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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."

And this movie proves that old adage. Silent Night is a simple story with a small cast in one setting (and one that will translate well into a stage play, if it didn't originate as one to begin with). It is not an unfamiliar story for those who read military history, but the human aspect of civilians in the midst, and especially one courageous woman who set the terms of a truce for just one evening, is a fresh twist. As with all "based on a true story" movies, one wonders how true the facts are to the original events. If liberties were taken with the facts of this event, the result was a charming and tightly told story that questions the value of duty and honour versus the value of life and friendship. Its a good war story, and a good Christmas story, and although the plot is set up from the start, so that the viewer knows all will end well, there is a tension throughout that keeps the viewer interested.

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.

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...

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 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 was pretty good, a Christmas movie without all the commercialism and clichés. I liked how this started out in modern times with a grandfather telling his story and then we see him as a young boy with his mother during WW2.

He and his mother (played by a mostly German speaking and almost unrecognizable Linda Hamilton) have taken refuge in a cabin which is invaded by American and then German soldiers. She persuades them to lay down their weapons and break bread together, pooling their meager rations for a Christmas eve feast.

This did come across a bit far fetched at times, in regards to how quickly the men said "okay" to leaving their guns outside and bonding over pineapple pudding but on the same note they ended up having a lot in common. The 15 year old German boy-soldier was particularly heart wrenching. This has been based on real events which makes me like it even more. Rough time in history for so many people. 12.26.13

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.

I rather liked this, having bought the DVD just based on these recommendations, although I agree with some of the reviewers in that I find it a little too sweet and naïve in some places. But then, apparently it is based on a true story, and I don't really mind swallowing a little sugariness sometimes. There is just the language issue that made me cringe throughout the film. As a native speaker of German (perhaps the only one here?) I can't agree with the reviewers who praised the actors' accents. Maybe they could impress foreigners with their very fake sounding English-with-a-strong-German-accent, but no German would ever be fooled. The only exception is Cassian Bopp, playing young Heinrich. All the others speak their German lines in a very stiff and wooden way, betraying their origins all the time. And please, is there a German who can read "Moby Dick" and "Huckleberry Finn" in the original and yet forgets to say "and" instead of "und" when speaking English? I think not. Still, I tend to be forgiving because obviously they tried their best. I'll certainly give it another chance – because sometimes a good story covers many sins.

While movies made solely for television generally have a stereotype for being mediocre, this outstanding movie breaks records easily. It covers a true story, of a boy during WWII with his not so traditional mother. It tells the story of how soldiers of both sides come to share a Christmas with them.

One of my favorite aspects of this film was that it did not have the excess violence, gore, profanity, etc. It seemed to me that it was just an honest, down-to-earth type. It is not made up of thousands of dollars worth of special effects or an hour and a half of cars being blown up. The characters are not overly evil, good, or perfect. They acted as if they were the actual people that the events had happened to. Wonderful acting, I think.

The storyline is filled with twists and turns, heart-breaking moments and even a little humor. It is a perfect film for any family, especially during the holidays. I am sure if someone got real nitpicky there are a few errors, but to me, everything is pretty darn close to being perfect. I sincerely recommend it to someone looking for a truly good film.

**I suggest that you google "Fritz Vincken" after watching the movie. There are numerous interviews with him about the real events and his life after the war ended. I find them very inspiring.

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.

I can't believe I'm going to issue a child warning for a Hallmark Christmas movie! But while watching Silent Night, you'll find it hard to believe it actually is a Hallmark. It's violent, loud, and gory, featuring the most graphic bullet wound I've ever seen in a movie. Hardly for Christmas, and definitely not for children.

The premise is fantastic, though, which was what drew me to it. During WWII, a German woman and her young son are hiding in a cabin in the woods, and German and American soldiers come upon them. In the spirit of Christmas, she makes them all surrender their guns and celebrate the holiday together. With Linda Hamilton as the strong matriarch, and some very sentimental scenes (the soldiers all pool their snacks and gift from home for Christmas dinner and gift exchanges), it could have been a really wonderful drama. But why all the violence?

Also, the movie starts off in the present time, as the adult grandson of one of the American soldiers meets up with the little German boy (now an elderly man). The meat of the movie is shown through a flashback of the boy's memory, which is quite sad. Everyone united by Linda is now dead - not much Christmas cheer, is there? Plus, the American soldier who was supposed to have had the greatest impact on the little boy was brash and rude during the entire night; why did the child treasure his memory so much? Linda Hamilton fans might not mind the violence, but anyone in search of a peaceful Hallmark movie should look elsewhere.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

Linda Hamilton's performance was wonderful! The story was great, and the acting was very good. If you want to be "touched", and not just entertained, this a great movie. The tone is warm and serious, but not without a few light-hearted moments. The setting is World War II, so it is not your normal Christmas movie, but it is well worth watching.

I enjoyed Linda Hamilton in the Terminator movies, but she shows a more serious side in Silent Night. I was blown away by the convincing German accent and acting skills. She shows that she is more than an action lady (although she certainly has left a legacy in the first two Terminator movies).

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.

As World War II draws to a close, three Nazis encounter three American GIs outside a shack in the woods on a snowy Christmas Eve. The shack's inhabitants, a German woman (Linda Hamilton) and her young son, invite the soldiers to come in out of the cold -- as long as they leave their weapons outside. An uneasy truce ensues. Everyone does his best to make the place Christmas-y, and they share a modest meal. And each has his own story to tell. Based on a true story, this TV movie is first rate. You likely will not recognize anyone in this Canadian-lenses flick other than Hamilton, but they are all very convincing in their roles. Beautifully photographed and designed. Kudos to the scripters and director, too.

Silent Night is honestly the best Christmas movie I have ever seen. It kicks ass compared to all those other holiday movies about superficial families that try to get along for the sake of the youngest child during the holidays. This movie shows the reality of both war and goodness of mankind.

Though it is set during the Second World War, it is really about how race and ethnicity should not affect people. It is also very realistic; the snowy Ardennes and cozy cottage Elisabeth and Fritz live in had me running outside to chop wood for my fireplace just so I could have that old-world feeling. The costumes are very nice too, easily matching the real costumes used in Band of Brothers. The only thing I got tired of was Linda Hamliton's German accent, a few more weeks of voice coaching and she could have fooled me though.

This movie deserves a place of honor on the movie shelf right next to Band of Brothers and Schindler's List. I feel strongly that a book should be written by the Vincken family about this event, I would certainly buy it.

Silent Night dramatises a search for humanity, with a hint that the spiritual (though mixed with pagan singing to a Christmas Tree) is the key. Honouring hospitality, even under duress, is a big theme. I enjoy war movies, especially when the themes of common humanity & pathos come into play. The German accents should have been better, and native German speakers would have helped. But still, it's nice to relax to a reflective war film, devoid of immoral language, that asks anthropological questions. It is far from blood and gore, nor is it some feminist fantasy of woman putting man to shame, though it is about a mother who bravely laments to her country's soldiers that their fight has been misconceived. For their part they respect her the more for her bravery, and feel the truth of her politically incorrect words – but should she be shot? The last character introduced, Capt. Dietrich, aligned to Hitler, levelled his gun... There are some early cringe views of a wounded leg (let the squeamish cover their eyes), and the wounded man soon shrieks in pain as the wound is cauterised (let the squeamish cover their ears). He later gives the opportunity to test how strongly the German leutnant links honour to his sworn word, which in turn shows Pvt. Rassi how the 'other side' can also suffer human tragedies of the heart. Rassi repents of some callousness. Yet the story concludes on the theme that some callousness is a must in war – perhaps is in life if "war is but the aggravation of the normal human condition". Honour to one's country, or even humanity, is not the highest duty, but it is a duty, and both sides, American & German, having welcomed the other during a brief Christmas respite between their lines, nevertheless rightly return to their lines, with a nice twist or two.

I came here for a review last night before deciding which TV movie to settle in front of, and those I found made this one look unmissable. How misled I feel!

Firstly, it needs to be pointed out up front that this is very much a housewife's daytime movie. The performances are wooden, every sentence is an attempt at 'poignant' in the way that housewife's daytime movies and bad soap operas always are, and it is based in that predictable and well-trodden premise that men (particularly soldiers) are essentially violent and incompassionate. The whole movie is about the 'drama' apparent in the moments when the male characters threaten to develop a second dimension.

If that sounds tolerable (or even enjoyable) to you, then be warned. Linda Hamilton's German accent, while quite good, is painfully distracting - as is her face, for some reason. The other performances are no doubt an enduring source of embarrassment to their perpetrators, with painfully thin and obvious characterizations being the order of the day. There are few surprises, but do watch for the 'Monty Pythonesque' endless supply of food and drink that miraculously appears from the hungry soldiers' knapsacks!

I wasn't expecting action, but I had hoped for beautiful or textural or emotionally charged. What I got was a particularly bad Christmas 'feelgood' story that will have an intelligent audience cringing with the crapulence of it all.

Watch it under the folowing circumstances: 1: There's nothing else on. 2: You are a fan of predictable 'housewife takes on men and wins' TV movies. 3: The only way you can appreciate a true story is when Hollywood turns it into a feature film. 4: You've imbibed enough nog that your emotions are easily stirred by unsophisticated storytelling.

I was flipping channels last night and stumbled upon this movie. I was like "hey - that's the chick from Terminator playing a German lady during World War II" and paused for a minute to see what the movie was about. I didn't see the beginning and didn't get to see the end, but I was GLUED to the television while I was able. I was so disappointed to have missed the ending that I've got it on my calendar to see the rest of the movie. I found the character development to be well played and wanted to know more about each one. It was so interesting to watch how they interacted with each other. The movie kept me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next with the soldiers. It was a great story of the true spirit of Christmas!