Joyeux Noel - movie reviews and information

'Joyeux Noël' displays haunting humanism
by Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

On Christmas Eve 1914, as World War I raged across Europe, a miraculous thing occurred. Scottish, French and German soldiers declared a temporary truce, brokered by the Christmas carols they all shared. This actually happened. The lovely and moving French film "Joyeux Noël" — an Oscar nominee for best foreign language film — tells that story and does it well. However, it also suffers somewhat from "Munich" syndrome. That is, the simple facts overwhelm the fictionalized bits. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
Based on a true story, this French drama recreates the Christmas of 1914, when French, German and British soldiers in "The War to End All Wars" laid aside their differences, left their trenches and celebrated the holiday with one another.

FILM FACTS ...

Sony Pictures Classics

'Joyeux Noël'

Director: Christian Carion
Starring: Daniel Brühl, Diane Kruger, Benjamin Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, Dany Boon
Run time: 116 minutes
Release date: March 3, 2006
Rating: PG-13 for warfare and non-graphic sexuality.
Language: French, English and German, with subtitles
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