Joyeux Noel (Widescreen)
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Movie Reviews of Joyeux Noel (Widescreen)
Movie Review: Beauty and Goodwill at a Time of War. Christmas 1914.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Joyeux Noel" celebrates the amity of the holiday season in a manner unlike other Christmas movies. It takes place on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1914, somewhere along the German-French line in Northern France during World War I. The film is based on the famous "Christmas truce" that occurred in several locations along the front lines during WWI, during which French, German, and British soldiers fraternized with their enemies, briefly enjoying their kinship and, in some cases, planning to visit one another after the war. Some of the incidents in the film are true and some are fiction. In December 1914, the War was 4 months old, and expectations of a speedy resolution were fading. On the front, German and French trenches were only 100 meters apart, separated by a no-man's-land between, strewn with dead and dying men.
In command of the French trench is Lieutenant Audebert (Guillaume Canet), whose home town is now behind the German line, preventing him from getting word from his pregnant wife. A Scottish force under Gordon (Alex Ferns) is supporting the French position, among them an Anglican priest (Gary Lewis) acting as a stretcher-bearer and his young parishioner (Steven Robertson), who has lost a brother. In the German trench, private Sprink (Benno Furmann), a world-famous tenor who lacks the temperament for battle, frustrates his commander Lieutenant Horstmayer (Daniel Bruhl). On Christmas Eve, Sprink's lover, the Danish soprano Anna Sorensen (Diane Kruger), arranges that Sprink be called away from the trenches to give a private concert for the German Kronprinz nearby. When Sprink returns to sing for the men, his voice carries over the snow to the other trenches, initiating a Christmas that no one will ever forget.
In some ways, "Joyeux Noel" is fantastic and sentimental. Anna Sorensen is a fantasy character who brings grace, a different perspective, and beautiful song to the film. Some women did manage to visit their men in the trenches during World War I, but not opera singers in full evening dress. But the tensions and affinity between the 3 commanding officers are affecting. The audience shares their sense of relief and dread. The eerie beauty, both visual and auditory, of the war draped in snow and paused for the holiday, creates indelible images. Some of the most absurd of the film's images are based in fact -including the Christmas trees in the German trenches and the treasonous cat. "Joyeux Noel" is an engaging, beautiful film about a moment in the Great War that defied its brutality. The opera singers were dubbed by French soprano Natalie Dessay and Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon. In English, French, and German with subtitles.
The DVD (Sony Pictures 2006): "Interview with Director Christian Carion" (16 min) is an interview session in which the writer/director answers questions about the historical basis for the film. This is good information, but the interview is in French and not subtitled. Most, but not all, of the information is also found in the audio commentary. The audio commentary by Christian Carion is in English. He comments on the historical elements of the film and provides some historical context, in addition to talking about the characters, cinematography, and score. Subtitles are available for the film in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Subtitles are available for the commentary in Spanish and Portuguese.
Movie Review: A Touching Glimpse at the Goodness in All Men's Hearts!
Summary: 5 Stars
There are many "war" films that one should, of course, "see".
I herewith bring "two" to you for your consideration. One I will review, and one I will mention and give you a link to go to for more information.
In spite of all the ills that Man brings to himself and to others, with all of his hatred, unconcern, and ill will toward others of different nationalities and beliefs, there is the reaffirming nature of his sense of "right" and "love for others", an inborn "goodness" that can, and will, shine through. This is a film of such a case, although it is for a brief "Evening and a Day" (due to the circumstances between countries at the time of this "story").
Based on true events, well documented in many cases, this insight into Christmas, 1914, will re-affirm your belief in man's goodness towards his fellow man.
This is, truly, a magnificent, beautiful film. The cinematography is just breathtaking in many scenes, and the score is wonderful...it will move you, deeply. All characters and the acting of those portraying those characters are believable, and "right"...everything looking just as you would expect them to look in those times, in that place...no-man's-land, Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, 1914, "somewhere" along the Western Front.
There are many cases of documented "fraternization" between enemy troops both in World War One, and also in World War Two, and I ask you, "How wondrously touching and reaffirming in Man's Goodness to Each Other...his "fellow man" this is---No?" There are, naturally, the "behind the scenes" looks into everyone's lives, but the focal point is Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on the nether land between the German and Allied Troops, where after the Scottish Regiment sings carols, which brings the other country's men to join in and then, step out into the open and share these precious and so short hours, sharing and being together with each other, the hours of Christmas. This leads to a cease-fire for Christmas Day, whereby they all join in, together, sorting out the dead, and helping each other bury their own, in true brotherhood. I defy anyone NOT to be touched to the core of his heart by this wonderful film.
I sincerely hope that I have been able to convince you to see this wonderful film. It would be such a shame not to experience it.
Because I find the score/soundtrack so wonderful for this film, I send you here to it's listing:
Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noël)
In passing, I feel it my duty to draw your attention, also, to another truly great film, in somewhat the same vein, "A Midnight Clear", with similar interaction during World War Two. This is another "must-see" film, which you can read reviews about here:
A Midnight Clear
Also, hopefully, you will also wish to check out "A Midnight Clear"...however, in checking the link, I fear that it has gone out of print...in which case, at least hunt for a copy to borrow or rent, or pick up a used copy if you can locate one reasonably. This film should not be missed either.
Do Enjoy!
~operabruin
Movie Review: The Power of Song as a Gateway of Understanding
Summary: 5 Stars
Writer/director Christian Carion ('Une hirondelle a fait le printemps' aka 'The Girl from Paris') is unafraid to write and create cinematic tales that touch the heart as well as the mind. 'Joyeux Noël' is a story of war and its effects on soldiers that goes far beyond sentimentality (or the opposite emphasis on brutality as found in American films) and offers the viewer insights to the responses of young men's minds to the monster of war and how they cope.
Based on a true story, the film opens with the usual callous killing among three groups of soldiers - German, French, and Scottish - who face an oncoming Christmas Eve in the trenches, the realities of fighting have precluded their getting time to retreat for air. But a miracle happens: among the Germans is a famous opera tenor Nikolaus Sprink (Benno Fürmann) who has aligned with his fellow troops in the trenches, hoping he can bring some minor sense of Christmas and understanding to them. His soprano partner Anna Sorensen (Diane Kruger) finds a way to be with him in the trenches on Christmas Eve, 1914. Meanwhile the disgruntle troops of all three sectors are planning meager festivities and a bit of relaxation even in the trenches as the bodies of the day's plunder lie in the snow of no man's land. We get to know the French Lieutenant Audebert (Guillaume Canet) and his orderly Ponchel (Dany Boon), the German head of the regiment Horstmayer (Daniel Brühl), and the Scots - especially the priest/medic Palmer (Gary Lewis).
Christmas Eve comes and the voice of Sprink (in reality the tenor Rolando Villazón) sings 'Stille Nacht', rising out of the trenches to sing in the open of no man's land. Soon he is accompanied by the Scottish bagpipes and the 'chorus' of the Germans, the Scots and the French. They all emerge, share gifts of champagne and other libations, and agree to a cease-fire in honor of the holiday. It is in this magic moment that the true personalities of these warring men surface and each is seen as a vulnerable puppet of the WW I, exchanging addresses to meet after the war. Anna Sorenson has managed to enter the scene and during a communal mass led by Palmer she sings (the voice is Natalie Dessay) an Ave Maria (composed by the film's composer Philippe Rombi): the lovers have previously sung a duet version of Bach's 'Bist du bei mir'. For that moment in time the horrors of war melt and the camaraderie of the men glows and is carried into Christmas Day when all three groups of soldiers agree to bury their dead together. Of course the brutality and ignorance of war re-engages and the leaders of the three groups enter camp and threaten courts martial and punishment for the troops' lack of military discipline. The film ends in a manner that leaves the audience able to integrate the happenings of that Christmas Eve on the futures of these men.
The script is superb, the cast is uniformly excellent, the sets and cinematography are creatively moody, and the musical score by Philippe Rombi is one of the finest in years: the ending song 'I'm Dreaming of Home' deserves to become a standard. Would that everyone could see this film, a bit of global hope in the cloud of the destruction that shadows our world right now. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 06
Movie Review: the Oscar nomination was well-deserved
Summary: 5 Stars
A nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 Academy Awards, "Joyeux Noel" is a gem of a movie that is, in my opinion, an instant classic.
It's based on accounts of fraternization between enemy troops that apparently happened a number of times during the First World War (a highly unofficial ceasefire negotiated between French, German, and Scottish troops on Christmas 1914). It's highly fictionalized, of course, and a great many people have taken the filmmakers to task for "adding" too much sentiment. What that spells to me is that some critics feel too many of the film's events were invented by the writer.
However, this DVD includes a good interview with the director in which he talks candidly about how much of the film is based on historical record, and it turns out that a LOT more of it is real than even I might have thought. The director even talks about some things that actually happened that he decided to leave out of the movie lest people find them too hard to believe! I think that the sentiment, therefore, is entirely earned, and far from excessive.
I rented the movie from Netflix, and the summary on the sleeve described the film as "heartwarming." In a way, that's correct, but once the film was over, I felt more chilled than anything else. Ultimately, what's going on in this movie is a story of how man's natural inclinations are toward peace, not war. War, here, is presented as highly unnatural . . . something fought by the powerless at the uncaring behest of the powerful. If you don't feel something like a cold hand on your shoulder by the end of the movie, I'm not sure we've seen the same thing; "heartwarming" is just NOT how I'd describe it.
"Joyeux Noel" reminds me somewhat of another great WW1 movie, Kubrick's "Paths of Glory." And of course, "All Quiet on the Western Front," the Best Picture Oscar winner for 1930, is another terrific WW1 movie that is about as anti-war as one can find. I'm not sure why I felt the need to mention that, but there you have it nonetheless.
A couple of small caveats before I go:
There are a few scenes in which the musical score is suddenly dropped in volume so that certain sound effects can be heard more prominently. I'm going to assume, until someone tells me otherwise, that this is some sort of flaw in the DVD audio. If not, if it was an artistic decision, then the man behind that decision needs to be spoken to, and sternly. It doesn't ruin the movie . . . heck, it doesn't even ruin the few scenes it happens during. But it IS sort of a glaring miscalculation. I thought something had gone wrong with my speakers!
Also, there is quite a bit of singing in the film, and the dubbing of the singing voices isn't all that well-done (the voices don't come even close to matching the lips in some instances). This kind of thing happens pretty frequently in movies, but it's usually a bit more seamlessly achieved than it is here. But hey, no harm, no foul.
All in all, "Joyeux Noel" is an instant classic, one that I put on the list of the all-time great war movies.
Movie Review: Merry Christmas, Everyone ...
Summary: 5 Stars
When I saw Silent Night, Holy Night on DVD and read the accompanying book, I cried like a baby. The story of spontaneous "fraternizing" between enemy soldiers during WWI on the front on Christmas in 1914 is like a hippie's dream come true. Soldiers laid down their arms and recognized the humanity in the men in the trench just yards away. They joined them in song, helped bury their dead and swapped addresses with their new friends - friends they were sworn to kill. The amazing thing is, it was true. Now it's inspired the French feature film Joyeux Noel, based on the photos and first-hand accounts of these fraternizations.
The tale is told on the ground in war-torn France, with French and Scottish troops on one side and Germans on the other. The stage is set Christmas Eve when a German tenor sings, and the troops put their small Christmas trees on top of the trench. Soon, Scottish bagpipes join the Germans in a Christmas hymn, and the singer is swept away by the moment and marches out into no-man's land to place a Christmas tree. Commanders of the forces there - German, Scottish and French - meet and arrange a night's treaty. The troops come climbing out of their trenches, eventually drinking together, playing together, talking together. A midnight Mass is punctuated by distant bombs.
In the morning, the new, war-scarred friends find something special has happened that forces commanding officers of all three armies back at their respective headquarters to disband these men. They won't shoot each other, and they even invite opposing forces into their trenches to hide from artillery fire.
The astonishing thing is, it's mostly true, as writer-director Campion explains in an interview and in his commentary. The German tenor who brought applause from the opposing side and a truce to bury the dead is real. Men refused to shoot at the opposing side and were disbanded and sent elsewhere. And it happened not just Christmas Eve, 1914, but 1915 and 1916 as well. The movie opens, though, with a terrible truth. The Europeans and their governments had all been hating each other for a long time before the war. Campion starts the film with children singing sickeningly jingoistic songs about the evils of the other nations. These were songs learned years - even decades before - World War I ever started.
DVD Extras: Aforementioned interview and commentary. Subtitles in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Audio in French or English.
-- Brendan Howard