There has been some coverage recently of the famous Christmas Truce during the first winter of WWI. A British company even made a commercial based on it.
Here is the historical background: On Christmas Eve on the Western Front spontaneous cease-fires broke out along parts of the front. They started in some cases with the Germans putting up Christmas trees and candles along their parapets and singing carols like "Silent Night". The British or French responded with their own songs and then the mood caused some brave souls to go into No Man's Land to fraternize. Gifts, food, and drinks were exchanged. In one case, a soccer (football) game was played between a Scottish unit and a German unit. The commercial does a good job of portraying this. It does not attempt to portray the story I tell my class about how the match was between a Scotish unit and a German unit. The Scots won, partly because the wind would blow up their kilts and they were in the habit of not wearing underwear so it distracted the German footballers. Believe that if you want. I want to.
There have been two movies that have focused on the event. "Oh! What a Lovely War" has an extended scene about it. Watch it here:
The movie "Joyeux Noel" is based on the incident. It really enhances the tale, but in a very entertaining way. Here is the "Silent Night" scene:
This
year my Christmas selection is the movie “Silent Night”.It was made for television (Hallmark) and
released in 2002.It was directed by
Rodney Gibbons and stars Linda Hamilton.It is based on a true story that is set in the Battle of the Bulge at
Christmas time in 1944. You can watch the entire movie on You Tube.
The
movie begins with an elderly German named Fritz reminiscing with a young
American about his grandfather who he had met in the war.The movie then proceeds into flash back
mode.Fritz (Matthew Harbour) and his
mother Elizabeth Vincken (Linda Hamilton) are refugees from the fighting in the
Ardennes.Elizabeth thinks their cabin
in the woods will be a safe haven from the war.They plan on a quiet, uneventful Christmas eve.That is ruined when three American soldiers
barge in.One of them is wounded (Michael
Elkin as Pvt. Ridgin).Sgt. Blank (Alain
Goulem) is very distrustful of Elizabeth (and any German for that matter), but Pvt. Rassi (Romano Orzari) bonds
with Fritz.Three is a party, six is a
movie as three Germans arrive to complicate matters.Rassi bluffs them into surrendering, but then
the forceful Mrs. Vincken insists that the opposing sides agree to a truce and
leave all the weapons outside.The deal
is reluctantly agreed to with Blank and Lt. Klosterman (Martin Neufeld) both
wink-winking.Klosterman is a hard-core
Nazi who implies that Elizabeth will be held accountable for not warning them
about the Americans.He also wonders why
Fritz is not in the Hitler Youth at the ripe old age of 12.Sgt. Mueller (Mark Antony Krupa) helps with
Ridgin’s wound.
A
shared meal and conversations encourage empathy and camaraderie among the
soldiers.The sergeants make a
connection over singing “Oh Christmas Tree” and Blank and Klosterman debate
Nazism.Next comes trimming the
Christmas tree and the obligatory singing of “Silent Night”.It all comes to a screeching halt when
Klosterman notices Rassi has an Iron Cross souvenir.Klosterman’s decorated brother was stripped
when he was killed.Not a good moment
for Ridgin to enter with a pistol. It's a "Midnight Clear" scenario. The
interlude comes to an end the next morning when an American MP arrives.Or is he?
“Silent
Night” is a sweet little Christmas movie and should leave a warm spot even for
Scrooges.It is decidedly made for TV
and if you are looking for action…The
acting starts out weak, but the actors seem to calm down and play it more
naturally as the movie proceeds.Hamilton is the only star and she anchors the film. It would be interesting to know whether the real Elizabeth Vincken was critical of the Nazi regime. In the movie, she openly questions the war and flat out tells Klosterman she will not allow her son to serve.The other actors are no names who emote adequately.The characters are stock (ex. the scrounger), but
well-developed.The dialogue is fine if
a bit Hallmarkish.At least it’s not
mawkish.The movie is not overtly
religious, but it won’t turn you into an atheist. There is certainly a strong theme of we are all humans after all.The ending has a nice twist to it.
“Silent
Night” is not in a league with “Joyeux Noel” or “A Midnight Clear”, but it is a
nice choice if you want something that combines war and Christmas.See the spoiler report below on how much of the
story is true.
Grade=B-
HOW
TRUE IS IT?The
basic scenario is true, but the details are enhanced for our viewing pleasure
and so we won’t fall asleep.The Vincken’s
did take refuge in a cabin.Three
Americans did join them and one of them was wounded.Unlike the movie, the Germans did not speak
English.Who wants to read subtitles in
a made for TV movie?The three Germans
knocked before being invited in by Elizabeth.She did require them to leave their weapons outside and they did agree
to a truce.One of the Germans did help with
the wounded American.The group shared a
meal of stew.The next day the two trios
parted without incident.Overall,
acceptable artistic license for a movie that was not meant to be an important
historical retelling.
