Enjoyed it, and another unsung hero from World War 2 whose story should be told.
Ingrid Bolso Berdal was very good in the lead role as Sonja
Ingrid Bolso Berdal was very good in the lead role as Sonja
11 Reviews
Film should not be a secret
bryangary6516 October 2020
Worth seeing
niclas-2478030 December 2020
Confusing
crumpytv14 February 2022
Maybe it was because of the subtitles, but I really found this confusing, especially towards the end, as to who was a patriot and who was not, or even what nationality the characters were.
I didn't know what was going on during the last 30 minutes, which is a shame as the look and the characterisations were good.
I didn't know what was going on during the last 30 minutes, which is a shame as the look and the characterisations were good.
Spy like you
kosmasp14 October 2022
No pun intended - and not really like you (and me). Especially considering the stakes and the time this plays. On the other hand this is based on something real - whether it stays true to facts is another story (again no pun intended) and something I cannot be certain about to be honest.
There are many things surrounding the second world war - and a lot of stories too. You cannot know all of them I reckon. The tension this movie creates is off the charts for sure. The acting is also very good to say the least. The stakes are high - and as you may imagine there are a lot things that can go wrong ... but will they? You have to watch ... nail biting at times and never failing to excite. We of course know who the bad guys are ... which helps.
There are many things surrounding the second world war - and a lot of stories too. You cannot know all of them I reckon. The tension this movie creates is off the charts for sure. The acting is also very good to say the least. The stakes are high - and as you may imagine there are a lot things that can go wrong ... but will they? You have to watch ... nail biting at times and never failing to excite. We of course know who the bad guys are ... which helps.
Could have been great
nickpedersen8 February 2020
Thrilling, well written and very good!
tildiz14910 April 2023
The Norwegian author Iselin Theien wrote a biography about Sonja Wigert, a talented actress and, under World War II, a spy. This movie is based on that book. No, I haven´t read the book, but after watching this movie I would like to read it.
In my opinion "The Spy" is a thrilling, well written and very good story. Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Rolf Lassgård delivers, if you ask me, strong and believable performances.
I think that the cast and crew can be very proud of this movie. If I tell you the only thing I missed it would be a spoiler. And I really don´t want to reveal any spoilers in this movie. I highly recommend watching this!
In my opinion "The Spy" is a thrilling, well written and very good story. Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Rolf Lassgård delivers, if you ask me, strong and believable performances.
I think that the cast and crew can be very proud of this movie. If I tell you the only thing I missed it would be a spoiler. And I really don´t want to reveal any spoilers in this movie. I highly recommend watching this!
The Spy - Very Good
iagodsell13 July 2023
Just finished watching "The Spy" on World Movies Channel. The review gave it 4 Stars but when I consulted IMDB its rating was only 6.1, about average. Was in two minds whether to watch or not. In the end, my wife and I decided to watch it and yes a few mis-spellings in the subtitles if you are observant, but overall, we thought it a very good and riveting movie. The lead, Ingrid Bolso Berdal was very good and was able to enunciate the feelings of being caught or trapped in the middle very well - to be portrayed as a traitor, watching friends being killed but trying all the while to be a patriot and elicit information from the Germans to pass to Swedish authorities. All the cast did well in their parts and the film deserves a much higher rating than it actually got on average. We were almost in tears at the end that her due story was not made available until much later; how she would have suffered throughout her later life due to public ignorance of her true situation. We gave it a strong 8/10 and would thoroughly recommend it, if you get a chance to see it.
Act III explained with synopsis. Historical descriptions of major characters.
TonyPolito2 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is built upon almost entirely true facts and real individuals, though some of the unknown details have surely been dramatized and/or knitted together.
The spycraft unfolds fairly rapidly in Act III, so I've summarized below what the viewer needs to know to make sense of it all after viewing.
FIRST, know that, while Norway was invaded and occupied by Germany early-on in World War II (to secure North Sea shipping routes), Sweden remained neutral during the entire war and was never occupied. To ensure it was not invaded and occupied, Sweden (1) provided Germany with all the iron ore it needed to build its war machine and (2) offered unfettered access to Germany moving through Sweden as needed to reach Norway by land.
SECOND, be sure to have a good understanding as to who the major characters/individuals are:
SONJA WIGERT: Norwegian-Swedish actress who, during World War II, collaborated with the Norwegian resistance movement and, starting in July 1942, spied on behalf of the Swedish government and the American OSS under codename "Bill." She offered (as a double-agent) to spy on Sweden when Terboven asked. After September 1943, the Nazis suspected Wigert could no longer be trusted and launched a disinformation campaign, publically exposing her as a Nazi spy, as revenge. Her subsequent film career suffered for it.
LEIF SINDING: Norwegian film director and journalist, seen early in the film coaxing Wigert to go to Terboven's dinner party. During the Nazi occupation of Norway, Sinding allied himself closely with the Nazis and was a member of the Nazi-affiliated Norwegian political party. For these actions, Sinding served a four-year jail sentence after the end of the War.
THORSTEN AKRELL: A (fictional) Lieutenant within "C-Bureau," the World War II Swedish Intelligence Agency. Akrell appears to be reporting to C-Bureau founder and operator Carl Petersén.
PATRIK: A (fictional) freelance photographer & paparazzi.
JOSEF TERBOVEN: Reich Commissioner (ie, Governor) of Norway, a long-time Hitler loyalist. Hitler appointed Terboven to this position as soon as Norway was occupied; Terboven held the position until the end of World War II. Wigert was Terboven's mistress for a time, in order to spy on him, and to lobby for release of her father from a Norwegian Nazi prison. Terboven committed suicide in Norway when Germany surrendered.
ANDOR GELLÉRT: A Hungarian journalist and diplomat who spied for Great Britain & the American OSS while attached to the Hungarian Embassy in Sweden. Wigert had an affair with Gellért. Though not revealed in the movie, Gellért operated under codename 'Willard.' After the War, Gellért relocated to New York City and ran the Hungarian desk at Radio Free Europe.
AUGUST FINKE: Head of Sicherheitsdienst (Nazi Intelligence) in Sweden, under cover of 'Assistant Commercial Attaché, German Embassy, Sweden.' Finke was exposed by Wigert and eventually arrested and deported. In this film Finke is spying under (the fictitious) codename 'Maria.'
BARON BERND VON GOSSLER: A key Sicherheitsdienst agent operated by August Finke, under cover of 'Chief, German Tourist Bureau, Sweden.' Gossler was also exposed by Wigert and also eventually arrested and deported.
THIRD, here is a synopsis of Act III that will help post-viewers put it all together. I think most of the Act III confusion stems from the movie not really explaining what part Gellért really played in all this; once you understand that Gellért was spying, not for Germany, but for the Allies, and doing so unknown to the Swedes, it's all a good bit more clear:
During some pillow-talk, Terboven asks Wigert to spy for the Nazis in Sweden and she agrees. Back in Stockholm her new Nazi contact reaches out and reveals to be von Gossler (whom she earlier met at parties, along with Finke). Von Gossler tells Wigert to seek out information about a possible Allied invasion of Sweden and also about a suspected leak in their Nazi spy organization. Von Gossler also reveals he knows about Wigert's ongoing affair with Gellért ... information that would place her in grave danger were Terboven to be told.
Wigert meets with Akrell; she needs real intelligence to give to von Gossler. Wigert says he might have 'some assets to spare' in order to discover the identity of Maria. Akrell reveals that he also is aware of Wigert's ongoing affair with Gellért. Akrell is suspicious of Gellért's movements and wants more information on Gellért as well.
Wigert and Gellért spend time together at Gellért's remote waterside cabin. While Gellért is sleeping, Wigert snoops Gellért's luggage and finds a portfolio of photographs of defensive artillery with geo-coordinates. Now she knows that Akrell was correct; Gellért is also a spy (for someone). Wigert notices the photos are watermarked as from "Olsson's Foto." Wigert knows this to be the same photo lab that Patrik uses because earlier he handed her a canister of film from her own photoshoot that was labeled the same. Later in the night, Wigert sees Gellért hand off the portfolio to a small speedboat that briefly docks to receive it.
Back in Stockholm, Gellért proposes but Wigert declines. Wigert stakes out Olsson's Foto, watching for Patrik so she can follow him back to his apartment. Once inside, Wigert sees the apartment is filled with similar intelligence photos, of coastlines, harbors and such. Patrik reveals he has been taking the photos requested via letters from a well-paying anonymous client and dead-dropping them in a Haga Park garbage can. Wigert is spotted leaving with the photos by someone unknown.
Wigert takes the photos and gives them to Akrell; she thinks that it is Maria who will arrive at the garbage can to pick them up. Akrell dead-drops the photos in the garbage can but nobody arrives to pick them up. Wigert realizes that she must have been seen leaving Patrik's apartment with the photos ... and so Patrik is 'blown.' She and Akrell rush to Patrik's apartment to find Patrik dead. ((A likely plot-hole; one would well wonder why Patrik was killed given he did not know who his client was.)) Akrell believes the photos were being taken for use by Gellért.
Wigert meets Gellért for a drink; Akrell has their booth 'bugged' and their conversation recorded. Wigert confronts Gellért with some of the photos from Patrik's apartment, causing Gellért to realize that Wigert is spying (for someone). Wigert further tips her hand by accusing Gellért of being Maria. ((Wigert's accusation is incorrect. Though not explicitly revealed in the film, Gellért was collecting the intelligence for the British and the American OSS, in case they decided to pre-empt a Nazi invasion of neutral Sweden with an Allied invasion of neutral Sweden.)) Gellért bolts and escapes.
Since Wigert now thinks Gellért is Maria, she fears her own cover is also now 'blown' with the Nazis. Wigert tries to put her 'toothpaste back in the tube' by contacting von Gossler, saying she has found the leak in the Nazi organization and will reveal the identity, but only to Maria. ((Wigert is thinking that Gellért as Maria has already revealed her to the Nazis as a spy ... but that von Gossler will think Gellért merely discovered that Wigert has been spying for the Nazis and that Wigert can still be trusted because she is trying to reveal Gellért to them as the leak. Von Gossler will assume that Wigert knows of codename Maria from her trysts with Terboven. Plus if the meet is straight-up, Wigert will discover, with certainty, the identity of Maria.)) Wigert tips off Akrell about the meet, so he can capture the true Maria.
Von Gossler has surmised it would be safer if he turns up unannounced at Wigert's place the night before. Von Gossler begins to question Wigert as to whether she might be a double-agent, but she calls his bluff. A car pulls up, Wigert gets in and inside Finke reveals himself to be Maria. Before Wigert even gives up the identity of the leak, Finke says that they have long suspected Gellért as the leak, as he had full access to the German Embassy. ((This sounds like a plot-hole; Gellért would have had full run of the Hungarian Embassy, not the German Embassy.)) Finke and von Gossler think Gellért is hiding at the waterside cabin and they take Wigert with them to go there and find him.
When they arrive, they search the cabin area but do not find Gellért. But they do find a suitcase filled with photographs that confirm Gellért is the leak. Wigert sees a pot boiling in the back room, so she knows Gellért is there somewhere. Gellért locks the front door from the outside and begins spreading gasoline around the cabin intending to burn them all up. But when he sees Wigert is also inside, he changes his mind and instead hides under the floor of a secondary cabin. Wigert sees this but the rest do not. Wigert leads them away from the cabins to where Gellért's rowboat is docked. While they are distracted, Gellért slips away and steals the speedboat that brought Finke, von Gossler and Wigert to the cabin. The speedboat tears away from the shore; Gellért has escaped. ((Since Finke and von Gossler do not kill Wigert, we can assume her 'ruse' about planning to reveal Gellért as the leak to Maria was successful.))
Back in Stockholm, Finke and von Gossler, blown by Wigert, are arrested for espionage. Akrell has Wigert's parents smuggled out of Norway and into Sweden. ((How, exactly, her father was first sprung from the Norwegian Nazi prison is never explained.)) Akrell says Gellért cannot be found, speculating that Gellért was working for the Americans and could be hiding in London or America. ((In real life, Gellért WAS working for the Americans and the British.)) Akrell gifts Wigert a commemorative engraved lighter for her service to Sweden.
Hopefully all this helps your understanding of the film.
The spycraft unfolds fairly rapidly in Act III, so I've summarized below what the viewer needs to know to make sense of it all after viewing.
FIRST, know that, while Norway was invaded and occupied by Germany early-on in World War II (to secure North Sea shipping routes), Sweden remained neutral during the entire war and was never occupied. To ensure it was not invaded and occupied, Sweden (1) provided Germany with all the iron ore it needed to build its war machine and (2) offered unfettered access to Germany moving through Sweden as needed to reach Norway by land.
SECOND, be sure to have a good understanding as to who the major characters/individuals are:
SONJA WIGERT: Norwegian-Swedish actress who, during World War II, collaborated with the Norwegian resistance movement and, starting in July 1942, spied on behalf of the Swedish government and the American OSS under codename "Bill." She offered (as a double-agent) to spy on Sweden when Terboven asked. After September 1943, the Nazis suspected Wigert could no longer be trusted and launched a disinformation campaign, publically exposing her as a Nazi spy, as revenge. Her subsequent film career suffered for it.
LEIF SINDING: Norwegian film director and journalist, seen early in the film coaxing Wigert to go to Terboven's dinner party. During the Nazi occupation of Norway, Sinding allied himself closely with the Nazis and was a member of the Nazi-affiliated Norwegian political party. For these actions, Sinding served a four-year jail sentence after the end of the War.
THORSTEN AKRELL: A (fictional) Lieutenant within "C-Bureau," the World War II Swedish Intelligence Agency. Akrell appears to be reporting to C-Bureau founder and operator Carl Petersén.
PATRIK: A (fictional) freelance photographer & paparazzi.
JOSEF TERBOVEN: Reich Commissioner (ie, Governor) of Norway, a long-time Hitler loyalist. Hitler appointed Terboven to this position as soon as Norway was occupied; Terboven held the position until the end of World War II. Wigert was Terboven's mistress for a time, in order to spy on him, and to lobby for release of her father from a Norwegian Nazi prison. Terboven committed suicide in Norway when Germany surrendered.
ANDOR GELLÉRT: A Hungarian journalist and diplomat who spied for Great Britain & the American OSS while attached to the Hungarian Embassy in Sweden. Wigert had an affair with Gellért. Though not revealed in the movie, Gellért operated under codename 'Willard.' After the War, Gellért relocated to New York City and ran the Hungarian desk at Radio Free Europe.
AUGUST FINKE: Head of Sicherheitsdienst (Nazi Intelligence) in Sweden, under cover of 'Assistant Commercial Attaché, German Embassy, Sweden.' Finke was exposed by Wigert and eventually arrested and deported. In this film Finke is spying under (the fictitious) codename 'Maria.'
BARON BERND VON GOSSLER: A key Sicherheitsdienst agent operated by August Finke, under cover of 'Chief, German Tourist Bureau, Sweden.' Gossler was also exposed by Wigert and also eventually arrested and deported.
THIRD, here is a synopsis of Act III that will help post-viewers put it all together. I think most of the Act III confusion stems from the movie not really explaining what part Gellért really played in all this; once you understand that Gellért was spying, not for Germany, but for the Allies, and doing so unknown to the Swedes, it's all a good bit more clear:
During some pillow-talk, Terboven asks Wigert to spy for the Nazis in Sweden and she agrees. Back in Stockholm her new Nazi contact reaches out and reveals to be von Gossler (whom she earlier met at parties, along with Finke). Von Gossler tells Wigert to seek out information about a possible Allied invasion of Sweden and also about a suspected leak in their Nazi spy organization. Von Gossler also reveals he knows about Wigert's ongoing affair with Gellért ... information that would place her in grave danger were Terboven to be told.
Wigert meets with Akrell; she needs real intelligence to give to von Gossler. Wigert says he might have 'some assets to spare' in order to discover the identity of Maria. Akrell reveals that he also is aware of Wigert's ongoing affair with Gellért. Akrell is suspicious of Gellért's movements and wants more information on Gellért as well.
Wigert and Gellért spend time together at Gellért's remote waterside cabin. While Gellért is sleeping, Wigert snoops Gellért's luggage and finds a portfolio of photographs of defensive artillery with geo-coordinates. Now she knows that Akrell was correct; Gellért is also a spy (for someone). Wigert notices the photos are watermarked as from "Olsson's Foto." Wigert knows this to be the same photo lab that Patrik uses because earlier he handed her a canister of film from her own photoshoot that was labeled the same. Later in the night, Wigert sees Gellért hand off the portfolio to a small speedboat that briefly docks to receive it.
Back in Stockholm, Gellért proposes but Wigert declines. Wigert stakes out Olsson's Foto, watching for Patrik so she can follow him back to his apartment. Once inside, Wigert sees the apartment is filled with similar intelligence photos, of coastlines, harbors and such. Patrik reveals he has been taking the photos requested via letters from a well-paying anonymous client and dead-dropping them in a Haga Park garbage can. Wigert is spotted leaving with the photos by someone unknown.
Wigert takes the photos and gives them to Akrell; she thinks that it is Maria who will arrive at the garbage can to pick them up. Akrell dead-drops the photos in the garbage can but nobody arrives to pick them up. Wigert realizes that she must have been seen leaving Patrik's apartment with the photos ... and so Patrik is 'blown.' She and Akrell rush to Patrik's apartment to find Patrik dead. ((A likely plot-hole; one would well wonder why Patrik was killed given he did not know who his client was.)) Akrell believes the photos were being taken for use by Gellért.
Wigert meets Gellért for a drink; Akrell has their booth 'bugged' and their conversation recorded. Wigert confronts Gellért with some of the photos from Patrik's apartment, causing Gellért to realize that Wigert is spying (for someone). Wigert further tips her hand by accusing Gellért of being Maria. ((Wigert's accusation is incorrect. Though not explicitly revealed in the film, Gellért was collecting the intelligence for the British and the American OSS, in case they decided to pre-empt a Nazi invasion of neutral Sweden with an Allied invasion of neutral Sweden.)) Gellért bolts and escapes.
Since Wigert now thinks Gellért is Maria, she fears her own cover is also now 'blown' with the Nazis. Wigert tries to put her 'toothpaste back in the tube' by contacting von Gossler, saying she has found the leak in the Nazi organization and will reveal the identity, but only to Maria. ((Wigert is thinking that Gellért as Maria has already revealed her to the Nazis as a spy ... but that von Gossler will think Gellért merely discovered that Wigert has been spying for the Nazis and that Wigert can still be trusted because she is trying to reveal Gellért to them as the leak. Von Gossler will assume that Wigert knows of codename Maria from her trysts with Terboven. Plus if the meet is straight-up, Wigert will discover, with certainty, the identity of Maria.)) Wigert tips off Akrell about the meet, so he can capture the true Maria.
Von Gossler has surmised it would be safer if he turns up unannounced at Wigert's place the night before. Von Gossler begins to question Wigert as to whether she might be a double-agent, but she calls his bluff. A car pulls up, Wigert gets in and inside Finke reveals himself to be Maria. Before Wigert even gives up the identity of the leak, Finke says that they have long suspected Gellért as the leak, as he had full access to the German Embassy. ((This sounds like a plot-hole; Gellért would have had full run of the Hungarian Embassy, not the German Embassy.)) Finke and von Gossler think Gellért is hiding at the waterside cabin and they take Wigert with them to go there and find him.
When they arrive, they search the cabin area but do not find Gellért. But they do find a suitcase filled with photographs that confirm Gellért is the leak. Wigert sees a pot boiling in the back room, so she knows Gellért is there somewhere. Gellért locks the front door from the outside and begins spreading gasoline around the cabin intending to burn them all up. But when he sees Wigert is also inside, he changes his mind and instead hides under the floor of a secondary cabin. Wigert sees this but the rest do not. Wigert leads them away from the cabins to where Gellért's rowboat is docked. While they are distracted, Gellért slips away and steals the speedboat that brought Finke, von Gossler and Wigert to the cabin. The speedboat tears away from the shore; Gellért has escaped. ((Since Finke and von Gossler do not kill Wigert, we can assume her 'ruse' about planning to reveal Gellért as the leak to Maria was successful.))
Back in Stockholm, Finke and von Gossler, blown by Wigert, are arrested for espionage. Akrell has Wigert's parents smuggled out of Norway and into Sweden. ((How, exactly, her father was first sprung from the Norwegian Nazi prison is never explained.)) Akrell says Gellért cannot be found, speculating that Gellért was working for the Americans and could be hiding in London or America. ((In real life, Gellért WAS working for the Americans and the British.)) Akrell gifts Wigert a commemorative engraved lighter for her service to Sweden.
Hopefully all this helps your understanding of the film.
A Good Movie
iwalrus12 June 2021
Life is composed mostly of grays (not black & white).
michaelmalak12 November 2023
Incredibly well-told true story, packaged in under 2 hours.
Story that kept me intrigued and interested throughout.
Our heroin starts off as a privileged, spoiled, and career-driven climbing Norwegian actress not very much interested in the world at war and her country's oppression under the Nazi yoke.
But when personally affected by a despotic brutality of the Nazi administrators in her Country, she steps up to the plate and consciously puts her future acting career (and life) on the line. The point of whether she puts the interest of her Country before her own acting ambitions, or whether she is simply motivated by her family's predicament with Nazis was to me not completely clear in the film, perhaps it was intentional on the part of the director, perhaps to this day nobody knows what her real motivation was. Perhaps Sonja Wigert herself, before she died wasn't able to define her own motivation, perhaps it was a combination of factors. But when the time came she did the noble thing and put others before her own safety and career.
Fantastic acting from all characters.
Story that kept me intrigued and interested throughout.
Our heroin starts off as a privileged, spoiled, and career-driven climbing Norwegian actress not very much interested in the world at war and her country's oppression under the Nazi yoke.
But when personally affected by a despotic brutality of the Nazi administrators in her Country, she steps up to the plate and consciously puts her future acting career (and life) on the line. The point of whether she puts the interest of her Country before her own acting ambitions, or whether she is simply motivated by her family's predicament with Nazis was to me not completely clear in the film, perhaps it was intentional on the part of the director, perhaps to this day nobody knows what her real motivation was. Perhaps Sonja Wigert herself, before she died wasn't able to define her own motivation, perhaps it was a combination of factors. But when the time came she did the noble thing and put others before her own safety and career.
Fantastic acting from all characters.
WOW!!
lanatavina23 November 2019
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