Search - Silent Night on DVD

SILENT NIGHT, WELL-SPENT NIGHT

Avie L. Hern | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wasn't at the Battle of the Bulge, the last great battle of World War II whose little-known and unknown byways form the locale of this true-life story, but SILENT NIGHT is, in its way, as evocative and illuminating of this momentous event in history as its far-better-known counterpart, the 1949 front-line combat film, BATTLEGROUND.Rather than concentrating on the fierce, frozen struggle that the Bulge certainly was -- leaving as it did, thousands of Americans and Germans dead in the dark, snowy Huertgen Forest during that brutal winter of 1944-'45 -- SILENT NIGHT deals with the intertwined universality of soldiers' longing for home, a war-weary German mother's longing for peace in her own home, and her little boy's desperate need for a sign that the world he'll inherit might be filled by something other than the hollow, ranted slogans of the Hitler Youth.The performances, especially those of Linda Hamilton, as the frightened, yet determined, Frau Vincken, and the young men who play the GI's and Wehrmacht infantrymen, convincingly convey the snow-blanched weariness and wariness that surely contributed to the real participants' touch-and-go attempt to lay aside their arms for one last wartime Christmas, as a sign that their world may have tired of its madness.Also utterly convincing, by the way, is the film's depiction of the snowbound German landscape -- photographed, as I understand it, in Quebec in the height of summer!"

Silent Night - excellent Christmas film

Avie L. Hern | 11/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Too often during the holidays, we are bombarded with sugary sweet films with adorable kids and silly stories. This is not one of those, but instead is an intelligent and touching memoir of an exceptional and true night in the life of a young boy and his mother. Well acted and well written, Silent Night tells the story of a woman's struggle to keep peace in her mountain cabin during a Christmas Eve when several American and German soldiers find their way to her door. She not only manages to do that, but during the evening, she reaches the heart of each of her guests, stirring their humanity and their wishes for the end of the war. As they share their meal, they share bits of their 'real' lives with each other and begin to see each other as men, not just enemies. Linda Hamilton is excellent as the mother and leads a solid cast in this wonderful and warm story. Highly recommended for all members of the family."

Highly recommended holiday fare

M. J Gehrking | Pewaukee, WI United States | 12/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I, too, stumbled upon this gem one evening last year & caught it near the beginning. Meaning to return to my orginal program, I found I could not turn away. The characters are believable and well-acted, the plot is a welcome reminder to what the true meaning of Christmas should be...peace on earth and good will to all. I hope Hallmark will consider marketing this classic to a broader audience."

The True Meaning of Christmas

Edward Mooney, Jr. | Palmdale, CA USA | 11/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The message of SILENT NIGHT is the meaning of Christmas itself: compassion and caring overcoming hatred and hostility. As a history teacher and a human being I highly recommend this movie.The plot is riveting, the characters are real, the setting is wonderful, and the theme will touch your heart to a depth that no sugary-sweet traditional Christmas film can.The producers, director, actors and crew created a movie that you will remember for years after you watch it. It is well worth your time and money."