When neutral Norway was invaded in 1940, about 30,000 Norwegians at sea had already been under siege by the Germans for months. In November 1939, the Scandinavian country’s government struck a deal with the British: They would use Norway’s merchant ships, and the civilians on them, to aid in the war effort. Soon, the people aboard the 1,100 vessels became unwitting “war sailors.” In addition to carrying supplies across the world to support the Allies — Great Britain, France, the USSR and, in 1941, the US — the sailors battled the Germans, who, along with Italy and Japan, formed the Axis powers. In all, around 4,000 died, and despite the valor of these everyday Norwegians, their stories went largely untold. What happened to the merchant fleet — which didn’t quite qualify as military — was more or less forgotten.
Written and directed by Gunnar Vikene (Vegas, Borderliner, Pørni), War Sailor tells the story of two dock workers who become civilian fighters during World War II while their merchant ship is in Allied waters. The limited series stars Kristoffer Joner, Pål Sverre Hagen and Ine Marie Wilmann. It features new and unreleased footage from the 2022 film of the same name, which was a critical success and Norway’s most expensive movie production to date. Vikene adapted the film into this series.
War Sailor is available to stream now on Netflix.
Watch the trailer below.
To read about the cast and characters, head over to this guide.
Ine Marie Wilmann in ‘War Sailor’
Close friends Alfred and Sigbjørn are working on a cargo vessel in the Atlantic Ocean when World War II breaks out. Out of necessity, everyone on the ship becomes civilian fighters on the front lines of the war, battling against the Germans — who at any moment could attack from their submarines. While the men fight, Alfred’s wife, Cecilia, and their three children struggle to survive in occupied Norway. As bombs drop, Alfred and Sigbjørn wonder if their homes will still be there when — or if — they return.
Yes. The series is based on the lives of Norway’s merchant sailors and their families. While the characters in the movie are inspired by real people, Vikene considers his depiction fictional.
War Sailor takes place between 1939 and 1972 across the Atlantic Ocean and in Norway, Malta, England, New York, Canada and Singapore.
