Bobby's War () is a 1974 Norwegian drama film directed by Arnljot Berg. It was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Robert Lund, an unemployed and alcoholic jazz musician, has sole responsibility for his son, Bobby. The two live in a squalid apartment where debt collectors and creditors make their daily existence bleak. Lacking both a job and money, Robert is forced to provide for their needs through questionable means. As he struggles to find musical gigs, father and son escape their grim reality by retreating into a world of dreams and fantasies.
To add color to their lives, Robert spins increasingly fantastic tall tales. These stories evolve from accounts of his glory days as a musician to claims of a secret past as a spy and a master criminal. Bobby adores these stories, and even when it becomes clear that his father is not telling the truth, he chooses to repress the reality. Amidst this, Bobby finds a new confidant in an unlikely figureâÂÂa German soldier who becomes a friend and helps them during their darkest moments. Ultimately, the roles reverse as BobbyâÂÂs growing strength and love for his father provide a sense of hope even after they have lost everything.