INTO THE WHITE

Norway/Sweden, 2012, 104 minutes, Colour.
Florian Lukas, David Kross, Stig Henrik Hoff, Lachlan Nieboer, Rupert Grint.
Directed by Petter Naess.

This is a film looking back to a Scandinavian experience in World War II, the involvement of Norway, the neutrality of Sweden. However, it is a perspective on world and war from the 21st-century.

The film highlights the situation in Britain and its participation in the war, Germany and Norway.

The film shows the crash landing of a British plane in Norway, the escape of the personnel, their journey across the snow, finding a heart – and then finding that they have been taken by German soldiers. In the meantime, the Norwegian authorities have mounted a search party, travelling through the snow, looking for a refuge hut.

What follows is a microcosm of war, the British and the Germans each taking advantage with possible of taking guns from each other, controlling the enemy. But, to survive in the hut, they have to do some sharing – and, if possible, discover something of their common humanity.

Which means that, although the film is a World War II story, feels authentic and has war action, it is also about the possibilities for peace, mutual understanding, some reconciliation and new beginnings.

1. Perspective on World War II from the 21st-century? Antagonism, hostilities, both sides thrown together, learning cooperation, possibilities for peace?

2. 1941, Britain and its participation in the war, Germany and the occupation of Norway, both sides wanting the raw materials from that country? Battles in and around Norway?

3. The Norwegian settings, the plane crashes, the snow, the mountains, the fog? The beauty when the weather cleared? The town, streets, shops, offices, the rescue team?

4. The hut, the interior, stove, tables, the wood for fire, breaking down part of the hut?

5. The German perspective, the Nazi regime, those in listing, volunteers, loyalty to Hitler, to the Reich? Despising of Britain? Taunts against empire? The British perspective,
pride in Empire, sense of superiority matching the sense of superiority of the Germans? Hostility and enmity?

6. The Luftwaffe, the German crash, the dead pilot, the young man and his injuries to his elbow? The captain in charge, the older man and his background? The decision to move, going through the snow, the sledge with the food and provisions? The heavy sled, going over the cliff, having to cut it free and lose the provisions?

7. Finding the hut, settling inside, the young man with his injury, becoming delirious? Setting up with the possibilities of making their way to the sea into a town?

8. The Captain, strong personality, leadership, yet his later confiding that he had crashes, was not as reliable as he wanted to be?

9. The British, the crash, through the snow, finding the hut?

10. The confrontation between the two groups? Drawing weapons, threatening each other, bluffing each other? Shelter from the snow, the Germans in charge, the demarcation line in the heart, even to eating at the table?

11. The continued living together, the attempt to go out into the snow, the return? The Germans and no matches, the British and the cigarette lighter? The beginnings of interdependence? The food and the meals? Sleeping areas?

12. The issue of the weapons, interchanging, the British getting the weapons, Geneva conventions, threats? And the further reversals? The captain and his losing his going? Smith and his going hunting? Pistols drawn, the captain in the compromise to put all the weapons in a bag?

13. The taunts, the hostilities, the captain and his attempt to some conversation, the episode with the doubts, the bullets and the young man’s coat? The older man not talking English, out in the hunt, shooting the dog, the revelation he spoke English, telling his story?

14. The two leaders, the roof pole, standing holding it up, eventually fixing it?

15. The compromise? The decision to work together, the older man and Smith going to the peak to find a way down?

16. The audience introduced to the Norwegians, the squad, the decision to come to the rescue? Through the snow? Finding the German plane? The shooting the older man, the effect on Smith, grief? Soldiers going to the hut, taking the British leader is an ally, taking the Germans prisoners? The truck, to the town?

17. The Germans is prisoners and their being taken away after interrogation? The British being interrogated, the consideration of collaboration and of treason? The leader confronting the Norwegian, blunt talk about what it happened? Their being let go?

18. The aftermath, the stories, the two Germans and their being prisoners of war in Canada? The British, the flight, Smith being killed? Davenport surviving? The information that he got in touch with the German in 1977, invited him to London, and their meeting as friends?

19. The reality of war, the unrealities of war? Leadership and ideologies for war? The reality of soldiers as equals and the possibility breaking down hostilities?