Silent Night

Die-hard "Unsolved Mysteries" fans will remember the wonderful story told by a man named Fritz about a Christmas eve in the German woods when he and his mother were visited by American soldiers seeking to get out of the cold. It was a lovely story if you just stopped there, but German soldiers soon arrived and wanted to get out of the cold as well! The mother insisted that everyone lay down their weapons and have a Christmas dinner, and they did so. One of the soldiers was wounded, and the soldiers on the other side helped him. They all spent the night with no incident, realizing that on whatever side you were on, you were still a human being.

Well, if this didn't have all the makings of a movie, what does? The story, of course, has been vastly expanded to include some conflict and some insight into the personalities involved. In real life, there wasn't intense communication since there were language barriers.

This is a Christmas story that embodies the true meaning of the season in every sense of the word, all the more poignant because it's true. The performances are all wonderful. In real life, Fritz, who emigrated to America and became a baker, was looking to connect with the GIs he had met. The show found one of the old soldiers in a nursing home, and as he and Fritz reminisced, it was obvious that to both of them, the incident happened yesterday.

This movie is highly recommended. It's about a remarkable woman who understood the term "peace on earth."

I saw this story originally I believe on "Unsolved Mysteries" a few years ago and I thought to myself "this story would make a great movie," and wondered how long it would take for someone to realize what a movie of this caliber could do for people. I see that it didn't take as long for that realization, as I thought it would.

In one of the most heartfelt performances in her life, Linda Hamilton, as Frau Elisabeth Vincken, a woman living alone with her young son who has her own demons to deal with and her own dislike of the war that has torn her country and family apart, has managed to pull off what few other women could have with the strength and believability that she did.

World War II...Christmas Eve...all the makings for a dreary night in the trenches with not much to celebrate one would think.

Not so for this movie and the heartstrings definitely get a good pulling in this film.

The animosity between the German and American soldiers when they first meet is evident and Martin Neufeld puts in one heck of a performance as Lt. Hans Klosterman, a bitter, loyal to the death, and unbending German officer. The hatred, the anger that he feels toward the American soldiers, especially Sgt. Ralph Blank, played with hard realism by Alain Goulem; who seems to butt heads from the get go with the battle hardened Lt., who have come seeking shelter for the evening in the home of Frau Vincken is palpable and makes for a very believable situation. More than once I felt myself torn between hating Neufeld's character and having hope for his heart to soften.

As has already been said, this story was based on a real life occurrence. Sometimes fact can be more beautiful than fiction and this movie is ironclad proof.

If any film needed levity and laugh now and then, it was this movie, and that call was quickly and with an outstanding performance, answered by Private Jimmy Rassi, played with expert talent by Romano Orzari. This actor really put his heart into his performance and the result was a character that was not only heartwarming but completely and utterly believable.

If you want a movie that can convey the message of what Christmas is REALLY about, then you must see this film. It will make you think, it will make you laugh, it will make you cry...it will give you hope that our future, if we could simply put aside our differences could be a lot brighter than what people could ever dream...

Prior to watching this movie I thought I would pop in a dvd Christmas movie but I didn't. I am glad that I watched this production. With exception of Linda Hamilton I didn't know any of the actors involved. Everyone provided excellent portrayals of their characters. Linda Hamilton was very convincing as German mother Elisabeth Vincken. Actually I was reminded of my Aunt Freida by Linda's practicality and sensibility. The fact that the characters made the best of what they have in a time that was anything but best and supplies of things we take for granted now, limited. The concept of putting aside the war for a night of peace is something fantastic. Pulling together, the characters show the common thread that is in all of us - memories of times when battles were something unknown and sharing was something that just happened. I say Bravo to all involved in this production for being part of providing a perspective of Christmas too often overlooked. It is my understanding that this movie is based on a true story. If this is so I say God Bless to such a woman who created a night of a miracle. I sure wish there were more movies like this that relied on the special effect in the story and not the visual effects.

I think most love a true story and this one to me is one of the best. I loved this movie the first time I saw it but each time since, I fall in love with it a bit more. Set in a time in our history where death and war (World War II) were on every mind, this sweet story shows how love and friendship can happen even between strangers who are bitter enemies forming a friendship that can and actually does wind up lasting a lifetime. It opens as a battle rages on showing the horrors of war while a mother and her son try to find a safe haven in the family cabin. Little did they know on that special Christmas Eve so long ago that something was going to happen that would change their lives forever. Enemies met in that small space and an understanding grudgingly developed between people even surprising them at the end and bonding them for life. Hopefully all will make a point of going back in time and experiencing this amazing true story. You won't be disappointed.

This film challenged my assumptions about made-for-TV films. Linda Hamilton and an excellent supporting cast do a first-rate job portraying a group of American and German soldiers who take time out from battle in the closing days of World War II to celebrate Christmas and remember their shared humanity.

Nice underacting combined with solid camera work and lighting make this film work. An interesting touch is that throughout much of the film, the German characters speak in German with English subtitles; personally, I found this effective -- amazingly, most of the accents were pretty good. Although it has a happy ending -- it is a Christmas movie, after all -- the film has sufficient pathos to prevent it from becoming saccharin.

This film seems proof again that our northern neighbors seem to have to compensate for a lack of special effects and big names by resorting to acting and plot! Definitely worth watching.