1965 - THE HEROES OF TELEMARK, Anthony Mann's last completed film

No wimp actors allowed in Anthony Mann's last completed film before he died. Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris are clearing freezing their butts off on location in Norway during the filming of this story during the winter months.

The film is based on a true story of Norwegian saboteurs blowing up a "heavy water" factory which the Nazi's were using to develop the atomic bomb during World War 2.  I would say based on is to put it mildly somewhat of a long stretch.  The screenplay wants to incorporate a love story, a spy story and finally a war film.

In spite of the film's shortcomings, Anthony Mann still stages the action scenes with his usual skill.  Shooting on location really brings an almost documentary like reality to the film.  Frankly it looks cold and very foreboding in Norway during the winter.

An interesting fact, Kirk Douglas was the producer of Spartacus and fired Anthony Mann and replaced him with Stanley Kubrick while filming that epic.  Douglas apparently felt guilty about the whole affair and years later tried to pay Mann back by starring in this film.

 

The film was written by Ben Barzman and Ivan Moffat the running time is 130 minutes.