Silent Night - Confini di guerra

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.

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.

Growing up I was told by my Parents and Grand Parents similar accounts of how during the W.W.II that the enemy lines were crossed in order that the Rank and File solders, of each side could have a cup of worm cheer and a carol or two on Christmas Eve.

The night that seemed too holy not to stop and remember Family so far away. This touching move does this and in a engaging and dramatic way. It also reminds us that not all Germans welcomed the war and the havoc it brought, nor did all Germans believe in the Nazi propaganda. Elisabeth's impassioned speech in which she tells a reluctant Nazi solder ` If I had only know earlier, in the beginning I would have done something, but I didn't know' brought me to tears. Also the scene where the two sides sit down to a "pitch in" Christmas Supper was very moving.

Linda Hamelton's Elisabeth is a fine performance and a wonderful example of how when given good material she can really give an award winning performance. All the actors turned convincing and hart tugging performances.

I feel that it is unfortunate that a Major network did not pick this up for broadcast, and that it ran on a rather obscure cable station, but Kudos to Hallmark for using good sense in airing it.

Undoubtedly one of the best Christmas movie ever. The plot is simple, yet was so effective in bringing out the best in every cast member. Viewers can be forgiven for having a temporary sense of disbelief as they watch Linda Hamilton portray a bold character who forces the soldiers into submitting to a truce (no mean feat for any unarmed woman). However i believe the bulk of the credit should be given to the supporting cast, these guys convincingly added emotional weight to the movie. Also as a previous reviewer pointed out, lighting and staging were very fitting and impressive for a tiny production like this and man, would they look good on the DVD.

Forget this movie if you're hungry for some action - watch it instead to find out how human commonness and compassion triumph over hostility and bitterness in the midst of insanity. Highly recommended. 9.5/10

I found this movie while flipping through the channels early one morning in December/2005. I had missed the first 10 minutes and just had to buy the DVD. Although it plays loosely with the facts, something the film industry has a hard time adhering to, it nevertheless is an wonderful movie made for TV for the Hallmark Channel.

It is based on the short story "Truce in the Forrest" and "The Night God Came for Dinner" by Fritz Vicken. Unlike the movie, communication was done between Fritz's mother Elisabeth, who spoke some French and one of the American soldiers who also spoke a little French. Only one of the Germans spoke some English.

Both the movie and real life incident showed that these people could put their differences aside and found they were much alike in many ways. Unlike the conflict between the Germans and Russians, there wasn't that level of hatred unless they were dealing with the SS. I've found many stories where soldiers put their differences aside to help each other out, from a German officer stopping an American jeep at a checkpoint that was carrying a wounded GI, then directing them to the American lines, to the pilot of an ME-109 who came upon a crippled B-17 and rather than shooting it out of the sky, escorted it to the English Channel and made sure it was going to make it safely back before peeling away. Ironically, the pilots of those 2 warplanes found each other in the later years and became close friends. That's what this movie does it to show the human side of our "enemy" and leaves you hoping they made it out of the war OK but it does leave you wondering what ever happened to them.

Fritz Vicken was able to locate Sgt. Ralph Blank in a Maryland nursing home after years of searching for the soldiers, thanks to "Unsolved Mysteries". Sadly, Fritz Vicken died the year this movie was released. What is ironic is that Fritz immigrated to this country after the war, like so many German soldiers and civilians. Our former enemies were now productive Americans. Fritz owned a bakery in Honolulu for many years.

I've added this movie to my Christmas holiday collection.