Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas) is a 2005 anti-war film directed by Christian Carion.The plot of the film focuses on the Christmas Truce of 1914 between French, German and Scottish soldiers. This fictionalized account based on true events of this time period. Most of the plot is inspired by the event of the German tenor Walter Kirchhoff.
French soldiers including Ponchel (Dany Boon), Le couturier (Mickey Dedaj), Gueusselin (Lucas Belvaux) and Morallec (Philippe Beautier) use Berthier Mle 1907-15 rifles. This appearance of this rifle in 1914 is an anachronism in two ways, first, the Mle 1907/15 was introduced in early 1915 to colonial troops and the French Foreign Legion and second, regular French infantrymen were not equipped until 1916 due to the shortage of Lebel 1886 rifles that should be used instead for this time. Some captured Berthier rifles are carried by German soldiers after the attack.
The Lee-Enfield No.1 Mk.III* is the standard rifle for Scottish soldiers. While the use of the SMLE is correct, it is worth mentioning that the Mk III* variant without the magazine cut-off was introduced one year later. The two brothers Jonathan (Steven Robertson) and William (Robin Laing) wield SMLEs throughout the movie.
Nikolaus Sprink (Benno Fürmann), Oskar (Alexander Wüst), Otto (Otto Beckmann) and other German soldiers are armed with correct Gewehr 98 rifles. Oberleutnant Horstmayer discharges various Gewehrs during the burying of the dead. The matching Seitengewehr 98/02 bayonets are seen but never fixed to them.
Some post-war Czechoslovak vz. 98/22 Mausers are also used by German soldiers like Jörg (Frank Witter). These Mausers have flat tangent-sights instead of Lange Visiers. It may be an anachronism, but it is a better choice than Turkish models or Karabiner 98ks that are used several times in WW1 settings.
An out of time FN MAG 58 is mocked up as to resemble a Maxim MG08/15 is used by German soldiers. it is identifiable that the barrel is at the center of the water jacket and that the bullets be introduced from the left. This mock-up, however, is not correct for Winter 1914, so a Maxim MG08 would be accurate.
The French soldier Gueusselin (Lucas Belvaux) arm himself with several Citron Foug modèle 1916 grenades. It's an anachronism because the grenade was introduced 2 years later.
