Joyeux Noel (2005)

Alex Ferns: Le lieutenant Gordon

Photos 

Quotes 

• 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] 

• 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.