Arctic Convoy, The (2023)

[bunniefuu]

- Ready the lifeboat!

- Leave that.

We haven't been hit yet.

- The bridge is mine.

- The bridge is yours, Captain.

Lamp signal from no. 11.

U-boat observed.

And more from 21.

- Any updates?

- No traffic since last time.

We're dropping astern.

Maintain half speed ahead.

Roger.

But I have a piston leak here.

U-boat bearing, 075 degrees.

The bridge is yours.

Only essential crew on deck.

I need tracers.

Just load it.

You should be able to do this

with your eyes closed.

Yes.

- See anything?

- Nothing worth firing at.

Captain!

- Hard to starboard.

- Hard to starboard.

Submarine, starboard side!

Box!

Hi. We received

a message last night.

No. 34 was the ship

that was lost.

No. 21 has engine trouble

and is returning to Iceland.

That was the steamship

next to us.

The escort hit the U-boat

with depth charges.

And four Heinkel planes were

intercepted before reaching us.

Good.

The Brits appear

to be doing their job.

What's that stench?

- What are you doing?

- My apologies.

This is our logbook.

You're making a mess!

The second radio operator

is a pig.

Can we replace him?

The bosun says he's the seaman

who's best at Morse code.

"Pig"?

What does that mean?

What's it mean?

He may know Morse code,

but he knows nothing

about manners.

That little runt

went straight from his

confirmation to a radio.

- Too much cargo around the g*n?

- He's just being finicky.

We're moving some crates now,

so he'll get his will.

Has everyone met

our new first mate?

Tune that,

before I toss it overboard.

I'm trying.

Aren't there enough cabins?

On the last convoy, a torpedo

caused the gunner's

cabin door to jam.

Then it's better

to bunk in the mess.

Otherwise everything is normal.

With the exception of Evensen.

He has crabs.

It doesn't itch anymore.

- Excuse me, you forgot this.

- Thanks.

We stayed too long in Iceland.

Can't give these boys

shore leave anywhere.

But it turned out to be

a diversionary tactic.

The entire airbase

was made out of wood,

particleboard and nails.

It was worthless.

Like the Norwegian armed forces.

But from the air

it was a tempting target.

So the Germans are excited

as the British planes approach.

But they only drop

one single b*mb.

And when that b*mb

hits the runway,

it doesn't explode.

Then the Germans see

that the b*mb

is made out of a stump.

And on that stump is written,

"You got wood!"

Why risk sending

an aircraft and a pilot

over enemy territory

for something like that?

The temptation was too strong.

Any military leader

wants to show

the enemy he has the upper hand.

No good leader would let himself

be governed by temptation.

It's irresponsible

to follow random whims

and not think long-term.

You get cowardly decisions.

You talking about

our prime minister?

Why not?

Hemingway said, "Courage

is grace under pressure."

Our prime minister

has no idea what that is.

Hemingway also said

w*r is not won by victory.

Maybe that's

what the prime minister meant.

That he can choose

not to join the w*r?

He refuses to do the job

he was appointed to do.

Sent his wife and kids to Sweden

and escaped to London.

Encouraged passive resistance.

People wear paper clips

on their lapels

and call that resistance.

Know how our prime minister

drinks his coffee?

He has to use both hands.

Remember that guy in the galley?

Gundersen?

The one who was a little ...

- slow?

- Poor thing.

Couldn't tell German planes

from British.

Terrified, no matter what.

What do you know

about the first mate?

Plenty of experience.

He's been a captain.

There's something about him.

When he's alone on the bridge,

I'd like to know what it is.

You're always so skeptical.

Give him some time.

Any news?

Nothing.

I heard what you said

to the captain.

I didn't come here

straight from my confirmation.

My father taught me Morse code

when I was seven.

And I've taken

a radio operator course.

My plan was to become

an electrician.

But I promise to do a good job.

And I won't ever eat

pickled herring in here again.

I promise.

What the hell does this mean?

This can't be right.

- Are you sure?

- Yes.

Wait, here comes another one.

Close the door.

"The convoy is

to disperse and ...

proceed to Russian ports."

And then we got this one.

"The convoy is to scatter."

Are we meant to sail alone?

The escort is being withdrawn.

And there's no ...

- No explanation?

- No.

No indication

of inclement weather.

Those damn Brits must want

to use their ships elsewhere.

Yes.

There's also a third reason

to disperse a convoy.

Military superiority.

If the escort doesn't stand

a chance, they'll withdraw it.

Could German battleships

be on their way toward us?

Yes.

The convoy will disperse

in all directions eastward.

If no one is lagging behind,

the entire convoy

is in this approximate area.

Our biggest challenge is

the German air bases

in Northern Norway.

No matter which course

we choose,

we're within range

of their planes.

- Why disperse?

- We can't read the Brits' mind.

- Message them.

- We can't. Radio silence.

Damn the radio silence!

We've been betrayed here!

Hey! If I send a message now,

I'll reveal everyone's position.

We hit some wreckage.

We're okay.

Are they sleeping

on duty up there?

No, the fog is thick.

I'll go up.

The second telegram says nothing

about continuing

toward Murmansk.

Our mission is crystal clear.

Captain?

We have engine trouble.

It would be wisest

to return to Iceland.

We wouldn't be the first ship

to turn back.

What do you think, Mrk?

- I don't know.

- You don't know?

You have to have an opinion.

If I'm incapacitated, you have

to make the decisions here.

What say you?

I say

we return to Iceland.

Yes. I agree.

Why?

To ... avoid engine failure.

We have no stern

or bridge-wing weapons.

We aren't equipped

to sail alone.

And our allies

who need supplies?

The Soviets?

A year ago they were

best buddies with the Nazis.

You're right.

The British have failed us.

- Yes.

- But we aren't failing anyone.

We'll maintain our course.

That's the last thing

the Germans expect.

- We can increase our speed.

- No, no, no.

Half steam is the fastest

we can go.

The condenser will fail

if I increase the pressure.

That's enough.

It's settled.

What do we tell the crew?

No more than they need to know.

Where's the bosun?

He was on deck earlier, captain.

Captain?

The convoy has dispersed.

Double the lookouts.

They're dispersing

the freighters?

And our escort?

The escort will remain,

but at a further distance.

So I want to be

on the safe side.

Aye, aye.

Enter.

You asked for me?

Have a seat.

I have read your papers.

You were captain on D/S Jutland.

Yes.

And you are already back at sea.

Impressive.

Did you end up in the water?

No.

It's nothing to be ashamed of.

A little fear of water is good.

Keeps us focused.

Many of the best naval officers

have a fear of water.

So if you have anything

to tell me, say it now.

Yes.

We were torpedoed.

But I assume you've read that.

It took 30 minutes

for the ship to sink.

So we had plenty of time.

Everyone made it

into the lifeboat.

There were 16 of us.

You managed

to keep your wits about you?

It wasn't as bad as people say.

Good.

But never share

that story again.

Everyone knows a captain

who has lost his ship,

is bad luck.

And if fear

is allowed to spread,

it will spread like the plague.

I consider this ship a coffin.

Every time I step on board,

I depart this life.

Then there's nothing

more to fear.

This is the coffin lid.

We just got a distress signal.

Torpedoed. Everything indicates

she went down.

Distress signals

from four ships.

The last was no. 18.

They're going down.

It looks like

all four have been hit.

What do you think?

We can still turn back.

That would be a detour,

if we're going to Murmansk.

Maintain same bearing and speed.

Keep me posted.

The bridge is mine.

You brought a*mo into the cabin?

You can blow

the whole cabin sky high!

Go sleep in the galley.

Tell Lars you have

to learn to shut up

before returning

to the Swede's cabin.

Give me that.

What kind of a g*n did you have

on your last boat?

- I don't know.

- You don't know?

No, I was a mess boy.

We were never

anywhere near the enemy.

If you've managed to evade

the enemy this long,

you've been lucky.

That's one thing you can't get

enough of in a place like this.

First mate?

- What is it?

- Ship to port.

- Maintain bearing.

- Maintaining bearing.

Could it be the tanker that sent

those distress signals?

Evensen?

We're launching the lifeboat.

Find the bosun.

Aye, aye.

Set course for the ship.

Setting course for the ship.

Are you sure about this?

Slow ahead.

I said stay the course.

Why are they readying

the lifeboat?

A ship is in distress.

We're rescuing them.

It's ill*gal to stop

in a convoy.

We're no longer in a convoy.

- Hard to starboard.

- Hard to starboard.

What the hell was that?

Damn.

Mines. They've made it

all the way out here.

- See those mines?

- Yes.

In between there.

Come on.

Can you confirm full stop?

That is correct.

Mines dead ahead.

- How will we steer?

- We aren't steering.

Find the bosun.

We have to lower someone down

to push aside the mines

that come too close.

Use the youngest boys.

Lars, we need boathooks, rope

and climbing nets on the bow.

Aye, aye.

I need you, Evensen, and ...

Bergvik.

Isaksen.

And you, Sigurd.

Don your life vests

and get out on deck. Move!

Over the gunwale.

We're still drifting forward.

Come on!

Prepare starboard side!

Sigurd?

This one is yours.

You can do it.

Just don't hit the firing pins.

Easy, easy.

Isaksen, that one is yours!

Well done.

Come on.

I've got you.

Good job.

You're OK.

Isaksen?

Here comes another one.

- Isaksen!

- No!

Bring the rope!

Man overboard!

Man overboard!

Get me a rope!

Isaksen!

Help him!

Isaksen, grab the rope!

Help me!

Come back!

Mrk?

Did someone fall overboard?

Skar?

The second radio operator.

We'll make it.

The bridge is yours.

Next time you want to thin

the ranks, do it yourself!

We saved the ship and the cargo.

He did it. He was a boy!

My job is to make

tough decisions.

Yours was not to steer us

into a minefield.

If we had held my course,

he never would have

ended up in the water.

Let me help you with your shirt.

Where are Isaksen's possessions?

Is this his?

And this?

No, that's Olof's.

Try to keep things

tidier in here.

I need to get off this ship.

- Engine status?

- Are you listening? I can't ...

You listen to me!

No one is here

of their own free will.

Erik, you have

the most important job on board.

If the engine fails, we're done.

If you can get us to Murmansk

one more time, I'll help you.

I know a doctor there.

You'll be discharged

if I tell him you're sick.

OK.

Syphilis, maybe?

So, what's the status?

If we can keep it under

half steam, we should be fine.

Good.

Now eat.

What are you doing here, anyway?

What do you mean?

Sweden is neutral.

They aren't part

of the w*r effort.

There's this

German

wood-processing company.

In Munich.

Called Koch & Seidelman.

Ever heard of it?

They make stocks

for the Mauser Karabiner 98k

and other German g*ns.

And that wood comes from,

among other places,

a forest in Hrryda,

outside Gteborg.

From trees I played in

as a child.

We didn't have much,

but we had a small forest.

And when the Germans cut off

all other trade routes ...

You have to earn a living.

But no one's

exactly proud of it.

So I wanted another story

about my family as well.

If it were me,

I would have stayed home.

I would do anything

not to be here.

I need Isaksen's possessions.

Here are his books.

None of the other boys

know Morse code,

so you'll have to ...

Fine.

There's trouble

in the crew mess.

I usually send my first mate

to take care of that.

If you think you can handle it.

Rumors about the escort

have spread.

They deserve an explanation.

We lost a man today.

Do they really need

more bad news?

"A man"?

Don't you even know his name?

I don't know any of their names.

His name was Isaksen.

And I think

you should deal with this.

"Distress signal.

Torpedo. Ship sinking."

"We have been bombed.

Abandoning ship now."

They're sending us straight to

hell without batting an eyelid!

Yes.

I have informed your crew

that we no longer have an escort

and that our captain

is leading us

on a g*dd*mn suicide mission!

Listen up.

It's true that our situation

has taken a turn for the worse.

That knowledge is a burden

that should not

rest on the crew.

You have failed in your duty.

Chosen to spread

fear and anxiety.

That benefits no one.

Sit down.

Fortunately

the bosun is wrong.

There are advantages

to the convoy dispersing.

Now we can choose

our own bearing and speed.

At full speed,

no U-boat can catch us.

The Soviets are our allies.

They need help.

Thousands of them

die every day

fighting the Germans

on the Eastern Front.

Should we have it any easier?

Do you hope someone else

will do your job for you?

Norway had no defense.

I was in a trench in Rena

when the Germans came.

We had four r*fles for 18 men.

Ran out of a*mo in an hour.

We didn't stand a chance

and Norway was lost.

We can thank our government

for downsizing the military

and fleeing the country.

We lost a man today.

Isaksen.

But he didn't die in vain.

He died for the cargo

on this ship.

If the Soviets get

these reinforcements,

they will push the Germans back.

We can give them the opportunity

our fighters never got.

And this w*r will end.

Our contribution,

Isaksen's contribution,

makes that difference.

And that is how

we will get home.

Captain?

Captain, this is no good.

Assemble the officers

so we can discuss ...

Distress signal from no. 23.

It was cut off.

No coordinates.

Ragnhild, do you see

what's happening?

Skar's plan has gone wrong.

You may not understand

all his decisions.

No. And you know what?

I'm not the only one.

Soon the crew

will turn on him again.

But he listens to you.

He's crossed the Atlantic

15 times.

He knows what he's doing.

No, he doesn't.

He's lying to the crew,

that's what he's doing.

We have received distress

signals from half the ships.

Doesn't mean they've been lost.

We need to change course.

Captain,

I think we can see no. 23.

It was attacked

a few minutes ago.

What's so hard to understand?

Even Ragnhild agrees.

Why can't you see

this is hopeless?

I've heard enough from you,

you coward.

All you do is whine!

You're terrified

and full of crap!

You only think about yourself.

Instead of taking

responsibility.

All you can say is

"stay the course"!

How did things go

the last time you were captain?

Exactly. If you want to save

more lives than your own,

stay the course.

Airplane starboard bow!

Only essential crew on deck.

Now!

Get below deck.

Move!

Lars!

Get everyone below deck!

Everyone below deck!

Go! Everyone below deck!

Move!

Come on!

Everyone below deck!

Below deck!

Get below deck!

Bolt!

Pull!

Take cover!

Evensen!

Remain calm!

Find something to stop the leak!

Here, hold this!

Turn the bow toward the plane.

Flank speed!

You can't mean that.

Flank speed!

Increase the pressure!

As soon as the Swede has fired,

hard to starboard!

Magazine!

Sigurd!

Fire on deck!

There's fire on the deck!

Lars!

Fire on deck!

Stay down here!

Ready!

- Hard to starboard!

- Hard to starboard!

Come on, get us around!

One more turn.

Sigurd!

Magazine!

Evensen!

Evensen, get out of there!

One more turn!

There we go.

Sigurd!

Hey! Hey!

Hey! Evensen,

we have to get below deck!

- They're coming back!

- Hurry, hurry!

Stay down, stay down!

Come on!

Magazine!

Come on!

Come on, Evensen!

Ready!

Get down!

Come on.

Go, go, go!

The bridge has been hit!

Bring him down to the galley.

Maintain bearing.

Where the hell is it?

It's coming around again.

Hard to port!

Hard to port!

We have to get

this fragment out.

Cut his clothes.

We're giving you some morphine.

OK, hold it open.

I ...

You hold him, Lars.

Steer the bow toward the plane.

Easy to starboard.

Straight now.

Steady course.

Good job.

Here.

Excellent.

Scissors.

Cut there.

Well done.

He's sleeping now.

Ready!

- Steady course!

- Steady course!

Hold it ...

Fire!

Fire!

We got it.

- We hit it?

- Yes.

We got it.

Are you okay?

Yes.

Evensen?

Will he make it?

If he doesn't have

internal bleeding.

How long will the morphine last?

I don't know.

A couple hours, maybe.

Do we have more?

Yes.

I'll check his condition

when he wakes up again.

No.

As long as he's unconscious,

I'm in charge.

What do you mean?

We can save the entire crew.

We can return to Iceland.

- You'll be arrested.

- I take full responsibility.

I want no part of this.

- You don't?

- No.

- I need you on the bridge.

- No.

- I need you on the bridge!

- Not a chance.

The bridge!

Now.

We won't get this chance again.

Please.

I'm not giving him that shot.

Hey!

I made it very clear

we can't run full steam ahead.

The captain was injured

during the attack.

Will he make it?

Yes, we think so.

But he's out of commission.

I'm in command for now.

- Fire up the engine.

- It's dead.

We have multiple steam leaks

and the propeller shaft

is about to fail.

We can go slow for a few miles,

but we need a full shutdown

for 12-14 hours

to get this mess working again.

Why has the engine stopped?

It needs to be repaired.

The chief needs

at least 12 hours.

Twelve hours?

I'm still receiving

distress signals.

I don't know how many are left.

And you want us to drift

around like a sitting duck

for 12 hours?

We can go a few more miles

at slow speed.

What's your plan?

I don't know.

- You don't know?

- No, I don't know!

I need us to stand together now.

Give me everything you've got

for as long as you can.

Change course.

340 degrees.

340 degrees.

We lost Evensen.

The captain

is seriously injured.

The engine is about to fail.

We have significant damage

to the hull and deck.

I know this isn't

what you needed to hear.

But all hope is not lost.

It isn't.

We are sailing north.

Out of range of German planes.

The drift ice is so thick

that U-boats are of no use.

That will give us time

to make the necessary repairs.

So we can remain afloat.

Jesus, help me feel peace

You don't have to do

this for me.

Do it for each other.

And for those waiting for us

back home.

Let me hear Your voice

One line for every downed plane.

Give me your arm.

I haven't shot down any planes.

It applies to both gunner

and gunner's mate.

I learned that

at the naval academy.

We were just attacked

by two German planes

and almost blown sky high.

This is a little needle.

With some ink.

Sit still.

You okay?

My mom will k*ll me

if she sees this.

I'm sure she'll forgive you.

I got my first one

at a tattoo parlor

in Halifax, Canada.

The tattoo artist was shitfaced.

But so was I.

So I figured,

dammit,

I might as well do it myself.

Now there's no longer any doubt

that you have met the enemy.

To Evensen.

And Isaksen.

And Olof.

Who is Olof?

The man who had your job

before you.

My brother.

So, nine lines.

No matter what,

I want at least one more

before this w*r is over.

That's just how it is.

The ice is too thick.

It's frozen solid.

Can't even load it.

No problem.

We're far enough north anyway.

How much time do you need?

I don't know.

It'll take as long as it takes.

In the meantime

we're keeping the boiler warm.

Just enough to heat the ship.

Without any visible smoke

from the funnel.

Mrk?

I just wanted you to know

that I have an agreement

with the captain.

He promised

that I'll get discharged

as soon as we arrive

in Murmansk.

No.

I wouldn't believe

everything he says.

It looks like

this might just work.

If the chief can fix the engine

and the crew can rest,

we may get past the North Cape

without being spotted.

After that,

we'll have Russian support.

I wouldn't count on that.

Why not?

I've waited for help

from the Russians before.

In a lifeboat with 15 other men.

We were so close to Murmansk,

we expected help at any minute.

Half the men froze to death

the first night.

Two of them were frozen

to the lifeboat.

We couldn't get them overboard.

Three ships passed us

the next day.

No one picked us up.

On the last ship,

they stood waving on deck.

Only

four of us survived.

We won't get any help.

We are all alone.

Maybe that's to our advantage

this time.

They won't be expecting

one lone ship

several days after the others.

Skar is missing.

I'll search down here,

you go up.

Skar?

How are you feeling?

You remember

you were injured, right?

I remember there was trouble

in the crew mess.

And that I armed myself.

Then I woke up,

locked in my cabin with no g*n.

I had to ...

I locked it in your safe.

And I didn't want the crew

to disturb you,

so I locked your door.

The Swede managed

to down the plane.

But the ship sustained

significant damage.

And we lost a seaman.

Evensen.

I saw that.

It was surprising

to look outside.

White,

as far as the eye can see.

We appear to be

significantly off course.

Yes, we have stopped

between Spitsbergen and Hopen.

To have time to repair

the engine undisturbed.

It broke down.

Mrk?

- Yes?

- Another plane.

There's a plane to starboard.

Far away. Impossible

to determine its course.

There's a chance

it won't see us.

East of Spitsbergen is well

within range of German planes.

What were you thinking?

They'll come.

Have the Swede man the g*n.

It's frozen.

What?

We have three Bofors g*ns

in the cargo bay.

Know how to use it?

A Bofors 40 mm L/60.

Swedish.

Who said Sweden

doesn't contribute?

We can't get it up on deck

without a crane.

We'll have to do it

through the cargo hatch.

I can no longer see the plane.

But the weather is lifting.

We're too visible.

They'll spot us.

- Ragnhild?

- Yes.

What color was this ship

before it was painted gray?

Lower the foot plate.

I found it!

White paint.

Captain,

we have a load of white paint.

Permission to use it

on the hull?

It will be harder to spot us

if we blend in with the ice.

If that's what you need to calm

your nerves, by all means.

Grab everything you can find.

We'll get one chance.

The plane has to pass

right over us.

We'll be ready when it comes.

Lars?

Keep lookout.

Let us know if the plane starts

heading toward us.

Aye, aye.

I see a Junkers 88.

About five miles away.

It's coming toward us.

Four miles!

Fire as soon as you have a shot.

It's coming from the southeast.

Turn the cannon

30 degrees to port.

Sigurd.

Stop.

If they have seen us,

they will have reported

to the other planes.

Not necessarily.

It must have.

Ragnhild?

The Germans

will have communicated

our position, right?

Lars, are there more planes

heading our way?

Negative!

It's heading straight for us!

Positions!

Move.

Move!

Lars, are there still

no other planes?

No, only the one.

Three miles.

Get ready.

They haven't seen us.

We're camouflaged. Don't fire!

He's heading straight for us.

We're firing.

Captain, I think he's right.

They would have sent

more planes.

Miss,

and we reveal our position.

Hit it, and we will also reveal

our position.

We're sitting ducks.

If they drop a b*mb, we're done!

But they haven't seen us!

One mile!

- Don't fire.

- Shut up!

You aren't in command

of this ship!

Nine hundred meters!

Pull the trigger as soon

as it's in your sights, Johan.

If you fire now,

we're doomed.

Fire as soon

as you have a chance.

The key is to know when to fire.

Lars, it's up to you!

Ready?

Five hundred meters!

Three hundred meters!

Three!

Two!

I think you should wait.

One!

- Now!

- Fire!

Status?

The engine is ready.

It should be able to run

at full steam now.

Good.

Well done.

Hm?

How are you doing?

Fine.

The engine is ready.

You should rest.

It hurts less when I'm seated.

How long have you been at sea?

Two years

and three months.

Long time to be away

from your kids.

You may not recognize them

when you get back home.

They may not recognize me,

either.

How old are yours?

Those aren't my kids.

Don't you recognize

that little boy on the right?

That's me.

Orphanage.

My family

is in that picture up top.

I found my family among sailors.

There's one thing

you should know

about morphine.

It works equally well just

under the skin or in a muscle.

So there was no point

in injecting it

straight into my carotid artery.

Right.

I ...

I would do the same thing again.

I've always thought

one man should make the calls

on a ship.

Or you'll have anarchy.

Now I'm no longer so sure.

I think I'll rest now.

Yes.

Need any help?

No.

Go ahead.

The bridge is yours, Mrk.

Yes.

Still no distress signals?

I haven't seen any planes,

either.

That doesn't have to mean

that we ...

Thank you.

For supporting me.

I didn't support you.

I said what I thought was right.

Right.

How is he?

Last convoy,

the route ran so close

to the coast

that I could have rowed home.

When were you home last?

Four years ago.

August, '38.

What do you think?

Iceland?

No.

You said it yourself.

No one is expecting a lone ship

several days after the others.

Half speed astern.