The operation goes under the name of Freshman.
41 specially trained commandos sent into the mountains
in two gliders,
each pulled by a Halifax bomber. 21 men in one glider, 20 in the other.
Now, the Halifaxes take them as far as the Norwegian coast,
then the gliders swoop down, unnoticed, and land on high ground.
After that, our chaps slip down to the factory
- and blow the damn thing to pieces. - It's quite a big area.
Yes, we'll need people who can establish depots,
do reconnaissance,
men who know the area and of course speak the language.
A welcoming committee of Norwegians sent out ahead.
- What do you want me to do? - Find them. Create an operations unit.
Captain.
Peggy. Thank you.
Wilson's office.
Front office.
- Meeting room. - Ma'am.
- George. - Yes, ma'am?
Um, my office.
Radio room, tea room, your office.
The Germans have apparently searched both your office and your home.
It appears you didn't leave a moment too soon.
Your wife and children are safe, they're with the in-laws.
Maybe it would be a better solution if my family came here.
- That's not an option. - They won't be any trouble.
Do you see any children here, Mr Tronstad?
They've been evacuated so they don't get bombed.
Norway may have been invaded
but it's still a far safer place than England.
You obviously don't have children.
So how long have you known about the Germans' atomic programme?
Well, that depends on what you mean by "known".
Since Poland there's been no information on anything that
smells of Wissenschaft which is strange
but I suppose that no information at least leaves room for speculation.
DISTANT GUNFIRE AND EXPLOSION
So, these are all Norwegian volunteers?
They keep coming. Hundreds of them.
They sign in there and we put them straight to work.
- Who's that? - Hm?
The redhead.
Skinnarland. Eenar.
Einar.
He came in this morning. Hijacked a boat with some other lads.
- I've seen him at the factory. - You have indeed.
You must go!
- No! - No! Jump!
AIRCRAFT BLADES WHIR
WIND WHISTLES
BELLS TOLL
A-hem!
Danish for, "Nice to see you"?
THEY CHUCKLE
It's so good to be here.
- I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the conference. - No-one did.
There wasn't a single scientist worth mentioning in the room.
- I was expecting at least... - Not because of you.
Everybody wanted to see you.
You know, let's go for a walk.
You are being bugged?
Oh, yeah. We discovered it a couple of months ago. But it's all right.
- All right? It's awful. - Well, you just have to think before you talk.
Which, actually, isn't such a bad idea.
- The Institute, as well? - Yes, everywhere. But it's...
I mean, out here, it's OK.
What?
I don't know...
.. I don't know how much you know.
Times are changing, your regime.
Yes, I've noticed.
Don't you miss the old days working at the Institute together?
Oh, yes, I certainly do.
Copenhagen is not so far from Berlin.
The thing is, I'm... I'm not allowed to say anything.
I was even asked to find out about your position with the Brits!
I don't care about those things.
Politicians come and go, majorities change,
but science only moves forward.
One discovery leads to the next.
I'm not trying to sway you in any one way.
But the project I'm working on is just, everybody's winning.
With money. Resources.
It's not just a little department or an institute, it's bigger than that.
I want this to happen.
Finally, it's under my control.
As long as we let the war serve the science, there is no danger.
Imagine everything we can do.
- Pull out of it. - Huh!
What?
Pull out of the whole damn thing.
- Is it the Brits? - What?
Have you been briefed by the Brits?
No, no, no, no, no.
They have absolutely nothing to do with this whatsoever.
I'm the one who's telling you.
You work for them.
I thought I came to see a friend.
Well, I'm still your friend.
- You don't understand what I'm talking about. - I don't understand?
No.
Now, do you get it?
Yes.
I get it.
You've always asked me which moral obligations we have.
Well, here's my answer.
Our obligations have never been bigger.
- Yes, but as scientists... - Cut the crap.
- Crap? - Yes, crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about!
You're working for the German army.
Come on, which planet are you on?! They've hired you. Why?
To front German culture?
To see you make some interesting calculations on a blackboard?
No, they've hired you because they want something in return.
They want value for their money. Results.
And ideally, something that explodes.
Listen.
We are working with creating energy.
Our moral obligations have never been bigger than they are now.
And if you don't understand that...
.. then you are either stupid, or very naive.
And right now, both of them are equally dangerous.
Let me give you one last piece of advice.
As your friend.
Don't ever tell anyone that you asked me
to be a part of your programme.
Now, would you care to join me for dinner?
My wife would be happy to see you
and she's longing to hear you playing the piano.
I will sit there and I will eat and, of course, I'll applaud.
THEY SING
They leave in three weeks, first full moon.
They're not ready.
They're ready.
Being enthusiastic is not the same as being ready.
Wanting to do something is not the same as being able to do something.
And being hungover is not being fit to fight.
Takes a lot to convince her.
I pity the husband.
Her husband went down with HMS Prince of Wales last December.
Sunk with the Japanese.
He's still missing.
She works a lot.
A-hem!
They'll be all right.
- Absolutely. - Sooner or later.
One hopes sooner.
HE PLAYS THE PIANO
HE LAUGHS
- O-ho-ho! - Ho-ho-ho!
- GUNSHOT - Argh!
HE GRUNTS
HE STRUGGLES
OTHERS GRUNT
DOOR SHUTS
DOOR SLAMS
Bloody amateurs!
- So... what do we do now? - I can step in!
Yes, and who's going to do your job? The bloody footless one?
These men can be replaced. You can't, Tronstad.
OK, they can go without him.
All right. It's your decision.
BELL RINGS
DOOR OPENS
HE SIGHS
SONG: The Way You Look Tonight
♪ Someday
♪ When I'm awfully low
♪ When the world is cold
♪ I will feel a glow
♪ Just thinking of you
♪ And the way you look tonight ♪
SHE LAUGHS
♪ Oh, but you're lovely
♪ With your smile... ♪
ENGINE WHIRS
CLATTERING
BELL RINGS
THEY LAUGH
No more mishaps with pistols.
I want to hear only of success.
May God bless you all.
- Good luck, chaps. - Thank you.
- King and country. - King and country.
Action stations, chaps.
The weather in the area's getting bad.
We have to drop you off far west of the original drop point.
- Number one, ready? - Yes, sir!
- Two, ready? - Yes, sir! - Three, ready? - Yes, sir!
- Four? - Yes, sir! - Number one?
Go!
Easy, lad. Easy.
Go!
WIND HOWLS
CANVAS FLAPS
TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACK
KNOCKING
It started snowing during the night.
Bad weather's coming in from the west.
MAN GROANS
Departure is set for the 19th.
Landing area is ten miles from the target
in forest marshland just outside Meuspath.
You'll be met by four members
of the Norwegian resistance, codenamed Grouse,
moving quickly along the service road and probably in snow.
WIND HOWLS
MAN GROANS
Arrival from the north.
Down into Vaaer, then across the bridge.
You'll find two German guards. Disable them.
Along the railway line.
Then three more sets of guards.
Attack here, here and here.
There are usually no employees present during the night.
Stairs on the east side of the building.
40-inch thick reinforced concrete walls.
Carry on along the corridor, on to the principal room.
18 high-concentration cells. That's where you place the explosive.
This is a cyanide pill.
You will each be given one.
Keep it in your mouth for the last stages of the operation.
In case of German capture, bite hard.
It will ensure certain death within three minutes.
WIND HOWLS
What does this look like to you?
- A reactor? - Hmm.
It's just arrived. Werner Heisenberg gave it to Niels Bohr.
Bohr believes they're building a bomb.
WOMAN SPEAKS GERMAN
ENGINES RUMBLE
THUNDER
Low pressure coming from the west, stronger winds expected.
WIND HOWLS
THUNDER
MAN SPEAKS GERMAN
MAN SCREAMS
SOLDIER SHOUTS IN GERMAN
SOLDIER SPEAKS GERMAN
GUN COCKS
MAN SHOUTS IN GERMAN
GUNSHOT
CRACKING
GUNSHOT