Operasjon Løvsprett is a Norwegian light comedy with basis in the military, which had good success on national screens in 1962, due to recognizability in military life, as well as having good actors and a good plot. Directed by Knut Andersen and produced by his often used collaborator Knut Bohwim, and written by the acclaimed Bjørn Sand and Bias Bernhoft.
As a comedy this is conventional and fine watching, today quite charming because it gives a good glimpse of the everyday life in and out of the military in 1962. For those not Norwegian, the best reference i guess will be "Dads army" or "Mash".
A bunch of very diverse men are sent to the military for a three week repetition rehearsal. Miilitary service, and repetitions was obligatory to all men being able to serve in Norway back then. These become friends across their differences, and this is an impossible gang to not have trouble with.
We meet the optimistic salesman Goggen, the dreaming car fixer Bottolph and the shipping millionaire Rieber-Larsen Jr. They are played by Norwegian star comedians Arve Opsahl, Rolf Just-Nilsen, Sølvi Wang, Per Asplin, Anita Tallaug, Atne Bendiksen and Carsten Byhring, and lots of others. An amazing national star cast back then. Everyone is getting sick when they find out there's a couldn't pretty nurses at the military hospital, and there's troubles when phone lines are mixing up and boxes of ammunition are mixed with cases of liqueur.
Nevertheless good plot and the comic acting, the film has a bit annoying music, and stupid musical elements, like comedies often had back then, and also unnecessary annoying sound mixing to strengthen points in the film. Today this sound a bit artificial. The production value isn't the greatest, but average for a Norwegian production back then. If you don't consider this as too important, the film is a good temporary watch.
The song which is in the start and ending credits, "Stakkars store, sterke karer" (meaning "poor big, strong fellows") with the Monn Keys, was a big hit and is still a very well known song today. It was nine weeks on the top 10 charts in Norway, but peaked at number 5. The film two years later got a follow up in Operasjon Sjøsprøyt, and was released on DVD February 11th 2004 after digitalization by the Norwegian Film Institute.
