Hamsun
1996 · Movie · 159 min · ★ 7.2 · 95% critics
This historical drama follows an aging, celebrated writer in Norway whose political sympathies during World War II place him at odds with the suffering around him. As the occupation deepens, the story explores personal pride, moral conflict, and the strain that public choices put on a marriage and family.
Based on Q22340504
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Watch free on Kanopy and Cineverse — also streaming on Philo, Fandor and Cineverse.
3 hours to watch.
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Details
- Years
- 1996
- Release date
- 1996-04-19
- Language
- Swedish
- Runtime
- 159 min
- Critic score
- 95/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (26 votes)
About
You may like this if you prefer slow, emotionally thorny historical dramas focused on flawed people and relationships, especially if you liked The Best Intentions or Everlasting Moments; Not for you if you want a brisk, crowd-pleasing war story.
Pros: layered central portrait; thoughtful moral questions; strong marriage drama | Cons: slow pacing; heavy subject matter; limited broader context
Themes
- nazi
- world war ii
- controversy
- biography
- norway
- author
Awards & recognition
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1997 · nominated
Cast & crew
Max von Sydow
as Knut Hamsun
Ghita Nørby
as Marie Hamsun
Anette Hoff
as Ellinor Hamsun
Jesper Christensen
as Otto Dietrich
Edgar Selge
as Terboven
Ernst Jacobi
as Adolf Hitler
Bjørnar Teigen
as Young soldier
- ÅS
Åsa Söderling
- FS
Finn Schou
Per Jansen
Directed by Jan Troell