Flame & Citron (Flammen & Citronen) 2008

This expensive Danish film offers insights into World War II we are not often privy to, a world where the black and white nature of killing the bad guy can be muddied in a single conversation. This cool-headed portrayal of resistance men working as Nazi assassins maintains a gritty suspense throughout, balancing the cool tone by showing glimpses of the impact on the men’s consciences. As the body count grows the film also exposes moral dilemmas as to the righteous actions of the supposed heroes.

There’s little cinematic glamour to detract from the realism of the story, other than the feminine Stine Stengade as Ketty Selmer, an informant who become’s Flame’s lover. That story – and a scene in which one of the pair’s comrades is almost killed – shows the insidious distrust inherent in even the most intimate relationships.

Filmmaker Ole Christian Madsen finds beauty amid the tragedy. The streets of Copenhagen and countryside of North Zealand are artworks in themselves, and the minimal lighting amplifies the emotions of the cast. That’s a good thing because it’s not always easy to root for these aloof men until we learn of their personal lives.

Ultimately, Flame and Citron’s character-driven story brings home the sad yet powerful truth that many lives amounted to nothing more than identities of war. They were two very different men fighting for the same thing.