A truce stranger than fiction

The story of the Christmas truce of 1914, during which Allied and German troops on the Western Front downed arms and fraternised for a few precious hours, has been told on screen before. But Christian Carion's version, a co-production between four European countries, is the first to base itself exclusively upon the event.

It shows just how furious the High Commands of both sides were that the men had suddenly decided to stop hating each other. Junior officers were threatened with court martial unless they got their charges back into the trenches, and when hostilities resumed, the loss of life was horrendous.

We watch via the stories of several men: a German singer with a Danish lover, a French lieutenant whose family are behind enemy lines, a German-Jewish officer, a Scots priest acting as stretcher-bearer and a Scots lieutenant. There is also a tabby cat claimed by both sides.

Everyone is allowed to speak in their own language and Merry Christmas is made conscientiously and well. But it isn't exactly All Quiet on the Western Front or Oh! What a Lovely War. What it lacks is proper finesse.

Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noel)
Cert: cert12A