Into the White

Presents

in cooperation with

with support from

a film by Petter Naess

Inspired by actual events

In the winter 1940 it was a race between Britain and Germany to conquer Norway.

The object was to gain control of the iron ore export from Norwegian harbors.

German bombers and British fighter planes had skirmishes.

Grotli, Norway, April 27, 1940

Is anybody hurt? Strunk?

- No. - Schwartz?

I've been hit in the elbow.

Hauk? Hauk?

Hauk is dead.

Strunk, see to Josef's wound.

It needs to be disinfected and dressed.

Right, I'll work out where to go from here.

I'm not going to die, am I?

You've been hit in the elbow, Obergefreiter. The elbow.

Ready?

Why did he fly on?

We all told him to turn back.

Forget about it. There's no point in dwelling on it.

Lieutenant?

Lieutenant?!

Lieutenant!

- Schopis! - I'm down here!

Underneath the snow!

What happened?

I fell through the snow, that's what happened.

Excellent.

Josef, your book.

What else do you have?

I waited for six hours on Berlin Alexanderplatz.

Finally Hitler passed by. It's his signature.

Biscuits, chocolate,

sausage, sauerkraut and beer.

- Beer? - Yes. Well, you never know.

You're right.

What are we going to do now?

We march to the coast, find our army and go back to war.

Officer Hauk fell for the Fatherland.

"In the hour of need,

some people rise up to become heroes...

"steeled by quiet determination, calm deliberation and contempt for death."

"When the punch of destiny brings a man to his knees,

while others are elevated...

"by honor and dignity."

It's as if Hitler is speaking to me.

- To us. - Mmm.

Don't you see?

We were one against three, and we survived.

We shot down one of them.

It's minus 20°, and we aren't freezing.

Turn off the light. We need the batteries.

We can't go anywhere in this weather.

Strunk!

Strunk!

The sled is too heavy!

Loosen your straps!

- What about the food? - I said loosen your straps!

Shh.

Oats.

Do we have water?

Strunk, light the stove, will you?

Norwegians seem to be a meticulous people.

- Damn. - What?

Only two.

Shh!

Do you hear that?

Ahhh!

This fucking bites.

I hereby declare this shithole part of the German Reich.

Stop!

Who's there?

Stop! Stay where you are!

I beg your pardon?

English.

Who are you?

A British officer and his airman.

What are you doing here?

Our aircraft was shot down

about two miles from here.

And who might you be?

We are German pilots.

We've been shot down too.

Well, uh...

come in.

Lieutenant?

Thank you.

I don't suppose there's any chance of a spot of tea.

Lieutenant Horst Schopis.

Feldwebel Wolfgang Strunk. Obergefreiter Josef Schwartz.

Right. Well, my name's Captain Davenport

and this is my gunner Smith.

Where did you spend the night?

In the plane. And you?

In a snow cave.

A hunting cabin I presume.

Room for everyone.

- Why don't Smith and I sleep over here? - No.

- Those are our beds. - Your beds?

Yes.

We've all just arrived here.

How can they be your beds?

- It is best you sleep over there. - Why?

Listen, we were friendly.

- We invited you in. - Indeed you did.

But this is a Norwegian cabin.

Who do you imagine the owners would want to share with?

You or me?

If we are in a German-occupied country, it will be me.

And sooner or later this will be a part of Germany.

Now go over there and sit.

I'm a British officer

and I have no intention of taking orders from you.

It is 5:00

and you're now officially prisoners of the Third Reich.

I order you to go over there.

Fuck the Third Reich.

Shut up!

Never say that again!

These are exceptional circumstances, Lieutenant.

We need to work together.

We will work together, Captain.

But you will be our prisoners.

Lieutenant, shouldn't we shoot them?

No.

English please.

Why not?

- We are not savages, Schwartz! - English please.

- Quiet. - But they will kill us,

if they get the chance. I'm sure of it.

Go ahead then.

- You want me to shoot them? - Yes.

You have my permission.

Go on.

You gonna shoot me?

But they could be useful as hostages.

We could use them to make a false trail in the snow when we leave.

I should let them live, then?

Yes.

I think that would be best.

You ought to be holding a rattle, Sunny Jim... not a gun.

Hands on the bed.

I'm not asking, gentlemen. Hands on the bed.

We're unarmed.

Un-armed!

Very nice. We put this by oven.

I'll have that back if you don't mind.

We take care of the fire, we keep the lighter.

That was a present from my father on my 15th birthday.

- He gave it to me for good luck. - Good luck, Captain.

Look around. When we leave, I will give you back the lighter.

You have my word.

No, I keep the lighter and whenever you need it, you come to me.

I'm not going anywhere.

Why are you making problems on such a little thing?

It's not a little thing, and as far as I can see

you're the one making the problem.

Bloody Germans!

Back!

Quiet!

I want to make a few things clear.

You are prisoners of war.

And you will stay with us in this cabin

until the weather improves.

Tomorrow we will go to the sea

and from there you will be taken to a prison camp.

- Is that clear? - I think he's made himself

perfectly clear, don't you, Smith?

Short but to the point, sir.

This is the British side, and this is the German side.

You will ask permission every time you want to leave the British side.

If not, we will shoot you. Is that understood?

Yes.

Well, in that case,

in accordance with the Geneva Convention

I believe we're entitled to a bed,

three meals a day and sporting facilities.

Do not worry,

you will be treated fairly.

I'd hardly call your policy of sharing "fair."

Under the circumstances,

many would say putting a bullet in your head is fair.

You get the same food we get.

Bed and shelter? You get the same shelter we get.

And for sporting facilities... may I introduce you

to the beautiful Norwegian countryside?

Any questions?

Where's the toilet?

Toilet is out there

and then left.

Here... toilet paper.

That's not toilet paper.

Smaller pieces.

Annoy them any way you can, Smith.

Provoke them.

Make them feel stressed and insecure.

- Got that? - Yes sir.