Benno Furmann, Daniel Brühl, Dany Boon

When war breaks out in the lull of summer 1914, it surprises and pulls millions of men in its wake. Christmas arrives, with its snow and multitude of family and army presents. But the surprise won't c...( read more  read more... )ome from inside the generous parcels which lie in the French, Scottish, and German trenches. That night, a momentous event will turn the destinies of four characters: an Anglican priest, a French lieutenant, an exceptional German tenor and the one he loves, a soprano and singing partner. During this Christmas Eve, the unthinkable happens: soldiers come out of their trenches, leaving their rifles behind to shake hands with the enemy.

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80% liked it

6,147 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

89 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 56 min.

Directed by: Christian Carion

Release Date: March 3, 2006

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DVD Release Date: November 14, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (1,333)


  • December 25, 2008
    This is the true, although probably adjusted, story of a ceasefire near the French-German border in 1914, where soldiers of three nations stopped shooting to celebrate Christmas together. Being entirely neutral, the movie equally shares the three point of views from German, Frenc...( read more)h and Scottish characters, giving short glimpses at the terror of war in the beginning, but then concentrating on this incredible story of fragile friendship and peace amidst the chaos. The first steps of trust and agreement not to attack each other are very exciting and touching to witness. Thankfully the movie spares us most of the surely ugly aftermaths or an unnecessarily violent ending, which probably would have ruined the message of people searching for a way to get along even in the most unlikely situations. The fact that the commands of all three nations kept these happenings a secret for many years says enough, though. Good cinematography, great acting and a nice soundtrack together with a message of humanity make this one of the better Christmas movies, though.
  • December 24, 2008
    "Tonight, these men were drawn to that altar like it was a fire in the middle of winter. Even those who aren't devout came to warm themselves."

    ...( read more).photobucket.com/albums/w25/EarthlyAlien/jn.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

    Many have called Joyeux Noël manipulative or unrealistic... They always do. I call it inspirational, uplifting and mind-opening. The stuff that European co-productions are made of.

    The first accusation, of being manipulative or too unapologetically melodramatic, well... I suppose that depends on the point of view. As for the second, it can already be erased. Joyeux Noël is based on a true story, period. So, the "such things don't happen in the real world" complaint isn't valid. It already did.

    On Christmas of 1914, the Great War is raging in Northern France. French and Scottish troops fight the Germans side by side in the trenches, barely 100 metres across the freezing field. Men like Scottish Anglican priest, Palmer (Gary Lewis) and French Lieutenant Adebert (Guillaume Canet) on one side and cold German-Jewish Horstmayer (Daniel Brühl) and popular Berlin Opera tenor Sprink (Benno Fürmann), on the other. When Sprink and his girlfriend, the Danish soprano Anna (Diane Kruger), head to the Western front to sing for the soldiers in the German trench, true Christmas spirit happens: Sprink sings "Silent Night" with only a harmonica for melody when the Scotsmen's bagpipes start to accompany him, leaving the French stunned out of their minds. The three commanders meet to declare a one-day truce and all the soldiers come out to No Man's Land where they shake hands, drink French champagne, eat German chocolate, share stories and play football together. Then the next day day would go back to killing each other.

    Christian Carion is no Jean Renoir. Just like Joyeux Noël is no La Grande illusion. But Carion's film emanates everything Renoir stood for as a filmmaker and humanist: tolerance, warmth, humour, sympathetic characters and a passionate sense of justice. His script is simple and unpretentious. It doesn't point fingers at anyone. French, British and Germans are portrayed equally and his intention was never to preach about who was to blame for the war (except for the fat men who drank and smoked in their mansions while men died on the trenches, of course). Only to tell a story that deserved to be told from the moment it happened.

    More than a Christmas celebration, Joyeux Noël is an anti-war film. Its message is subtle, but sublime. There's nothing complex or loud about Carion's script or direction. He starts the film with a sequence of three children (a French, an English and a German) in their classrooms preaching their countries' hate for each other. That way, making us look at 10-year old kids saying barbarities like "we must exterminate that race, we must not leave a single one. Hear not, their children's cries. They slay all now, the women too," he makes us realize just how ridiculous all self-indulged hatred is between nations. WWI or present day speaking. We're all bloody human beings. It doesn't matter where we were born.

    The cast - an authentic gathering of some of Europe's finest, including Benno Fürmann, Daniel Brühl, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis and Diane Kruger - is uniformly good and plays an important role in the film's emotional power. Fürmann, with an inspirational performance, perhaps shines the most. I'm not exactly the most cheerful and optimistic person in the world when it comes to the so called "good" nature of Mankind, but I must admit that knowing Joyeux Noël's story really happened, even with its obvious adjustments, makes me a little, just a little more confident in the future of our race.

    This is a film that exemplifies both the best and the worst of Europe and that is destined to unite audiences across the continent and across the world and become a Christmas classic for years and generations to come. Take a look at this if you have the chance, you won't regret it.
  • October 10, 2008
    "Joyeux Noel" is truly an inspirational movie about war. Three different camps, two sides fighting against each other lay down their weapons during Christmas to celebrate the holiday.

    The men are trying to forget the war but unfortunately the war will not forget them. The way t...( read more)he nations "friendship" is set is heartwarming but in the end it feels kinda unrealistic.

    "Joyeux Noel" is almost a perfect Christmas movie. Don't expect any mind blowing war scenes ala "Saving Private Ryan".
  • March 10, 2008
    A Christmas like any other but this is 1914, and it's the first of the Great War for the soldiers serving in the trenches of the Western front. This an amusing, touching, true story of the spontaneous cease-fire on Christmas Eve where the French, Scottish and German sides put the...( read more) war behind them to celebrate Christmas, even playing a game of football. A great cross-cultural tale that focuses on the characters setting aside their national differences rather than being a typical war movie.
  • December 22, 2007
    one of the better christmas films i've seen so far this year. at least it reminds you of what christmas is all about, plus on a bonus side it reminds ya that everybody is the same no matter what job they have or how rich or poor they may be or infact which trench you're in. good ...( read more)direction from christian carion. thought it was interesting seeing that guy from eastenders in it who played the wifebeater... and seeing ian richardson act is a joy too even if it was only for 5 minutes as a badass priest!!
  • November 9, 2009
    This movie reminds me very much of "Paths of Glory" with Kirk Douglas. I served in the Marine Corps during Viet Nam and I am glad I did not see it during that period of my life. I had too much questioning in my own soul at that time.
  • November 8, 2009
    WOW! Quel beau film!
  • September 3, 2009
    an example of peace in war. a true story. fantastique! fantastiche!
  • August 25, 2009
    Stark realism, but shows the innate humanity among even warring factions
  • August 17, 2009
    FROM MR.EDWIN ROLAND.
    AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT OF
    INVESTMENT TRUST CONTINENTAL BANK PLC,
    LOME-TOGO.

    Dear Friend,

    With great pleasure I am writing this proposal to you and i apologize for any inconvenience it might cause you. However, your email contact was ...( read more)secured through my search in the internet for a reliable and capable hand to handle a transaction of this magnitude and i became aware of your credibility and integrity. Due to the sensitivity of this transaction and my commitment as a banker, i urge for your consent in this great opportunity.

    I am Mr.Edwin Roland, the head of auditing and accounting section of Investment Trust Continental Bank Lome-Togo in West Africa. We had a foreign customer, physician by profession and a distributor of a cadbury manufacturing Company here in West Africa.
    Eventually,he died On the 26th December 2003, my client, his wife and their only Son were involved in a plane crash in a village called Adjarra near Porto Novou after take off from Cotonou in Benin Republic where they went for a Concert,he had deposited a huge sum of US$8.5M (Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand USD) which no other person knows about because this is a sitaution I have monitored closely with my position in the Bank and having monitored this deposit and yet nobody has showed up as the next of kin since after his death,The person he used as his next of kin was his 17 year old son who died along side with the family.

    The request of a foreigner as the next of Kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner. This is why I have contacted you to render assistance in repatriating the money left behind by this man before it will be confiscated or declared unserviceable by this Bank. With my position in the bank, i am in possession of every information our bank here will need to transfer this fund to you which shows the entire transaction between the deceased and our bank here in relation to this fund deposit.
    I want this money to be transferred into a safe account abroad after which we will share the proceeds but I don't know any foreigner, I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money can not be approved to a local person here in my country (Togolaise). My constraint is to be able to source a foreign partner who is honest and trustworthy, that will act as a Trustee and willing to assist me in this transaction morally and financially and you will be entitled to 40% of the total sum as gratification, while 10% will be set aside to take care of expenses that may arise during the time of transfer and also telephone bills, while 50% will be for me. This transaction is 100% risk free provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality as it requires. I guarantee you that the entire transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law both in your country.

    My intention of writing you through email is because i believe it is very confidential and personal. Hoping that you will understand and assist effectively for the success of this transaction and looking forward to hearing from you. Though this approach appears desperate but i can assure you that whatever questions you would need to ask or any other details you will need to know regarding this proposal will be adequately answered to give you on a clearer understanding of it so as to arrive at a successful conclusion.Get back to me through my private email address; rolandedwin75@yahoo.com.ph

    Best Regards,
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Critic Reviews


March 24, 2006
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Ultimately it fades away quickly from memory; a sad fate for a good story. full review

March 10, 2006
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

[Images of WWI are] terrible, but shadowy and distant, and it takes an extraordinary film on the order of Joyeux Noel to make it all suddenly vital, immediate and human. full review

March 9, 2006
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Joyeux Noel has its share of bloodshed, but the movie is about a respite from carnage. full review

March 3, 2006
Kyle Smith, New York Post

The true story here is so astonishing that there was no need for the film to resort to obvious dialogue (the characters keep spelling out what we have just seen) or heavy-handed characters. full review

March 2, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The fraternal atmosphere speaks powerfully of the triumph of the human spirit. full review

View more Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • terris85017
    November 12, 2007
    (2006 Director: Christian Carlton) The best of the best of the best war movies WW I features inside looks at each side of the fighting & plot centers on a particular battlefield Christmas Eve! Lovely Fraulein Diane Kruger (Nat'l Treasure) plays lovely German opera star.Her partner goes off to fight along with MILLIONS...MEMORABLE!! Does not disappoint! French language w/ English subtitles. Based on the book of the same title by R. de Roussy de Sales.
    TO: Julie Sprites pal Yes older General is Father to young Lieutenant!!
    No offense, SV girl, but this wonderful FOREIGN FILM is about WAR (NOT a PG subject!) Yucky thought taking out a great sex scene to MAKE A GOOD MOVIE A CHILDREN'S FLICK? [Reply to: svmainus A Christmas during the first World War on the front lines. A true event of history and a good Christmas film. I'd like to recommend for family viewing, but there is a scene or two with content not acceptable for children - I feel that's a shame as ,those particular scenes..]
  • listen2thescreaming
    June 21, 2007
    Didn't they say that at one point?
  • selbydate16
    January 3, 2007
    Yeah, I did.
  • spritesfriend
    December 19, 2006
    "We had to arrest the cat for high treason!"
    Did anyone else figure out that the older French guy was the other guy's father?

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