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Hamsun

  • 19961996
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Hamsun (1996)
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • War
Norwegian Nobel Laureate Knut Hamsun's controversial support for the Nazi regime during WW2 and its consequences for the Hamsun family after the war.Norwegian Nobel Laureate Knut Hamsun's controversial support for the Nazi regime during WW2 and its consequences for the Hamsun family after the war.Norwegian Nobel Laureate Knut Hamsun's controversial support for the Nazi regime during WW2 and its consequences for the Hamsun family after the war.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jan Troell
  • Writers
    • Per Olov Enquist(screenplay)
    • Thorkild Hansen(book "Processen mod Hamsun")
    • Jan Troell(script)
  • Stars
    • Max von Sydow
    • Ghita Nørby
    • Anette Hoff
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jan Troell
  • Writers
    • Per Olov Enquist(screenplay)
    • Thorkild Hansen(book "Processen mod Hamsun")
    • Jan Troell(script)
  • Stars
    • Max von Sydow
    • Ghita Nørby
    • Anette Hoff
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 9 wins & 1 nomination

    Photos17

    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)
    Hamsun (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Max von Sydow
    Max von Sydow
    • Knut Hamsunas Knut Hamsun
    Ghita Nørby
    Ghita Nørby
    • Marie Hamsunas Marie Hamsun
    Anette Hoff
    • Ellinor Hamsunas Ellinor Hamsun
    Gard B. Eidsvold
    Gard B. Eidsvold
    • Arild Hamsunas Arild Hamsun
    Eindride Eidsvold
    • Tore Hamsunas Tore Hamsun
    Åsa Söderling
    • Cecilia Hamsunas Cecilia Hamsun
    Sverre Anker Ousdal
    Sverre Anker Ousdal
    • Vidkun Quislingas Vidkun Quisling
    Erik Hivju
    • Professor Langfeldtas Professor Langfeldt
    Edgar Selge
    Edgar Selge
    • Terbovenas Terboven
    Ernst Jacobi
    Ernst Jacobi
    • Adolf Hitleras Adolf Hitler
    Svein Erik Brodal
    • Holmboeas Holmboe
    Per Jansen
    • Harald Griegas Harald Grieg
    Jesper Christensen
    Jesper Christensen
    • Otto Dietrichas Otto Dietrich
    Johannes Joner
    • Finn Christensenas Finn Christensen
    Finn Schau
    Finn Schau
    • Lægeas Læge
    Eva von Hanno
    • Sygeplejerskeas Sygeplejerske
    Jørgen Langhelle
    • Dommer Eideas Dommer Eide
    Rut Tellefsen
    • Fru Strayas Fru Stray
    • Director
      • Jan Troell
    • Writers
      • Per Olov Enquist(screenplay)
      • Thorkild Hansen(book "Processen mod Hamsun")
      • Jan Troell(script)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Knut Hamsun is Norway's most famous and admired author. Ever since he was young he has hated the English for the starvation they caused Norway during WWI. When the Germans occupy Norway on April 9, 1940, he welcomes them and the protection they can give from Great Britain. He supports the national socialist ideals, but opposes the way these ideals are turned into action - that Norwegians are jailed and executed. His wife Marie travels in Germany during the war as a sign of support from Knut and herself. —Mattias Thuresson
    • marriage
    • nazism
    • author
    • world war two
    • 1930s
    • 15 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • They were worshipped as national saints. Hated as traitors. Their marriage spanned from the worst kind of betrayal to the greatest love...
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
      • War
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Max von Sydow speaks Swedish and Ghita Nørby speaks Danish in the film despite playing Norwegians.
    • Connections
      Referenced in The Voice of Bergman (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Fratres for violin and piano
      Composed by Arvo Pärt

      Violin by Gidon Kremer

      Piano by Keith Jarrett

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A true gem
    To put it nice and simple, this movie is wonderful.

    Von Sydow delivers a performance worth of every Award on Earth, Ghita Norby as Hamsun's wife is also splendid, the movie is written and directed with a nice but firm hand, even on the most unpleasant portions of Hamsun's life.

    Knut Hamsun had a controversial and tormented relationship with everything and everyone in his life, as self-centered as he was. The stigma of the true genius indeed.

    His sympathy for Nazism caused him a lot of troubles when the war ended and Norway was free from the Nazi occupation and from the collaborationist government.

    Hamsun's previous opinions, albeit somewhat changed as the Germans were showing their true colours, still were enough to get him accused of treason. After the trial and an humiliating detention in a mental hospital, Hamsun got labeled as "insane", despite still managed to write a sharp and honest apologetic memoir, at 90 years of age.

    The movie capture all of that, with a level of immersion that is truly engaging and astonishing. And side-by-side with Hamsun's public success and subsequent downfall, we follow the downfall of his personal life, to a point where public and private become one.

    As said, acting is nothing short of brilliant

    The only, marginal, problem is the language... Everyone speaks Norwegian, while Hamsun and his wife speak Swedish and Danish. It's a tad weird hearing arguably the best Norwegian author in history and his wife talking to each other in a different language (neither of them being their actual one).

    But in all honesty, if the lack of language consistency was the price to pay to get such a good performance, I would gladly have Hamsun and Marie speaking French...

    FINAL VERDICT: Hamsun is graceful and brutal at the same time. A true gem.
    helpful•14
    1
    • Kalle_it
    • May 3, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 6, 1997 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Denmark
      • Sweden
      • Norway
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • Norwegian
      • Swedish
      • German
      • Danish
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Гамсун
    • Filming locations
      • Norsk Film Studio A/S, Jar, Norway
    • Production companies
      • Nordisk Film
      • Merkur Film
      • Svensk Filmindustri (SF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • SEK 40,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $50,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,529
      • Aug 10, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $50,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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