Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1990s
    Movies - 1990s Movies - M 4 Mins Read

    Midnight Clear, A (1992)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Just before the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, US Army Major Griffin (John C. McGinley) sends a small I&R (Intelligence and Reconnaissance) squad to inhabit an empty chateau near the German lines to keep an eye on enemy deployments.

    Losses from an earlier patrol have reduced the squad from 12 to 6 men: Sgt. Will Knott (Ethan Hawke), Bud Miller (Peter Berg), Mel Avakian (Kevin Dillon), Stan Shutzer (Arye Gross), Vance “Mother” Wilkins (Gary Sinise), and Paul “Father” Mundy (Frank Whaley).

    On their way to the chateau in two jeeps, they encounter an eerie, surreal sight on the road: the frozen corpses of a German and American soldier poised in a standing embrace, evidently arranged by the Germans as some dark joke – or ominous threat.

    Settling into the chateau, they soon discover they are not alone. A group of Wehrmacht soldiers nearby reveals their presence that night with ominous laughter and taunting shouts of “Schlafen Sie gut!” (Sleep well!).

    Out on patrol, Knott, Mundy, and Shutzer are suddenly confronted by a trio of German soldiers aiming their weapons at them.

    The Americans panic and put their hands up in surrender, but the enemy just as suddenly vanishes.

    At first, the Americans think the Germans – a small group of teenagers commanded by a middle-aged noncommissioned officer (NCO) – are mocking them but then realise the Germans want to surrender to survive the war.

    They ask the Americans to pretend to have captured them in combat to protect their families back home from retribution. The Americans agree but elect not to inform Wilkins, who has become half-crazed since learning of the death of his child stateside.

    The two groups meet at a forest cabin and fire their weapons into the air to simulate a skirmish, as planned. Unfortunately, Wilkins, nearby, hears the gunfire. Thinking the engagement is real, he rushes to the scene and opens fire on the Germans.

    Naturally, the Germans start to shoot back. As the situation spirals out of control, Knott’s men are forced to eliminate all enemy soldiers, but not before Mundy is fatally shot and Shutzer badly wounded.

    As he is dying, Mundy begs the others not to tell Wilkins that the skirmish was staged.

    The always petulant Major Griffin arrives, harangues Knott, and takes Shutzer back for medical treatment (who later dies). The four remaining soldiers ritualistically bathe Mundy’s body.

    The soldiers are left with no choice but to flee from the chateau as German forces advance.

    Knott’s men dress as medics and carry Mundy’s corpse back to American lines. There Knott learns that Wilkins has been recommended for the Bronze Star and transferred to the motor pool, while the rest of the squad will be sent into the frontline to fight as regular infantry.

    A low-budget independent production, A Midnight Clear initially earned a mere $1.5 million at the box office – less than half of what it cost to make. Shown occasionally on television and eventually released on DVD and Blu-ray, the film has since found a somewhat larger and more appreciative audience.

    Originally planned to be filmed in Yugoslavia (present-day Slovenia) in 1990, a lack of snow there necessitated a change of location and a year’s delay. Snowy evergreen forests near Park City, Utah, substituted nicely for the Ardennes Forest.

    Based on a novel by William Wharton.

    Bud Miller
    Peter Berg
    Cpl. Mel Avakian
    Kevin Dillon
    Stan Shutzer
    Arye Gross
    Sgt. Will Knott
    Ethan Hawke
    Vance ‘Mother’ Wilkins
    Gary Sinise
    Paul ‘Father’ Mundy
    Frank Whaley
    Major Griffin
    John C. McGinley
    Lieutenant Ware
    Larry Joshua
    Sergeant Hunt
    David Jensen
    Older German Soldier
    Curt Lowens
    Janice
    Rachel Griffin
    Eddie
    Tim Shoemaker

    Director
    Keith Gordon

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
      Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
      Director James Foley, working with a highly resonant screenplay by David Mamet, here brings a palpable cinematic tension to what…
    • Masters of the Universe (1987)
      Masters of the Universe (1987)
      Based on the popular 1980’s He-Man & The Masters Of The Universe cartoon, this live-action film featured the warrior prince (Dolph…
    • Apollo 13 (1995)
      Apollo 13 (1995)
      The subject of Apollo 13 is exactly what the title suggests. The movie charts the fraught 13th Apollo space mission, undertaken in…
    • Malta Story (1953)
      Malta Story (1953)
      It is 1942 and Britain is clinging to the island of Malta, located south of Sicily and critical to keeping…
    • Wild Things (1998)
      Wild Things (1998)
      Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) is a popular high school guidance counsellor in the affluent Miami suburb of Blue Bay who…
    • Mother Night (1996)
      Mother Night (1996)
      This big-screen adaptation of the novel by Kurt Vonnegut tells the intriguing (fictional) tale of how successful German-American playwright Howard…
    • Morons from Outer Space (1985)
      Morons from Outer Space (1985)
      A box-office failure from 1986 starring Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones and Jimmy Nail, Morons From Outer Space tells the…
    • Dark City (1998)
      Dark City (1998)
      John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes up in a bathtub in a hotel room in a surreal and gloomy city, suffering…

    1992
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleMen In War (1957)
    Next Article Steel Helmet, The (1951)

    Comments are closed.

    A Labour of Love

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small – to help me with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Frontier
      1 9 6 8 (UK) 8 x 55 minute episodes This drama series – […]
    • Moral Majority
      In the USA, 1979 was a troubled year. Inflation hit 13.3% […]
    • Betty Blue (37°2 le matin) (1986)
      If you have ever loved someone with great intensity – and […]
    • Melvin: Son of Alvin (1984)
      This second and final sequel to the 1973 Australian hit […]
    • What A Way To Go (1964)
      A lavish, frantic comedy with Shirley MacLaine as serial wife […]
    • Brothel Creepers
      These thick crepe soled shoes first walked onto the scene when […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-65006801 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Terry Hall: Coventry scooter ride-out pays tribute to singer

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Hundreds of people ride through Coventry on what would have been the singer's 64th birthday.
    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    metro.co.uk/2023/03/13/the-whos-roger-daltrey-thinks-theres-no-point-releasing-an-album-18434779/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Who's Roger Daltrey thinks there's 'no point' releasing another album

    metro.co.uk

    Bad luck.
    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64963359 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Sir Michael Caine's first Rolls Royce sells at Duxford for £120K

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The Italian Job actor hired a chauffeur to drive the 1968 Silver Shadow, with its doors still intact.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV star, whose real name was Margaret Lake, was a well-known TV figure in the 1990s.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Do you think she know it eas going to happen

    PlayTalk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay

    Talk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Gary Rossington had survived a 1977 air crash that killed several of his bandmates.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    What a talented man. Lucky enough to see original band in concert. BRILLIANT.

    Rest in peace Dickie Davies. An absolute giant of British sports broadcasting.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dickie Davies, World of Sport presenter, dies at 94

    www.theguardian.com

    The broadcaster became something of a cult figure after fronting the ITV show for 20 years
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Yes, one of the great presenters. R.I.P.

    For fans of the radio series Round The Horne (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty close to the edge, even by modern standards. Bona! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA

    For fans of the radio series "Round The Horne" (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty "close to the edge", even by modern standards. Bona!

    open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA
    ... See MoreSee Less

    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    For those interested, the complete “Jules and Sandy” is available on Audible…

    Bona to vada your jolly old eek. Lovely riah....

    RIP the beautiful Stella Stevens, who has died at the age of 84.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Stella Stevens: Nutty Professor and Poseidon Adventure star dies at 84

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The co-star of Elvis Presley also worked in TV on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    A very young Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison and friends. 

If they only knew what lay ahead . . .

    A very young Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison and friends.

    If they only knew what lay ahead . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 18
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    I always hated the Beatles, and as it happens I still do.

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Bubblegum music Canada Civil rights Cold War Computer games Crime Disc Jockeys Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Folk rock Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen James Bond JFK Kraütrock Labels Madchester Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave New Zealand Nixon Northern Soul NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Reggae Rolling Stones Scotland Ska Ska revival Skiffle Soul music Space Race Sport Surf music Video games Vietnam war
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.