Riot in trollness

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Riot in trollness
Original title Edge of Darkness
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1943
length 120 minutes
Rod
Director Lewis Milestone
script Robert Rossen
production Henry Blanke
music Franz Waxman
camera Sid Hickox
cut David Weisbart
occupation

Uprising in Trollness (original title: Edge of Darkness ) is an American war film directed by Lewis Milestone from 1943 . The script is based on the novel of the same name by William Woods. The film premiered on April 9, 1943 in the USA. In Germany it was only released in cinemas in 1977 in the original version with German subtitles.

action

Norway occupied by the Germans in October 1942. The crew of a German airplane discovered a Norwegian flag that was flying in the fishing village of Trollness. Investigations by the Germans reveal that the garrison was killed. The commander, Captain König, is discovered in his office with a bullet in his head. Corpses lie on the streets, otherwise the village is deserted. The only living person found is apparently deranged and is quickly executed by the German soldiers.

A flashback follows. A resistance movement has formed in Trollness. The leaders of the movement include the hotel owner Gerd Bjarnesen, whose father was murdered by the Germans, Gunnar Brogge, the head of the fishing guild and Gunnar's fiancée Karen Stensgard, the daughter of Martin Stensgard, the village doctor. Gunnar wants to go to Great Britain to join the resistance movement there. But before he can leave Trollness, a wounded man from a neighboring village brings the news that the British want to deliver weapons to Norwegian resistance fighters so that they can start a revolt against the German occupiers.

The next day, Karen finds out that her brother Johann will be coming home. Johann is a Nazi friend and Karen asks her father to send Johann away. Later, at a meeting of the resistance members in a church, it was discussed who would actively fight against the Germans. Pastor Aalesen is against the armed struggle, as is Dr. Stensgard. But the other villagers are in favor of the action. When the promised weapons finally arrive, Karen warns the others about Johann. When the guns are moved to a hiding place, one of the people loses a British glare lantern. This lantern is found by the German occupation soldiers. The alarmed Captain König confiscated the fishing boats in the hope that the now unemployed population would reveal the plan to him.

Johann's uncle Kaspar Togersen, owner of the fish canning factory, tells his nephew to outsmart the conspirators. When Johann asks a somewhat naive dealer, however, he gives him the wrong information. The Germans are increasing the pressure on the population, who have been asked by the British not to strike until the British army can reach the Norwegian coast. König wants the village teacher Andresen to confiscate the house. But Andresen resists and is beaten up by the soldiers. When Andresen's house is set on fire, the residents can barely hold back. Karen is raped by a German soldier. The maddened Stensgard kills the soldier. King seeks revenge and wants to have the leaders of the resistance movement executed. They are being forced to dig their own graves. Before the execution can take place, the remaining residents come to the square. The pastor opens fire on the German soldiers. The residents fight their way to the harbor and load their wives and children onto boats that are to take them to Great Britain. The men face the Germans again to fight. The last German soldiers, including the captain, are besieged at headquarters . König writes a note that all German soldiers have been killed and then shoots himself in the head. This ends the flashback.

The German soldiers believe that all the residents and the entire crew of Trollness were killed, and that Captain König "fell with honor" in the course of his service. As a sign that the German occupation has been restored, the Norwegian flag is to be lowered over the headquarters and the German flag is to be raised again. Here, a soldier is shot dead by Karen while the flag is being raised, and the German flag then sinks. Karen, Gunnar and the surviving villagers decide to continue the resistance and continue to defend their village.

Reviews

“The plot takes a back seat in favor of a description of the different types. Apart from the pathetic ending, staged densely and fascinatingly; a Hollywood contribution to psychological warfare. "

- Lexicon of international film

“Lewis Milestone ('Nothing new in the West', 'Mutiny on the Bounty') reveals the motifs of the individual characters in flashbacks. From the series of Hollywood productions that dealt with the Nazis during the war, this one is one of the best. "

- Cinema

“An elaborate and atmospherically densely staged war melodrama by Lewis Milestone. As a Hollywood contribution to psychological warfare, the love story between Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan, which is common in Hollywood productions, takes up little space in favor of an unusually wide range of characters, who are consistently portrayed in detail and each undergo a remarkable development of characters. "

- prisma.de

background

The Warner Bros. production was filmed in California , including Pebble Beach, Calabasas and Monterey .

It was the fifth film role for Nancy Coleman , as well as Ruth Gordon, and the fourth for Morris Carnovsky. Born in Austria, Helmut Dantine was an opponent of the Nazis and was imprisoned in a concentration camp for it. Family ties enabled him to move to Los Angeles in 1936 . In his film career he often played German soldiers and Nazis. Former silent film star Monte Blue and the German refugee Lutz Altschul , who ironically embodies a Nazi officer, can be seen in uncredited roles . The appearance of Peter Van Eyck as a German soldier and the collaboration of Raoul Walsh in the role of director of the second unit were not mentioned. The later director Don Siegel worked here as a set fitter.

While some of the staff won an Oscar (or several) only in their later careers, Lawrence W. Butler, the special effects designer, brought his 1941 Oscar with him. The musical director Leo F. Forbstein was also awarded an Oscar, he won his statue in 1937.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rebellion in Trollness. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed April 25, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ↑ cinema.de
  3. ^ Rebellion in Trollness. In: prisma.de. prisma-Verlag , accessed on September 21, 2017 .