JOYEUX NOEL (MERRY CHRISTMAS)

France, 2005, 116 minutes, Colour.
Diane Kruger, Benoit Furmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, Danny Boone, Daniel Bruhl, Alex Ferns, Ian Richardson.
Directed by Christian Carion.

What could be more appropriate for a film review on the first day of 2006, in the spirit of Christmas and the celebration of the motherhood of Mary, than Merry Christmas. It is a film about Christmas with a message that is still important for today.

Merry Christmas is an international collaboration between France, the UK and Germany, with scenes filmed in Romania. Its setting is World War I, especially Christmas eve and Christmas day, 1914. The bulk of the film is spoken in French (with English sub-titles). The Scottish characters speak English and the Germans, German.

Stories have long been told of how the troops in the trenches, often only four or five metres apart, sometimes fraternised during lulls between bombardments. This story focuses on a French troop, a Scottish troop and a German troop. We are given something of their background, the harking back to the styles and codes of 19th century warfare by the French officers who had little understanding of what fighting in the trenches was like. It was the same with the German officers who enjoyed lavish meals and listened to opera singers while their men were in the bitter cold of the trenches. The Scottish story is somewhat different. Two brothers eagerly join up while their parish priest becomes a chaplain. One of the brothers is killed and the other becomes bitter. The chaplain is a fine man and a compassionate minister.

When husband and wife opera singers visit the German trenches, they hear the Scots playing their bagpipes. The tenor sings Silent Night and the bagpipes then accompany him. The result is that all the troops come out of their dugouts, join in the singing, listen to the soprano sing Ave Maria, exchange food and drink and attend, all together, a midnight service led by the chaplain. The screenplay is very strong in highlighting that this is truly the Christmas message of peace on earth to all people of good will. The German officer is Jewish and explains that this is not part of his religion but that he was very glad to be able to share in it.

The officers call a truce on Christmas Day and the men once again show their common humanity. Some play football, others cards. Addresses are exchanged for meetings after the cessation of hostilities.

Had the film ended with this joyeux noel, this merry Christmas, it might have seemed rather sentimental, even though there are records of this kind of fraternisation happening. (The director has pointed out that photos appeared on the front pages of British newspapers of the time but that the French concealed these happenings.)

To our dismay, the final part of the film presents the official reaction to what the authorities call treason and conduct unbecoming soldiers in war – even ludicrously condemning the cat who moves from trench to trench. The Germans are humiliated by commanding officers and sent to the Russian front. The French would like to execute the men for treason but 200 is too many, so they are transferred to Verdun. The Scots chaplain is visited by his bishop who lectures him on the text that Jesus came not to bring peace but the sword and gives a sermon to the troops on the war being a crusade, on the inhumanity of the Germans and, in the name of superior culture and civilisation, urges the men to kill Germans, all of them.

Director, Christian Clarion, has said that he would like his film to be screened in every country which is involved in war. His humane film, classical in its cinema style, is a wonderful appeal to promoting a culture of peace rather than putting a priority on a crusade of destruction. It appeals to the deepest message of peace from the Judeo- Christian tradition and the Gospel teaching of Jesus.

1.The title and expectations? A truly Christmas film?

2.War and peace, the Christmas message for peace? As perceived at the beginning of the 20th century? A message for the 21st century?

3.The facts of the fraternisation between the troops in the trenches in France? The interpretation at the time? Condemnation in France and cover-up? Photos on the front pages of British papers? The interpretation in the light of the subsequent wars of the 21st century? Of the invasion of Iraq in the 21st century?

4.The locations, the authentic feel, the world of the trenches, the physical appearance of the trenches, the autumn and winter seasons? The background of the bombed village?

5.The picture of World War One, the bombardments and the shattering sounds?

6.The musical score, the operatic songs, the Christmas songs, patriotic songs? The unification and fraternisation for peace because of singing?

7.The pre-war situation in France, Germany, Scotland? The differing attitudes? The enlisting? The enthusiasm of the Scots? The war-weariness of the French? The compulsory enlistment of the Germans? The officers, their arrogance and their style? Harking back to the 19th century waging of war? The cavalry, codes of honour? The private soldiers, their lives in the trenches? The work of the chaplains?

8.The Scots sequence, the two brothers, painting the statues, the priest? The enthusiasm of going to war? The priest and his sadness? The experience of war, in the trenches, the chaplain there? The death of the brother, the other brother and his grief? Feelings of vengeance? The body lying in the mud, the brother feeling that he had deserted his brother in his dying? Going back to the body, kissing the body, trying to break the ground to bury the body? The final burial? His shooting what he thought was a German?

9.The French, the officers, the high style of life, career military people? The general and his son? The French cut off from their families? Their style?

10.German society, the opera, the announcement of the war? The conscription and Nikolaus Sprink being called up?

11.Life in the trenches for each of the groups, the contrast with the life of the officers? The mud, food, the rats? The comradeship in the different trenches?

12.Christmas Eve, the opera singer and his meeting his wife, singing for the officers? The decision to go to the front – and his later being blamed and considered in some ways guilty of treason?

13.His singing in the trenches, Silent Night? The Scots and their singing, playing the bagpipes to Silent Night? The German trees and their lights? The commander and his resistance? The Germans coming out after the opera singer, standing on the snow?

14.The French, the feast and champagne? Their reaction to the songs? Puzzle?

15.The Scots, comradeship, singing their patriotic songs, the Germans hearing them, their joining in Silent Night?

16.The various troops going out into the no man’s land, the opera singer and his wife, the songs, meeting? The chaplain and everybody combining in prayer? The spirit and message of Christmas? The celebrations afterwards, the champagne, sharing of gifts, addresses? The Scotsman and his looking for his brother – and the German who was not pious? The moments of tension and the possible outbreak of violence? The role of the chaplain and the significance of his celebration?

17.Christmas Morning, the truce, the officers going out, the discussions, the cup of coffee, the decisions? Playing football, playing cards? The exchanges, asking for letters to be posted?

18.The singers, going back into the trenches, the help of the commander, their going to the French and asking to be made prisoners, wanting to spend the war together in prison rather than being separated?

19.The aftermath for the French, the authorities reading the letters and being horrified at the fraternisation? The Scots and the bishop talking to the chaplain, his fire and brimstone sermon, his talk about civilisation, the urge to kill Germans in the name of Christ?

20.The French, the discussions with the German commander, his having a French wife, knowing the street where the Frenchman lived, the wallet being returned, the sharing of photos? The father accusing his son of treason? The not wanting to execute two hundred people? The transfer to Verdun? The son explaining that his father was a grandfather? His weeping?

21.The Germans, the officer and his severity with the troops, the slight at the Jewish officer (and his appreciating Christmas even though not Christian)? The soldiers in the train, going to the Russian front, their humming and the reaction of the officer?

22.The credits and the photos, the final credits and the sketches of the period? Evoking a mood, nostalgia? Fraternisation and peace and the true meaning of Christmas?