Joyeux Noël (French for Merry Christmas) is a 2005 anti-war film directed by Christian Carion. France, December 1914. In a comparatively confined space of just a few hundred square meters, Franco-British and German units lie ready to fight in the freezing cold. They all have only one wish, that finally there should be an end to the killing. On Christmas Eve, however, when music resounds from the other trench, the troops on both sides decide to put aside their weapons for a short period and celebrate together. This fictionalized account is based on the true story of the Christmas truce of 1914. Most of the plot is inspired by the actions of the German tenor Walter Kirchhoff, whose singing in December 1914 caused troops in the French trenches to stand up and applaud.
The following weapons were used in the film Joyeux Noël:
French soldiers including Ponchel (Dany Boon), Le couturier (Mickey Dedaj), Gueusselin (Lucas Belvaux), and Morallec (Philippe Beautier) use Berthier Mle 1907-15 rifles. The 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 with these rifles until 1916 due to the shortage of Lebel 1886 rifles that should be used instead in this movie set in 1914. Some captured Berthier rifles are carried by German soldiers after the attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBerthier Fusil Modèle 1907/15 - 8x50mmR LebelError creating thumbnail: File missingPonchel awaits his mon lieutenant outside the shelter.Error creating thumbnail: File missingBefore attacking, he takes deep breaths to steady himself. Oddly enough, Lt. Audebert gave the order to cycle the bolts which leads to the assumption that the rifles are not loaded since no ejected casings are visible. This would also mean, among other things, that only two cartridges would be left in the magazine, which would be disadvantageous during the following battle. This order is just to show the viewer that things are now getting serious.Error creating thumbnail: File missing"En avant!" French soldiers going over the top with Rosaline bayonets attached to their rifles.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA French soldier dies with Mle. 1907/15 in hands which offers a close view of the receiver and the bolt handle. The rifle seen behind him is not equipped with a bayonet which is strange, because every soldier executed the order to fix their bayonets before leaving the trench.Error creating thumbnail: File missingLe couturier's Berthier lies next to him as he and Lt. Audebert witness a strange action in No Man's Land.Error creating thumbnail: File missingWhile in a crate between the lines, Gueusselin holds his Berthier at the ready as Sprink walks by. The ejecting hole of the 3-round magazine is visible. Note the modern military trigger discipline, which would become standard practice many years after WWI.
Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk. III*
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 while burying the dead. The matching Seitengewehr 98/05 bayonets are seen but never fixed to them.
Some post-war Czechoslovak Vz. 98/22 Czech Mausers are also used by German soldiers like Jörg (Frank Witter). These Mausers have flat tangent sights instead of the Lange Visier. It may be an anachronism, but it is a better choice than Turkish models or Karabiner 98ks that have been used several times in WWI films.
An anachronistic FN MAG 58 mocked up as a Maxim MG08/15 is used by German soldiers. It is identifiable by the barrel at the center of the water jacket and the bullets feed from the left. This mock-up, however, is still incorrect for Winter 1914, where the original Maxim MG08 would be more accurate.
