“A
group of twelve courageous
Norwegian resistance fighters come
to Scotland in 1943 during World War
II to be trained as saboteurs by the
British before returning to Nazi-Occupied
Norway to target German airfields and
key installations — a mission known as
Operation Martin Red — in the true story
of a bid to stop the already enormous
losses suffered by allied convoys...”
WITH NORWAY OCCUPIED BY THE NAZIS, from where the German war machine inflicts
enormous losses on allied convoys, Norwegian soldiers arrive in Scotland to
be trained by the British to carry out vital sabotage missions in their homeland.
The 12th Man is the riveting true story of one man's bravery and determination
to get back to Scotland via Sweden and return to complete his mission.
In 1943, twelve Norwegians set sail back across the North Sea for their homeland
to carry out Operation Martin Red, sabotaging German airfields and key installations;
but before they can land just North of the Arctic Circle, they come under heavy
fire from a German minesweeper and eleven of them are captured. They have been
betrayed by a fellow countryman.
“The
12th Man…
the entire cast of actors
bring authenticity to
an incredible, enthralling
and poignant movie...”
The
twelfth man, Second Lt Jan Sigurd Baalsrud (Thomas Gullestad), manages to stay
hidden and plunges into the icy waters of the fjord, bleeding from a bullet
wound and having to face the bitter Norwegian winter.
At first the German's believe he could not survive the Arctic conditions, but
against all the odds Jan manages to escape. However, SS Officer Kurt Stage (Jonathan
Rhys Meyers) is not convinced that Jan is dead and pursues him relentlessly
across the frozen landscape.
The eleven brave men who were captured have been tortured and killed, so it
is up to Baalsrud to get back to Britain and make his report. With the help
of loyal and incredibly brave Norwegians who risk their lives to hide him, Jan
largely ignores his own suffering, both from his injury and frostbite from the
extreme cold, as he makes his way towards safety in Sweden, closely followed
by an increasingly angry and frustrated Stage.
Based on the legendary true story of Norwegian Jan Baalsrud, The 12th Man
is one of many examples of heroism in the face of danger and amazing escapes
against all the odds from World War II.
Baalsrud's strong will and determination to survive was to turn him into a symbol
for the Norwegian Resistance. It is a symbol the suppressed people of occupied
Norway were prepared to die for, knowing that to be caught aiding the enemy
would have unthinkable repercussions.
As we are told in the introduction to The 12th Man: "The most incredible
events in this story are the ones that actually took place". With powerful performances
from both Thomas Gullestad and Jonathan Rhys Meyers — who studied German
especially for his part of the SS Officer — the entire cast of actors bring
authenticity to an incredible, enthralling and poignant movie.
From the Producers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The 12th Man
(Den 12. mann) also features: Marie Blokhus as Gudrun Grønvoll; Mads
Sjøgård Pettersen as Marius Grønvoll; Vegar Hoel as Sigurd Eskeland; Håkon T
Nielsen as Erik Reichelt; Erik Risholm Velle as Per Blindheim; Daniel Frikstad
as Gabriel Salvesen; Eric Dirnes as Bjørn Norman Bolstad; Alexander Swart as
Sjur Ludvigsen Trovåg; and Harry Van Gorkum as Commander Crawley.
Music is by Christophe Beck; Cinematography by Geir Hartly Andreassen; Writer
is Petter Skavlan (as Alex Boe); Producers are: Aage Aaberge, Epsen Horn, Harald
Zwart and Veslemøy Ruud Zwart; and Directed by Harald Zwart (The Mortal Instruments:
City of Bones).
* Signature Entertainment presents The
12th Man, released in the UK at cinemas and on Digital HD on 4 January 2019
and on DVD on 7 January 2019. Certificate: 15 | Running Time: 130 Minutes. Amazon
DVD: http://amzn.to/2ORmG33 | iTunes: https://apple.co/2rHdSU6
"The 12th Man… the entire cast of actors bring authenticity to an incredible,
enthralling and poignant movie" ****
— Maggie Woods, MotorBar
“A
group of twelve courageous