Joyeux Noel (2005)
"Joyeux Noël" (original title)

On Christmas Eve during world War I, the Germans, French, and Scottish fraternize and get to know the men who live on the opposite side of a brutal war, in what became a true lesson of humanity.

Director:

Christian Carion

Writer:

Christian Carion

Stars:

Diane Kruger, Natalie Dessay, Benno Fürmann

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diane Kruger	...	Anna Sörensen (as Diane Krüger)
Natalie Dessay	...	Anna Sörensen (singing voice)
Benno Fürmann	...	Nikolaus Sprink
Rolando Villazón	...	Nikolaus Sprink (singing voice) (as Rolando Villazon)
Guillaume Canet	...	Audebert
Gary Lewis	...	Palmer
Dany Boon	...	Ponchel
Daniel Brühl	...	Horstmayer
Lucas Belvaux	...	Gueusselin
Alex Ferns	...	Gordon
Steven Robertson	...	Jonathan
Frank Witter	...	Jörg
Bernard Le Coq	...	Le général
Ian Richardson	...	L'évêque
Thomas Schmauser	...	Le Kronprinz

Storyline

In 1914, World War I, the bloodiest war ever at that time in human history, was well under way. However on Christmas Eve, numerous sections of the Western Front called an informal, and unauthorized, truce where the various front-line soldiers of the conflict peacefully met each other in No Man's Land to share a precious pause in the carnage with a fleeting brotherhood. This film dramatizes one such section as the French, Scottish and German sides partake in the unique event, even though they are aware that their superiors will not tolerate its occurrence.

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Plot Keywords:

german | french | christmas | christmas eve | lieutenant | 

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Taglines:

France 1914. A moment of humanity that made history.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Music | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for some war violence and a brief scene of sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site UGC Distribution / Nord-Ouest Production [fr]

Country:

France Germany UK Belgium Romania Norway

Language:

French German English Latin

Release Date:

9 November 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Merry Christmas

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$42,732 (USA) (3 March 2006)

Gross:

$1,050,445 (USA) (30 June 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nord-Ouest Productions, Senator Film Produktion, Bureau, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Lieutenant Audebert (Guillaume Canet) compliments Horstmayer (Daniel Brühl) on his French, Horstmayer replies, "No honor in that; your wife is not German." At the time, Guillaume Canet was married to German actress Diane Kruger, who also starred in the film.

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Goofs

Most of the Christmas Truces began as a mutual agreement by both sides to bury their dead. In absolutely no case was there any record of the incident being started by a singer moving out into No Man's Land carry a lit-up Christmas Tree. In many cases where Germans did venture into No Man's Land, they were shot by snipers.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Enfant francais: Child, upon these maps do heed This black stain to be effaced Omitting it, you would proceed Yet better it in red to trace Later, whatever may come to pass Promise there to go you must To fetch the children of Alsace Reaching out their arms to us May in our fondest France Hope's green saplings to branch And in you, dear child, flower Grow, grow, France awaits its hour.
Enfant anglais: To rid the map of every trace Of Germany and of the Hun We must exterminate that race We must not leave a single ...
[...]

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Connections

References Paths of Glory (1957)

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Soundtracks

"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht"
Words by Joseph Mohr
Music by Franz Gruber
Arranged by Philippe Rombi
Performed by Rolando Villazón (tenor), Bruno Le Rouzic (bagpipes) and Edouard Dubois (harmonica)

User Reviews

Footnote to the movie

This very touching story about a true occurrence during the first Christmas of the Great War is very moving. Although the truce was not a generalized event, it did happen in quite a few areas all along the front line. It was the only moment of sanity in an otherwise gruesome experience in futility. Twenty years later, these same countries would be at it again.Karl Marx said that wars are awful events pitting ordinary people (proletariats) one against another for the benefit of the wealthy, the powerful, the aristocrats. This aspect is depicted very well in this movie. I would just like to add a footnote: Alfred Anderson, the last survivor of the Christmas Truce of 1914 died November 21th, 2005 at a nursing home in his native Scotland. He was 109 years old. Lest we forget.