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during the Second World War, he was killed in 1944.... - Petter NæssPetter NæssPetter Næss is a Norwegian actor and film director. His first film as a director was the comedy Absolute Hangover in 1999...
as Martin LingeMartin LingeMartin Jensen Linge was a former Norwegian actor who, in World War II, became the commander of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 , formed in March 1941 for operations on behalf of the Special Operations Executive.-Biography:Martin Linge was born in Norddal, Møre og Romsdal County, Norway... - Kyrre Haugen Sydness as Jens Christian HaugeJens Christian HaugeJens Christian Hauge , often written Jens Chr. Hauge, was a Norwegian World War II resistance figure and politician who was the leader of the secret military organization Milorg during WWII...
- Knut Joner as Gunnar SønstebyGunnar SønstebyGunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby DSO was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II...
- Christian Rubeck as Kolbein LauringKolbein LauringKolbein Didrik Lauring was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II.He grew up in Ljan together with later resistance ace Max Manus. The two participated as volunteers in the Winter War, on the Finnish side. When Germany invaded and occupied Norway in 1940, Lauring and Manus returned to...
- Mats Eldøen as Edvard TallaksenEdvard TallaksenJohan Edvard Tallaksen was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II, as an ensign in the Oslo Gang and Norwegian Independent Company 1.-Early life:...
- Ken DukenKen DukenKen Duken is a German actor.Ken Duken is the third child of film and stage actress Christina Loeb; his father is a doctor. Duken never attended a drama school but took courses in drama, including under James Reynold...
as Siegfried Fehmer
Production
The film received support from the Norwegian Film Fund on 3 December 2007, and filming started in February 2008. With a budget of over , the production was enormous by Norwegian standards. Around 1,800 extrasExtra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
were involved, and around 2,000 people worked behind the camera. To produce a realistic effect, parts of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
were transformed into an early–1940s look, a process that included flying the flag of Nazi Germany from the roof of the parliament building, for the first time in over 60 years. Some large sets from Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden, are sequences from the Swedish movie 1939.
Historical debate
In the lead-up to the film's première, a concern was raised by the writer Erling Fossen that the story presented was a glorification of reality. Fossen claimed that the effort of the Norwegian resistance movementNorwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
during the war was inefficient, irresponsible, and in some cases directly counter-productive. The general response from academic historians was that, even though a critical debate about the role of the resistance movement was necessary, Fossen's arguments were overstated and largely based on ignorance. Historian Lars Borgersrud
Lars Borgersrud
Lars Borgersrud is a Norwegian military historian. His work has largely centered on World War II in Norway. He has often taken controversial stands and expressed criticism of the work of other historians.-Family:...
has expressed stern criticism of the film's lack of adherence to history. For instance, the film portrays Manus fighting in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
, a war in which Borgersrud claims Manus did not see action at all, despite Max Manus detailing this in his own books. Borgersrud accused Norway's Resistance Museum
Norway's Resistance Museum
Norway's Resistance Museum also known as the Norwegian Home Front Museum is a museum located at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo.The museum collection focuses on Norwegian resistance during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945. The museum displays equipment, photos and documents...
, which was assisting the film makers in a consultancy capacity, of distorting history. Historian and director at Norway's Resistance Museum, Arnfinn Moland
Arnfinn Moland
Arnfinn Moland is a Norwegian historian.He was born in Kvinesdal. He finished his secondary education in Flekkefjord in 1970, served in His Majesty the King's Guard from 1973 to 1974, and graduated from the University of Oslo with the cand.philol. degree in 1977. His master's thesis was...
rejected Borgersrud's accusations, stating that there is ample evidence that Manus endured heavy artillery bombardment and machine gun fire in Finland and that this affected him for the rest of his life, including dead and wounded in their unit.
Reception
The première of Max Manus was an elaborate event, attended by King Harald VHarald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
as well as 90-year old Gunnar Sønsteby, one of the resistance fighters portrayed in the film. The King, who himself is old enough to have experienced World War II, was allegedly moved to tears by the film. Both Sønsteby – the only remaining member of Manus' group – and Max Manus' widow, Tikken Manus appreciated the authenticity of the film. Among the other guests were Minister of Defence
Minister of Defence (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Defence is a Councillor of the Council of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the position has existed since the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy was combined into the Minister of Defence...
Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen
Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen
Anne-Grete Hjelle Strøm-Erichsen is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 2005....
and Minister of Culture
Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Culture is responsible for cultural policy, regulations and other matters related to the media and sports. The ministry was established in 1982, at which time it was called the Ministry of Cultural and Scientific Affairs. Until then, the Ministry of Church and...
Trond Giske
Trond Giske
Trond Giske is a Norwegian politician and the current Minister of Trade and Industry representing the Norwegian Labour Party in the government headed by Jens Stoltenberg....
.
Per Haddal
Per Haddal
Per Haddal is a Norwegian film critic.Born in Levanger, he has an M.A. in English. He started working for the newspaper Vårt Land, where he remained from 1969 to 1978. He also worked freelance for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation in the period 1975 to 1987. In 1978 he became the main film...
, writing for the newspaper Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, gave the film four out of six points. He commended Hennie's effort as Manus, as well as the direction and the high production values. At the same time he found the format of the film overly traditional and lacking in originality. Meanwhile Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Einar Guldvog Staalesen gave the film five points. He pointed out a few glitches in the realism, but generally found the film credible and watchable. Eirik Alver of Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
gave five out of six points
Dice throw (review)
The "dice throw" is a method of review which is often used in Norway and occasionally in Sweden. It is characterized by the use of a white-on-red die graphic to represent the movie's rating in the review, in contrast to the stars or letters used elsewhere....
and praised the films technical qualities and Hennie's acting. However, he felt the film was very traditional in its expression, pretending to be a Hollywood production.
Five out of six points were also awarded by Norway's largest newspaper VG
Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
and veteran film critic Jon Selås, calling it a gripping portrait "that is a reminder to new generations of the price that was paid to make the Norway we know today". Mode Steinkjer, in the paper Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
, gave praise to Aksel Hennie for his portraiture of the "adventurer" Max Manus. Geir Jardar Olsen, writing for the website of the largest commercial TV station TV2 called it "one of the best Norwegian films ever made", giving the film six out of six points. He especially praised the film for its credible and warm portrayal of the relationship between Manus and his fellow saboteurs, as well as his romance with future wife Tikken.
The larger papers based outside of Oslo were harder in their critique. They were generally impressed by the film's production values, but found it lacking in nuances in its depiction of the resistance. Many of them compared Max Manus to the Danish film Flammen og Citronen, a film about the Danish resistance released the same year. In Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
, critic Astrid Kolbjørnsen gives praise to the film's ending and overall good intentions, but found the acting uneven and the dialogue artificial. Her biggest accusation was that "Max Manus" lacked nuances, with no moral dilemmas. In an interview with the paper's television channel, she drew the comparison to Flammen og Citronen, calling the latter a better and more complex film. Terje Eidsvåg of the Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
paper Adresseavisa called Hennie's portrayal of Max Manus "a Norwegian Rambo", and found the film "black and white" with "no moral gray areas", falling short to Flammen og Citronen as well as the Dutch Black Book. Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad or simply Aftenbladet is a daily newspaper in Stavanger, Norway. It was founded in 1893 by the priest Lars Oftedal, and was for a long period a publication for the Liberal Party. It had a circulation of 68,186 copies in 2005...
s critic, Kristin Ålen, praised "Max Manus" acting and the film's ending. However, she expressed a need for a film that dares to question the liquidations conducted by the Norwegian resistance, and like her colleagues she drew parallels to Flammen og Citronen. These three newspapers awarded four, four and five points respectively.
The film was seen by around 140,500 people on its opening weekend, a national record for a Norwegian film. The previous record of 101,564 was set earlier the same year by the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Cold Prey 2
Cold Prey 2
Cold Prey 2: Resurrection is a 2008 Norwegian horror film, directed by Mats Stenberg. It is the sequel to the highly successful Cold Prey , and premiered in Norway on 10 October 2008. It was directed by Roar Uthaug and starred Ingrid Bolsø Berdal in the leading role. The film picks up where the...
. The film remained popular through its second week. During the Christmas weekend traditionally a period of many high-profile premières Max Manus was seen by 133,923 people, which corresponded to 55% of all cinema visitors. This was 100,000 more visitors than the next film on the list Yes Man
Yes Man (film)
Yes Man is a 2008 comedy film directed by Peyton Reed, written by Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel and starring Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Rhys Darby, Maile Flanagan, Danny Masterson, and Terence Stamp...
starring Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
. In the first two weeks the film has been seen by over 317,000 people. By 27 December 2009, 1,161,855 tickets had been sold.
In 2009 Max Manus became the first Norwegian film ever to be chosen for a gala viewing at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario. The Toronto presentation would be the film's international première.
2009 Amanda Awards
With seven Amanda AwardsAmanda (award)
The Amanda Award is an award given annually at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, to promote and improve Norwegian film. The award originated in 1985, and has since 2005 been exclusively a film award...
, Max Manus became the largest Amanda winner at the 2009 Norwegian International Film Festival
Norwegian International Film Festival
The Norwegian International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Haugesund, Norway. The festival goes back to 1973.In 1985, the Amanda award was instituted. The Amanda is awarded every year at the festival in different movie categories...
:
- The People’s Amanda - directors Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning, producers John M. JacobsenJohn M. JacobsenJohn Martin Jacobsen is a Norwegian film producer.In 2008 he was awarded the Order of St. Olav. In 2003 he won the Amanda Committee's Honorary Award.-Filmography:* Max Manus * Elias og kongeskipet...
and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene AS - Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release - producers John M. JacobsenJohn M. JacobsenJohn Martin Jacobsen is a Norwegian film producer.In 2008 he was awarded the Order of St. Olav. In 2003 he won the Amanda Committee's Honorary Award.-Filmography:* Max Manus * Elias og kongeskipet...
and Sveinung Golimo for Filmkameratene AS - Best Actor - Aksel HennieAksel HennieAksel Hennie is a Norwegian actor, director and writer. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards....
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Agnes KittelsenAgnes KittelsenAgnes Elisabet Hilden Kittelsen is a Norwegian actress. She is known for her role as "Anneli" in the TV-series Skolen and as the title character's wife "Tikken" in the 2008 film Max Manus...
- Best Screenplay - Thomas Nordseth-TillerThomas Nordseth-TillerThomas Nordseth-Tiller was a Norwegian screenwriter. He was behind the 2008 film Max Manus, which was widely viewed and discussed.-Career:...
- Best Cinematography - Geir Hartly AndreassenGeir Hartly AndreassenGeir Hartly Andreassen, FSF, is a Norwegian cinematographer based in Stockholm, Sweden. His work includes Max Manus , Lange Flate Ballær I and II , and Darling ....
- Best Sound Design - Baard Haugan Ingebretsen and Tormod Ringnes
Copyright infringement case
An illegal copy of the film appeared on file sharing networks less than two weeks after release. According to producer John M. JacobsenJohn M. Jacobsen
John Martin Jacobsen is a Norwegian film producer.In 2008 he was awarded the Order of St. Olav. In 2003 he won the Amanda Committee's Honorary Award.-Filmography:* Max Manus * Elias og kongeskipet...
, the recording appeared to have been made in an empty theater, which raised suspicion that a projectionist may have been involved. The matter was reported to the police for investigation.
External links
- Official site
- Max Manus at Filmweb
- Max Manus at the Norwegian Film Fund
- Nettavisen: Remaking of Oslo in 1940