''The King's Choice'' ( no, Kongens nei, meaning "The King's No") is a 2016

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

directed by

Erik Poppe Erik Poppe (born 24 June 1960) is a Norwegian film director, producer and screenwriter. Poppe is regarded as one of Scandinavia's most experienced and compelling film directors recognized for his work with actors and multi-pronged narrativ ...

. It is a co-production of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland, and was selected as the Norwegian entry for the

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

at the 89th Academy Awards. The film made the shortlist of nine films to be considered for a nomination at the 89th Academy Awards.

Plot

The film focuses on

King Haakon VII Haakon VII (; born Prince Carl of Denmark; 3 August 187221 September 1957) was the King of Norway from November 1905 until his death in September 1957. Originally a Danish prince, he was born in Copenhagen as the son of the future Frederick VI ...

and the Norwegian Royal Family in the days before and immediately after the

German invasion of Norway German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

in April 1940. On 8 April, Crown Prince Olav informs his father that the transport ship that was sunk off

Lillesand Lillesand () is List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional district of Southern Norway, Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality ...

earlier that day was carrying

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

soldiers, and expresses concern that the government of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Johan Nygaardsvold Johan Nygaardsvold (; 6 September 1879 – 13 March 1952) was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party who served as the 21st prime minister of Norway from 1935 to 1945. From June 1940 until May 1945, he oversaw the Norwegian Government-in-e ...

refuses to give up

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

's neutrality in the face of German aggression. At the German embassy in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

, German envoy

Curt Bräuer Curt Bräuer (24 February 1889 – 8 September 1969) was a German career diplomat. Born in Breslau, in what is modern-day Poland, Bräuer entered service in the German foreign ministry in 1920. From 1928 to 1930 he was a member of the German De ...

is instructed by military attaché Lieutenant-Colonel Hartwig Pohlman to encourage the Norwegian government to allow German troops into the country, under the pretext of defending Norway from a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

invasion. Early the following morning, Bräuer takes the German offer to Foreign Minister

Halvdan Koht Halvdan Koht (7 July 1873 – 12 December 1965) was a Norwegian historian and politician representing the Labour Party. Born in the north of Norway to a fairly distinguished family, he soon became interested in politics and history. Star ...

; after consulting the Cabinet, Koht refuses, stating that Norway is a sovereign nation. Meanwhile, at

Oscarsborg Fortress Oscarsborg Fortress ( no, Oscarsborg festning) is a coastal fortress in the Oslofjord, close to the small town of Drøbak in Viken county, Norway. The best known part is situated on two small islets. The main artillery batteries are on the island ...

near

Drøbak Drøbak is a town and the centre of the municipality of Frogn, in Viken county, Norway. The city is located along the Oslofjord, and has 13,409 inhabitants. History Drøbak and Frogn was established as a parish on its own through a royal decre ...

, Colonel

Birger Eriksen Birger Kristian Eriksen (17 November 1875 – 16 July 1958) was a Norwegian officer (with the rank of Oberst) who was instrumental in stopping the first wave of ''Gruppe 5'' of the German invasion force outside Oslo. Eriksen was the comman ...

prepares his undermanned and inexperienced garrison for combat, while receiving reports from the outlying fortresses of incoming German ships. Early on the morning of 9 April, Eriksen spots the German cruiser ''Blücher'' entering

Drøbak Sound The Drøbak Sound ( Norwegian: Drøbaksundet) is a sound at the Oslofjord narrows between Drøbak and Hurum. Outer Oslofjord, which is a term for the Oslofjord south of the Drøbak Sound until it meets the Skagerrak. Inner Oslofjord which is a t ...

. Despite having received no instructions from Oslo to engage, Eriksen considers the German ship to be hostile and gives the order to fire, and the fortress's guns and torpedo battery sink the ''Blücher''. Prime Minister Nygaardsvold telephones the King, informing him of the impending invasion, and advises him to flee Oslo. The Royal Family boards a train for

Hamar Hamar is a town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. Hamar is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. It is located in the traditional region of Hedmarken. The town is located on the shores of Mjøsa, Norway's largest lake ...

, where the

Norwegian Parliament The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

convenes to discuss negotiations with Germany. Bräuer meets Oslo's police chief

Kristian Welhaven Kristian Welhaven (11 October 1883 – 27 July 1975) was a Norwegian police officer. He was chief of police of Oslo for 27 years, from 1927 to 1954. He was a leading force in establishing an organized Norwegian intelligence service before World W ...

, his intermediary with the Norwegian Cabinet, to reassure them of his desire to negotiate; at the same time, Pohlman receives orders from

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

to send

paratroopers A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...

to Hamar to capture the King and the Cabinet.

Nasjonal Samling Nasjonal Samling (, NS; ) was a Norwegian far-right political party active from 1933 to 1945. It was the only legal party of Norway from 1942 to 1945. It was founded by former minister of defence Vidkun Quisling and a group of supporters such ...

leader

Vidkun Quisling Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling (, ; 18 July 1887 – 24 October 1945) was a Norwegian military officer, politician and Nazi collaborator who nominally list of heads of government of Norway, headed the government of Norway during t ...

proclaims himself Prime Minister over the national radio, and calls upon the Norwegian people to accept the German occupation forces. Bräuer receives instructions from

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

himself to go directly to the King and convince him to recognise Quisling's government, though Bräuer is convinced that neither Haakon nor the Cabinet will accept this. As German troops advance towards Hamar, the Royal Family and the Cabinet relocate to

Elverum is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Elverum. Other settlements in the municipality include Heradsbygd, Sørskog ...

, where the decision is made to send Olav's wife and three children to Sweden while the King and the Crown Prince remain in the country. Just after midnight on 10 April, the German paratroopers attack a roadblock at Midtskogen, and are beaten back by the Norwegian volunteers. At

Nybergsund Nybergsund is a village in the municipality of Trysil in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located about south of the village of Innbygda which is the municipal centre of Trysil. The village is best known for serving as a hiding place for the Nor ...

, the Cabinet meets to discuss Bräuer's request to meet the King alone to end the hostilities. Despite Olav's objections and fears for his father's safety, Haakon agrees to meet with Bräuer at Elverum. Bräuer urges Haakon to follow the example of his elder brother, King Christian of

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, to capitulate without further resistance. Haakon relays the German demands to the Cabinet and states he cannot accept Quisling as Prime Minister, offering to abdicate if the Cabinet felt otherwise. Inspired by the King's decision, the Cabinet informs Bräuer of their refusal. In response, German aircraft bomb Elverum and Nybergsund, forcing Haakon and the Cabinet to flee into the woods. The King, the Crown Prince, and the Cabinet eventually escape to Britain, where they remain until the end of the war. In May 1945, following the

German surrender The German Instrument of Surrender (german: Bedingungslose Kapitulation der Wehrmacht, lit=Unconditional Capitulation of the "Wehrmacht"; russian: Акт о капитуляции Германии, Akt o kapitulyatsii Germanii, lit=Act of capit ...

, Haakon is reunited with his grandson, Prince Harald, in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

before the Royal Family returns to Norway.

Cast

Jesper Christensen Jesper Christensen (; born 16 May 1948) is a Danish actor. A veteran of European cinema, he has more recently made the transition to English language projects, including '' The Interpreter'' and '' Revelations''. He has also appeared as the my ...

* Anders Baasmo Christiansen as Crown Prince Olav *

Tuva Novotny Tuva Moa Matilda Karolina Novotny Hedström (born 21 December 1979) is a Swedish actress, director, and singer. She was born in Stockholm, and was raised in Åmot, Brunskog, outside Arvika. She is the daughter of Czech film director David Ja ...

Crown Princess Märtha ''Crown Princess Märtha'' is a bronze statue of Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, by Kirsten Kokkin. It is located at the Norwegian residence at Massachusetts Avenue and 34th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. It was unveiled 18 September 2005. ...

* Katharina Schüttler as Anneliese Bräuer * Karl Markovics as

Juliane Köhler Juliane Köhler (born 6 August 1965) is a German theatre, television and film actress. She was born in Göttingen to a puppeteer. During the period from 1985 to 1988, she studied under Uta Hagen in New York City and attended HB Studio. She als ...

as Diana Müller *

Erik Hivju Erik Hivju (born 24 September 1947) is a Norwegian actor. Hivju has appeared in more than a dozen television series, as well as several films. He is the father of the Norwegian actor Kristofer Hivju. Selected filmography * '' Lukket avdeling'' ...

as Colonel

* Espen Sandvik as Captain Magnus P. Sødem * Arthur Hakalahti as

Guardsman Guardsman is a rank used instead of private in some military units that serve as the official bodyguard of a sovereign or head of state. It is also used as a generic term for any member of a guards unit of any rank. Canada In the Canadian Force ...

Fredrik Seeberg * Rolf Kristian Larsen as Sergeant Brynjar Hammer *

Svein Tindberg Svein Randor Tindberg (born 25 June 1953) is a Norwegian actor. He was born in Oslo; the son of Snorre Tindberg and Inger Mogstad. He made his stage debut 13 years old at Det Norske Teatret in 1966, in the musical ''The King and I''. As an actor, ...

as Peder Anker Wedel Jarlsberg * Gerald Pettersen as Prime Minister

* Ketil Høegh as Foreign Minister

* Andreas Lust as Oberstleutnant Hartwig Pohlman * Jan Frostad as

President of the Storting The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

C. J. Hambro * Magnus Ketil Dobbe as Prince Harald * Sofie Falkgård as Princess Ragnhild * Ingrid Ross Raftemo as Princess Astrid * Udo Schenk as

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

(voice) * Torfinn Nag as Police Chief

* Jan Petter Dickman as Ivar Lykke

Release

The film was first shown to the whole of the present Norwegian royal family at the Royal Palace in

on 16 September 2016.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, the film has an approval rating of 83% based on reviews from 24 critics. On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 8 critics.

References

External links

*
The King's Choice Trailer
on

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

*
''The King's Choice''
at

Palace Films and Cinemas Palace Cinemas is the fifth largest major cinema chain in Australia, with various locations in CBD and inner suburban areas of most capital cities. Palace Cinemas currently comprises 24 cinemas with 180 screens and more than 550 staff. Its head o ...

The King's Choice
at

Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival (sometimes stylized shortly as PSIFF) is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. Originally promoted by Mayor Sonny Bono and then sponsored by Nortel,here for Table of Contents it started in 1989 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:King's Choice, The 2016 films 2016 multilingual films 2016 war drama films 2016 biographical drama films Norwegian drama films Norwegian biographical films Films directed by Erik Poppe Irish biographical drama films Norwegian-language films 2010s Danish-language films 2010s German-language films Films set in Norway Films shot in Norway Western Front of World War II films World War II films based on actual events Cultural depictions of Norwegian kings Norwegian multilingual films Swedish multilingual films Danish multilingual films Irish multilingual films