Joyeux Noel. Dir. Christian Carion. Perf.
Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, and Daniel Brühl. Sony Picture Classics, 2005.
The film depicts the
trench warfare of World War I during Christmastime of 1914. The French and
Scots have just battled against the Germans, and both lost many men. The French
and Scottish alliance is led by Lieutenant Audebert and Lieutenant Gordon, and
the Germans are led by Lieutant Hortsmayer. Their infantries are comprised of
common men who are barbers, butchers, and other tradesmen. Among them is Sprink, a German opera tenor, who has been
called to duty for his country, but in turn has had to leave the love of his
life Anna. In a courageous act of love she arranges for Sprink and herself to
perform for the Crown Prince Wilhelm on Christmas Eve. After performing for the
Crown Prince, Sprink is moved by Anna’s tenderness and love which he knew so
well before the war. He decides he will go back to the trenches and sing for
his fellow men. Anna refuses to let him go without her so they go back
together. Sprink sings “Holy Night” to his comrades and the Scots join in
playing the bagpipes in their trenches on the other side of the battlefield.
While singing “Come all Ye Faithful” Sprink emerges from the trenches with a
Christmas tree as sign of peace. The Lieutenants decide to have a ceasefire for
Christmas day to respect the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. The
soldiers exchange gifts and talk about their families, and then have church
service. Christmas morning, the Lieutenants decide to let their men bury the
dead, and the soldiers play a game of soccer and converse. Lieutenant
Hortsmayer learns that the Germans are planning to bomb the French and Scots
trenches. Lieutenants Audebert and Gordon gather their men and hide them in
Lieutenant Hortsmayer’s trenches. The day of peace is over and it is back to
the reality of war. Sprink and Anna turn themselves in as prisoners of war to
Lieutenant Audebert. When the superiors of the French, Scots, and Germans hear
of the treason of that day they are furious. The French major general
reprimands Lieutenant Audebert, the Scottish bishop rebukes the Scottish priest,
and the Crown Prince Wilhelm scolds the German soldiers before their train
heads to Prussia. As the train starts to
roll away the Germans hum a Scottish folk song.
The soldiers would forever be changed by the day of peace
they had with their enemies on Christmas day of 1914. They learned that their
enemies who they dutifully fought were very similar to themselves. Sprink was
also reconnected to the world he knew before the war with the help of Anna’s
love, and in turn was moved to share it with his fellow soldiers through music.
Music helped unite the enemies and bring peace between them literally in the
middle of the battlefield. This surreal experience showed the power of peace
can unify enemies in the midst of war and soften men’s hearts.
