''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 Norwegian literary and art historian, filmmaker, author and educator. Biography Dalgard was born Olaf Hanssen in Folldal, in Hedmark, Norway. From the age of three, he was raised at Oppdal ...

and

Rolf Randall Rolf is a male given name and a surname. It originates in the Germanic name ''Hrolf'', itself a contraction of ''Hrodwulf'' ( Rudolf), a conjunction of the stem words ''hrod'' ("renown") + ''wulf'' ("wolf"). The Old Norse cognate is ''Hrólfr''. A ...

. 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 the ...

. 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 '', '' no, Grini fangeleir'', location=Bærum, Viken, Norway, location map=Viken#Norway, built by=Norway, original use=Constructed as a women's prison, operated by=Nazi Germany, notable inmates= List of Grini prisoners, liberated by= Harry Söderm ...

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 ...

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 Oscar Egede-Nissen (March 7, 1903 – November 1, 1976) was a Norwegian actor. He appeared in dozens of films from his debut in 1936 onward, his last being '' An-Magritt'' in 1969. Egede-Nissen was an unruly child, and he was sent to the alterna ...

as Harald Bakken *

Harald Heide Steen Harald Heide Steen (11 January 1911 – 3 January 1980) was a Norwegian film actor. He appeared in more than 30 films between 1933 and 1977. He was the father of actor Harald Heide-Steen Jr. Partial filmography * ''Vi som går kjøkkenveie ...

as Captain Knut Viker * Berit Alten as Elsa *

Bjarne Bø Bjarne Bø (April 3, 1907 – August 9, 1998) was a Norwegian actor. Bø was born in Skjeberg in the municipality of Sarpsborg in Østfold county, Norway. He debuted in 1939 in the role of Sjur in the play ''Hu Dagmar'' by Ove Ansteinsson (1884� ...

as Bøttun, a sheriff *

Leif Enger Leif Enger is an American author who wrote the novel '' Peace Like a River''. Early life Enger was born in 1961 and was raised in Osakis, Minnesota. His parents were teachers. He attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, majoring in Engli ...

as Falck, an art dealer *

Helge Essmar Helge or Helgi is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch mostly male name. The name is derived from Proto-Norse ''Hailaga'' with its original meaning being ''dedicated to the gods''. For its Slavic version, see Oleg. Its feminine equivalent is Olga. ...

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. He made his film debut in ''Det drønner gjennom dalen'' in 1937, and participated in ...

as a German officer *

Kari Frisell Kari Frisell (20 August 1922 – 3 June 2022) was a Norwegian operatic soprano and pedagogue. Musical career Frisell studied under in Oslo, and further in Vienna and New York. She made her concert debut in Oslo in 1946. In 1946 she also perform ...

as Ruth Sørensen * Svein Grythe as a Norwegian officer *

Nils Hald Nils Mauritz Hald (October 12, 1897 – July 14, 1963) was a Norwegian actor. Hald was born in Kristiansand, Norway, the son of the bookbinder Johan Christian Thor Hald (1865–1902) and Karen Marie Gundersen (1864–1944). He was married to t ...

as Harald's father *

Ragnhild Hald Ragnhild Fjermeros Hald (November 9, 1896 – July 17, 1975) was a Norwegian actress. After attending high school from 1910 to 1913, she studied under Inga Jacobi. She was then engaged with the Norwegian Theater from 1919 to 1952, as well as ...

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 Oslo, Kristiania. He made his professional debut at the Mayol-teatret in 1923. His ope ...

as the Swedish doctor * Vilhelm Lund as the German prison director at no. 19 * Arne Magler as a Norwegian pilot *

Sigurd Magnussøn Sigurd Konrad Magnussøn (December 14, 1889 – November 12, 1961) was a Norwegian theater director and actor. On August 14, 1912 he married the actress Abigael Heber. Magnussøn was a student at the Fahlstrøm Theater from 1906 to 1907. From ...

as the doctor at Grini *

Fridtjof Mjøen Fridtjof Mjøen (3 August 1897 – 21 October 1967) was a Norwegian actor and theatre director. He made his stage debut at Centralteatret in 1927. He was artistical director at Det Nye Teater from 1936 to 1937. During the 1940s and 1950s he ...

as Vogel, a Gestapo member *

Sigrun Otto Sigrun Otto (a.k.a. Sigrun Enersen Otto, April 13, 1896 – August 15, 1980) was a Norwegians, Norwegian actress. She was married to the theater director Reidar Otto. Otto was born in Oslo, Kristiania (now Oslo), the daughter of Otto Enersen an ...

as Mrs. Sørensen at Grini *

as a German officer *

Aagot Støkken Aagot Kristine Støkken (July 13, 1923 – February 4, 2008) was a Norwegian actress. Støkken was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. She engaged with the Oslo New Theater from 1947 to 1958, and after that with the People's Theater, Tr� ...

as Sussie Holm * Stig Vanberg as an SS member from Grini *

Lulu Ziegler Karen Margrete Maria (Lulu) Ziegler (1903–1973) was a Danish actress, singer and theatre director who was active in both Denmark and Sweden. She gained fame as a cabaret singer in the 1930s, enchanting her audiences in her own expressive style. I ...

as a café customer *

Øyvind Øyen Øyvind Øyen (March 7, 1905 – December 23, 1993) was a Norwegian actor. Øyen was born in Trondheim, the son of the timber merchant Mikal Øien (1871–1922) and Amalie Rebekka Slåttelid (1878–1952). When Øyen was nine years old, his fami ...

References

External links

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

National Library of Norway The National Library of Norway ( no, Nasjonalbiblioteket) 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 i ...

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