"Joyeux Noel" integrates a large European cast as the film explores the Christmas Eve truce of 1914, something that has been documented in other films about WWI. Where writer/director Christian Carion succeeds is in the way he presents the material for the screen.

We are taken to the trenches, where German, French, and Scottish troops are seen fighting a fierce battle in which the Germans are showing a superior advantage from their side. During the exchange many soldiers die and are left in the snow covered field as the troops regroup to consider what kind of action to take.

In the spirit of the Christmas holidays the men from each faction are given extra rations, ornaments, and even trees and liquor from each of their countries to celebrate the occasion. It's a wonder to see the German side awash with small trees that are lit and raised over the edge of their trenches. Suddenly, there is the sound of music everywhere and the commanders of each faction come together to declare a cease fire so the men can celebrate Christmas Eve.

It's at this point that the main point of the film is made, as the terrible war seems to recede and all the men come together to rejoice, more like friends, than enemies. It's a lovely moment in which peace on earth seems to be achievable.

As all this is happening, Anna Sorenson, a talented singer, comes to the German side to be reunited with her tenor husband, Nikolaus Sprink. They are instrumental for bringing more joy to the men by joining their wonderful voices to sing traditional songs and carols.

Among the cast, Diane Kruger, Bruno Furmann, Guillaume Canet, Daniel Bruhl, Bernard LeCoq, Ian Richardson, Alex Ferns, and other actors from many countries come together to celebrate and forget the insanity and death that surrounds them.

Christian Carion is to be congratulated for bringing this story to the screen as it shows human nature at its best.

Zut alors! WW1 drama Joyeux Noel arrives under a big black wintry cloud, having been selected to represent France in the Best Foreign Language Film category over the much-hyped March of the Penguins at the 2006 Oscars. Insane, they said! It can't be done, they said! As co-producer Jean-Francois Camilleri fumed, Penguins (France's most successful export at the US box office) was "finally a foreign film that Americans love. It just proves the stupidity of French politics in this profession."

Well, sour raisons to yeaux and yeaux and yeaux: unwanted child Joyeux Noel is a joy from start to finish and should hold its head up high against those rambler birdies in dinner jackets.Mostly, we should give thanks and praises that Ron Howard didn't get his hands on it first.

Here's a more-or-less authentic account of that near-mythical Christmas in 1914, when Scottish, French and German soldiers proclaimed a temporary armistice, swapped champagne and cigarettes and played footie together ("looks like trouble for the Jerries", a Scottish soldier observes wryly, like a dug-in Des Lynam). From the sickening horror of No Man's Land, to the elegiac carolling of the bagpipes - and the almost off-hand revelation that Bruhl's German captain is Jewish - everything here is perfectly judged.

There's humour here too, albeit of the slightly mordant variety, and even the appearance of a local French farmyard cat, claimed by each side as their own, doesn't upset the potentially fatal juggling act.

In the midst of this, a living snow angel (Kruger) delivers an ice-melting burst of opera, the impact of which you can blame on a bad cold. The denouement, in which the troops are judged by the superior officers as having been guilty of "high treason" is underscored only by an excoriating sermon by Ian Richardson's Bishop who, far from applauding his priest's generosity of spirit (having delivered "the most important mass I ever gave"),reminds his chastened men that Christ came "not with Peace but with a sword"; that these Godless Germans should be cut down, every man, woman and child. Subtle it ain't, but it does act as a sobering reminder of the Church's culpability in both World Wars.

Ultimately, Joyeux Noel achieves the near-impossible, by keeping the treacle to a minimum while leaving one in no doubt about the finer aspects of humanity. Utterly magical.

This film was based very loosely on actual incidents that happened throughout the Western Front in 1914 and 1915. Despite the war being unprecedentedly bloody and savage as well as pointless, there were several spontaneous stoppages of war for the Christmas holiday. This was NOT officially sanctioned but sprang up spontaneously.

My wife was rather critical of some of the story elements that seemed improbable (and could not be confirmed in a subsequent search on the Net). And while I agree that there almost certainly was NOT an incident where a female opera singer and her husband set the stage for a cease fire, this didn't particularly bother me, as the essential spirit of the film was accurate. Men who had been trying to kill each other for months DID put down their arms temporarily and celebrated a holiday together--allowing the spirit of brotherhood to briefly unite them and provide some small shred of humanity to an otherwise pointless war. Additionally, I liked the music--it provided a very surreal quality that showed the stark contrast between war and the higher things of life.

What I particularly liked was the fact that this film was a joint production by many countries (France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Romania). This ensured that instead of relying on everything to be dubbed or spoken in one language, they instead spoke a multitude of languages--like the soldiers really would have used. Also, being a multinational film project, no one was portrayed as the bad guys--something that is very accurate for WWI--one of the few cases in history when there was no hero--only millions and millions of victims or survivors.

All around this was a top-notch production and was highly entertaining but also profoundly sad---as viewers will no doubt realize that few of the men who experienced this truce survived the war. I also really appreciated the film showing the after-effects--when those in authority (including an insanely nationalistic bishop) reacted against the truce--punishing those involved because they were worried peace might accidentally take hold!

For those who cannot allow themselves to watch anything profound or sad, then avoid this film and just watch mindless films designed for the unrefined palate. Otherwise, an excellent film in all respects. And, if you liked this film, also trying watching the French films A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, GRAND ILLUSION and J'ACCUSE or the German film WESTFRONT 1918 or the American films THE BIG PARADE or the great ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT.