Rent The King's Choice (2016)

3.8 of 5 from 213 ratings
2h 11min
Rent The King's Choice (aka Kongens nei) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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Synopsis:
An award-winning historical drama based on a true story about three dramatic days in 1940, when the King of Norway was presented with an unimaginable ultimatum from the German armed forces: surrender or die. With the German Air force and soldiers hunting them, the Royal Family is forced to flee from the capital - parting ways without knowing if they'll ever see each other again. The Crown Princess Martha (Tuva Novotny) leaves Norway with the children to seek refuge in Sweden, whilst King Haakon (Jesper Christensen) and the Crown Prince Olav (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) stay to fight.
After three days of desperately trying to evade the Germans, Haakon makes his final decision; he refuses to capitulate, even if it may cost him, his family and many Norwegians their lives.
Actors:
, , , , , , Svein Tindberg, , , Ketil Høegh, , , , , , Nicolay Lange-Nielsen, Magnus Ketilsson Dobbe, Sofie Falkgård, Ingrid Ross Raftemo, Lage Kongsrud
Directors:
Producers:
Finn Gjerdrum, Stein B. Kvae
Writers:
Harald Rosenløw-Eeg, Jan Trygve Røyneland
Aka:
Kongens nei
Studio:
Thunderbird Releasing
Genres:
Action & Adventure, Drama
Collections:
A Brief History of Coronations on Screen, A Few More Screen Princes, New Waves in Norwegian Cinema, What to watch by country
Countries:
Norway
BBFC:
Release Date:
15/01/2018
Run Time:
131 minutes
Languages:
Norwegian Dolby Digital 2.0, Norwegian DTS 5.1
Subtitles:
English
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour

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Reviews (12) of The King's Choice

Well worth the watch - The King's Choice review by JG

Spoiler Alert
10/03/2018

It’s always fascinating to hear how other European countries reacted to Hitlers plans to change the shape of the planet into that of a Swastica. This is a really nicely done hunk of history, focusing on Norway’s reaction to have none of Hitlers scheming. Churchill was our voice of defiance. In Norway it was the king and his family. Ill prepared for war and vastly outnumbered, Norway’s predicament unfolds in a cat and mouse chase of time. The movie is compelling stuff . Well acted, directed and filmed it is well worth the watch.

3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.

Surprisingly gripping account of an intriguing constitutional conundrum - The King's Choice review by JT

Spoiler Alert
15/05/2018

My history is wonky enough to forget which of the Scandinavian countries declared neutrality at the outbreak of WW2 (Sweden) and which offered resistance to the National Socialists marauding northwards from Schleswig Holstein; e.g. Norway. This account of Norway's annexation is surprisingly exciting thanks not least to excellent performances from a solid cast among whom shine out Jesper Christensen (who also played Mr White in the new Bond version of Casino Royale) as good King Haakon, and Karl Markovics who gives an inspired performance as the German ambassador to Norway attempting futilely to preempt the outbreak of hostilities when the German navy sails into view.

The film convincingly portrays the pandemonium brought about by the invasion including the resignation of the Norwegian government and the King's flight to a safe haven outside Oslo before his eventual exile to the UK from his occupied homeland. For those who wonder what monarchies are useful for, this relatively obscure chapter in recent European history provides an answer. When a small country with a monarch is overwhelmed by a vastly superior force; it is the monarch who becomes the figure of formal rejection of the invader's terms and carries on constitutional resistance to the occupation from abroad. He does so thanks in large part to his birthright as sovereign; a legitimacy that a mere General such as deGaulle could not bring to a similar situation in France.

Well worth watching!

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

Moviing and traumatic - The King's Choice review by JR

Spoiler Alert
22/07/2018

I really enjoyed this film telling the story of the King of Norway's defiance of the Nazis. It was compelling, very moving a traumatic.

The relationship between the King and his son Crown Prince Olav was beautifully portrayed and very poignant , as were the scenes with the King and his young grandson, now the present King Harvald. The scenes introduced about the teenage soldier ( Frederik Seeberg, also a real person) were inspired. The whole film captured the horror of war on a very personal level. I would not hesitate to rate this film very highly.

2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

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