This movie is more than a film about the writing and first performance
of "Silent Night." Although it does tell this story. Joseph Mohr is
the assistant priest, however the priest is often away as he attends to a
larger church. This movie is about the priest Joseph Mohr (Carsten
Clemens) and his overcoming bitterness which might result from his work,
and loving people, but watching them die. He supports a singe mother,
and her sick son. In his illness he reads the poem he has written,
"Silent Night" to him, and he takes comfort from the words. Mohr
organizes a choir from among local citizens, many of whom do not attend
church. They sing in German, which is not right according to the lead
priest, who arranges for the transfer of Joseph Mohr. Joseph Mohr, asks
the parish organist, Franz Gruber (Markus von Lingen), to write a
special Christmas song. However this work bogs down as the parish organ
stops working, and Joseph is too involved int he writing and offends
the organist. Joseph determines to give up move to a different parish,
and let his bitterness over take him. However he is confronted by the
mother of the boy who passed away. She reminds him how he loved the
poem, and asks that he not let her son's death be for nothing. With
renewed faith, he takes the poem to Franz Christmas Eve, asking him to
set it to music for Christmas Eve Mass. He takes his guitar with him.
The choir is invited to sing the last stanza of each verse, and Franz
and Joseph sing the song as a duet. I like this movie because of the
internal struggle of the priest, who makes a decision not to become as
the older head priest, who is bitter and cynical. It is good to be
reminded that our attitude, to a great extent is a choice, despite our
circumstances. I also liked the portrayal of a young woman, who likes
to sing, and becomes so enthused at one point she things with the
choir. I guess choirs were all male at that time and this causes a
scandal. I often am overcome with the desire to sing myself, and
sometimes getting in trouble singing too much.
This movie is made by writer and director Christian Vuissa. He is a Mormon directory who has made several Mormon movies.
