Flame and Citron (2009) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in Nazi-occupied Denmark, primarily in Copenhagen where the resistance operates. Stockholm also appears as a crucial hub for escape routes and intelligence connections between resistance networks.

• copenhagen
• stockholm
• denmark
• occupied
• resistance

The events unfold during World War II in the 1940s, specifically when Denmark was under Nazi occupation. This period was defined by constant fear, informants operating within resistance networks, and brutal Gestapo crackdowns.

• wwii
• 1940s
• world war 2
• occupation
• denmark

Bent Faurschou Hviid, known as Flammen (Flame), and Jørgen Haagen Schmith, known as Citronen (Citron), are the two main resistance fighters. Bent is fearless and committed to minimizing civilian harm, while Jørgen is more reckless and decisive, willing to risk everything for the cause.

• bent faurschou hviid
• jørgen haagen schmith
• flammen
• citronen
• resistance fighters

Ketty Selmer works as a courier running messages between Stockholm and Copenhagen. She is later revealed to have a double role, connected to Danish Army Intelligence, and her actions trigger a chain of deadly events that erode trust within the resistance network.

• ketty selmer
• courier
• double agent
• intelligence
• betrayal

Karl Heinz Hoffmann is the high-ranking Gestapo chief in occupied Denmark. He embodies the brutality and efficiency of the Nazi occupation and becomes the primary target of the resistance's plans, with Ketty's information network centering on him.

• karl heinz hoffmann
• gestapo
• chief
• target
• occupation

The film explores how ordinary Danes become fighters against occupation, forcing characters to weigh the cost of violence against liberation. Bent and Jørgen must balance dedication to the cause with the moral implications of their actions, constantly risking retaliation against civilians.

• resistance
• moral choice
• violence
• occupation
• sacrifice

Betrayal threads through the narrative as trust fractures between allies and traitors. Ketty Selmer's double role as courier and intelligence informant leads to deadly consequences, creating a cat-and-mouse dynamic where even friends may be targets. The ambiguity of loyalty drives much of the tension.

• betrayal
• double agent
• trust
• informant
• loyalty

War-time violence forces characters to choose between pragmatism and moral restraint. The suppression of Nazi forces sometimes requires collateral harm, creating guilt and doubt. Personal loyalties collide with public duty, and the bleak ending invites reflection on what truly counts as victory when both protagonists die and their betrayer is rewarded.

• moral ambiguity
• guilt
• duty
• choice
• consequences

Bodil is Jørgen's wife, who endures a strained marriage under the weight of his dangerous resistance work. She discovers he has another lover, reflecting the personal toll of living in wartime secrecy. Her perspective highlights the cost of resistance on family life.

• bodil
• jørgen wife
• family
• sacrifice
• personal cost

The constant threat of Gestapo action permeates every decision in the film. The occupation casts a dark shadow over Copenhagen's bars, safe houses, hotels, and back alleys where clandestine meetings take place, creating an unrelenting atmosphere of danger that defines the resistance's missions.

• gestapo
• danger
• threat
• occupation
• cophenagen

Spex represents Danish Army Intelligence and works within the resistance network. He informs the resistance that there will be no more attacks and signals the need for a strategic pause ahead of a larger assault, representing the political and strategic calculations that shape resistance actions.

• spex
• army intelligence
• strategic pause
• calculations

The film maintains a tense, high-intensity atmosphere driven by the cat-and-mouse dynamic with the Gestapo and internal suspicion within the resistance. The pacing is fast with rapid missions and setbacks. The emotional weight is heavy, culminating in a bleak ending where both protagonists die and their betrayer is rewarded, leaving no room for hope.

• tone
• intensity
• bleak
• emotional
• tragic ending