Joyeux Noel (2005)
Alex Ferns: Le lieutenant Gordon
Photos
Quotes
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Le Major : Everyone to their posts!
Gordon : [a moment of indecision] Every man to his post!
Le Major : Quickly!
[the Scottish soldiers get in position along the trench wall]
German Soldiers : [Someone in the German trench stands up and walks into No Man's Land] No, stay here! What're you doing? Come back!
Le Major : Well, what the hell are you doing! Shoot the bloody Kraut!
[the Scottish soldiers look at each other; they don't fire]
Le Major : What are you waiting for? Shoot him, God damn it! Holidays are over!
[the soldiers shoot in the air to warn the man in No Man's Land, who begins to run toward the French trench]
Le Major : What the hell do you think you're playing at? Shoot him!
[Again the soldiers look at each other, shake their heads, and don't fire]
Le Major : Shoot him!
[Jonathan shoots the man, who falls midway between the French and German trenches]
Le Major : Stand down from your posts.
[They do]
Le Major : Shame on you, Gordon. Shame on you.
[Ponchel's alarm clock rings in No Man's Land. Gordon looks out to see Lieutenant Audebert running to help the man Jonathan shot - Ponchel in a German uniform]
Ponchel : Be silly to die disguised as a German, eh?
Lieutenant Audebert : What the devil were you doing?
Ponchel : I had a German help me. I saw my mother. We drank a coffee, just like before... You have a son.
[Lieutenant Audebert can no longer keep from crying]
Ponchel : His name is Henri.
[Ponchel dies, and Lieutenant Audebert sobs even harder. Gordon and the Major look on from their trench, Gordon grave, the Major baffled]
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Gordon : We were talking about a cease fire, for Christmas Eve. What do you think? The outcome of this war wont be decided tonight. I don't think anyone would criticize us for laying down our riffles on Christmas Eve.