[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/A_Midnight_Clear_5490.jpg]]
->''"Nobody in the army ever admits that someone on our side is killed. They're either lost, like [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh Christopher Robin]], hit, as in a batter hit by a [[UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} pitched ball]], or they get "it", like in hide and go seek. Or maybe they get it, as with an ambiguous joke."''
-->-- '''Will Knott'''

''A Midnight Clear'' is a 1992 UsefulNotes/WorldWarII film directed by Creator/KeithGordon and starring Creator/EthanHawke and Creator/GarySinise, amongst others. Gordon adapted the story from the [[TheFilmOfTheBook eponymous 1982 novel]] by William Wharton.

During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, a US Army Intelligence squad commanded by Will Knott (Hawke) is sent on a reconnaissance patrol in the Ardennes. After occupying an abandoned chateau, they encounter a German platoon recently returned from the fighting in Russia, who have no wish to die in the upcoming offensive. After some [[CommonalityConnection bonding]] over Christmas, the Americans hatch up a scheme to take the Germans prisoner, in the meantime acquiring a medal for one of the soldiers, Vance "Mother Wilkins" (Sinise), who is suffering from a [[HeroicBSOD breakdown]]; they hope the medal will get him a safe job away from the lines.

The film has a recognizable cast with a heavy dash of RetroactiveRecognition. Although it has was released to critical acclaim and eventually carved a niche for itself as a CultClassic amongst war movie fans, it suffered from being released between the fad of anti-UsefulNotes/VietnamWar movies and the surge of World War II movies.

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!!This film provides examples of:
* AllGermansAreNazis: Completely [[AvertedTrope Averted]].
* BigDamnHeroes: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]]. [[spoiler: Mother comes the rescue of the squad when they are "pinned down" by the "enemy". The plan was to take the Germans prisoner, but fake a battle to make it look like they didn't surrender without a fight. Unfortunately, no one told Mother, whom promptly shows up and shoots several German soldiers, leading to the entire German platoon being wiped out and the deaths of Father Mundy and Stan Shutzer.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: The four survivors of Intelligence never make contact again after the war ends, with the exception of Mother sending a lone $10 dollar bill to Will every Christmas, to pay off a bet.]]
* CelibateHero: Father Mundy, who wants to be a priest.
* DirtyCoward: Major Griffin doesn't seem to want to spend much time near the front, let alone at it.
* DreamingOfAWhiteChristmas: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], the film is set during the fighting in the Ardennes, where it was snowing to the point that trench foot was a major problem amongst combatants.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The very first scene is Mother having a [[HeroicBSOD nervous breakdown]] and [[TeamMom Will]] reassuring him.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Mother Wilkins and Father Mundy.
* FatalFamilyPhoto: [[spoiler: One of the Germans looks at a photo of his wife and kids before the fake "battle". When it [[GoneHorriblyRight goes horribly right]], he and his buddies are killed.]]
* AFatherToHisMen: Will and the older German soldier are these (respectively).
%%* FriendlyEnemy
* GoKartingWithBowser: The whole point of the movie. The Americans and Germans celebrate Christmas together, singing carols and getting in a snowball fight.
* GoneHorriblyRight: The squad wants to get Mother a medal so he can get off the lines. [[spoiler: When they feign a battle with the Germans, the completely uninformed Mother shows up and promptly shoots at the Germans. This causes a full-on firefight which leaves all the Germans, along with Father Mundy and Stan Schutzer, either dead or fatally wounded.]]
%% commented out as Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * GoneHorriblyWrong
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: [[spoiler:The Germans' deaths when they fight back against the American squad following Mother mistaking their initially fake fighting for real and started firing at them.]]
* HeroicBSOD: Mother spends the entire movie in one.
%% commented out as Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * HoistByTheirOwnPetard
* InstantDeathBullet: [[spoiler: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] for Father Mundy and Stan Shultzer. Played straight for the German soldiers, except one.]]
%% commented out as Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * {{Jerkass}}: Oh god, Major Griffin.
* LiteralMinded: Lieutenant Ware, who requisitioned for the Intelligence Squad assuming it would be comprised of, well, intelligent people. A.K.A the soldiers who scored the highest on testing.
* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Mother. Leads to tragedy.
* MirroringFactions: Like the Americans, the Germans are mostly draftees who just want to go home safe. It is implied that they are both recon units.
* MoodWhiplash. The fake "battle." The soldiers are grinning, enjoying themselves not actually fighting for once. [[spoiler: Then Mother shows up and starts dropping the Germans.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: Mother blames himself for Father's death (Father was running to warn Mother when he opened fire on the Germans). [[DefiedTrope Defied]] by the squad, who don't tell Mother about the plan to keep him from completely breaking down.]]
* NobleBigot: The Germans may be [[PunchClockVillain Punch Clock Villains]], but they still seem to display some predujice towards the Jewish Stan Shutzer.
* PoorCommunicationKills: [[spoiler: Keeping Mother LockedOutOfTheLoop lead to full-fledged fight with German soldiers and ended with all of them dead. After taking Father and Stan with them]].
* PunchClockVillain: The Germans.
* PunnyName: Will Knott. Lampshaded by his in-universe nickname of "Won't".
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Lieutenant Ware, especially when contrasted to Major Griffin.
* SpannerInTheWorks: Nobody thinks to tell Mother of the plan. [[spoiler: So he shows up and starts dropping Germans.]] A completely unintentional example.
* SnowballFight: The Americans and Germans have one.
%% commented out as Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * SoldiersAtTheRear: Major Griffin.
* TeamMom: Played straight by Will Knott and Father Mundy. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] with "Mother" Wilkins, he got the nickname because of his constant hounding of the squad for being unkempt, messy and litterbugs, but he spends most of the movie in a HeroicBSOD. Kind of hard to be a mother figure when you're too busy breaking down.
* TrueCompanions: The entire squad.
* WarIsHell: A brilliant example of this trope without many war scenes. Shows the psychological effect on soldiers and how war is fought mostly between [[PunchClockVillain Punch Clock Villains]].
* WeHaveReserves: Major Griffin loves this trope, but then again, he is an [[{{Jerkass}} asshole.]]
-->'''Will''': Griffin was a mortician in civilian life. His main passion now seems to be generating business for his army counterparts.
* WinterWarfare: Zigzagged. Set during the Battle of the Bulge, there's snow on the ground throughout the film, what fighting and travel is shown is done in wintry conditions and the troops battle trench foot as a result. On Christmas Eve however, the American and German soldiers call a temporary truce, sing carols together, and even engage in a snowball fight.
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