My Christmas Soldier
This is a powerful film, bringing some separate true facts together to make one single story. The film is set during World War ll, just two years into the war. Some German soldiers are shipped by train to Georgia, and at the station families are waiting for their loved ones, American soldiers, to arrive home by train. It is Christmas Eve and the German soldiers are hungry as they wait in the boxcar, and a young boy, Gordy, waiting for his father's arrival, manages to steal some sandwiches and get some hot coa coa to a couple of the soldiers. One of them, named Hans, gives the boy his cross medal as a token of thanks for his kindness. The boy gives the German soldier a toy soldier his father had given him. Hans tells him, "Sometimes even enemies can be friends, huh?" Despite the crankiness of several people who don't want the soldiers there, when the German soldiers begin singing "Silent Night," in German, the Americans reply by singing "Silent Night" in English. This miracle of a bridge of sorts between two warring nations is nicely done and touching.This story is very well written by Mauriel Joslyn, and the film coasts along quickly. The human elements are touching and the director, Owen Smith, managed to convey a lot in a short amount of time as this movie runs only 37 minutes.Every nation should see this film! It is a film of hope, and a perfect Christmas story.--The Dove Foundation