THE SPY/ SPIONEN

Norway, 2018, 110 minutes, Colour.

Ingrid Bolse Berdal, Rolf Lassgard, Damien Chappelle, Alexander Scheer.

Directed by Jens Johnson.

Here is another World War II story, a Scandinavian setting but moving beyond Scandinavia. As the title suggests, it is a story of espionage.

At the centre is a Swedish actress played by Ingrid Bolsa Berdal. She is a successful performer – and is approached by the Nazis to spy for them, holding her father’s health over her. When she does organise his release on these conditions, he disowns her.

The Nazis play on her ambitions, promising her all kinds of success, film roles.

The developing drama has her involved with a great number of ambiguous characters, and her being tangled in requests for counterespionage. And, she is successful in these roles. However, at the end of the war, she was discredited and lost any reputation – which was not rehabilitated until much later, and a contribution by this film.

1. The title? World War II? Sweden? Norway? Scandinavian interest? Beyond Scandinavia?
2. Stories of World War II espionage, secret agent, the reputation as collaborators, damage to their careers?
3. A true story, Sonja Wigert as a celebrated actress, performances in Oslo, her family, her career in Sweden? The situation for her to be a secret agent, double agent? Saving her father from prison? Compromising her relationships? Her career? Her story not being revealed till 2005?
4. Sonja, celebrated actress, her performances, her singing, clubs, socials? Her marriage and her husband’s betrayal, the effect on her? Her relationship with her parents, not sympathising with the Nazis, her father’s arrest, bad lungs, in prison? Her organising his release, his not wanting to look at her, his disowning her?
5. Sonja, her ambitions, the producer, prospects for the film, the invitation to meet the German commanders? Her not going?
6. The approach from the Swedish agency, the discussions with her, putting the case, urging her to collaborate, to make the film, to get information, the plan and the mysterious identity of Maria? Her name as Bill? Her initial refusal, not going to the dinner? The arrest of her father? The meeting with the agent? Ingratiating herself with the authorities, the aim to meet Terboven?
7. Her going to the party, the Hungarian diplomat, his criticisms of her, the later encounter, going to the club, the piano and singing, the relationship with him, continuing? His eventual disappearance? Her writing the letter, returned? The information about meeting him in New York later, his rejecting her?
8. Sonia and her acting skills, with the Baron, meeting Terboven, the phone call and her excuses for not attending the dinner, the audition for the film, her reading, changing into a performance, Terboven impressed? Then moving into a relationship?
9. Terboven, Sonia to get information from Sweden? The discussions about whether Swedes were arming? Her story about her cousin, believed? Getting the information to the agent?
10. Sonia and her war activities, compromised with the Swedes, the end of the war, her loss of reputation?