Sorry, this movie sucks

One of my all time favorites.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

When the list of IMDb's top films include multiple titles given to animated features and a fair share of movies that are just downright goofy ("Life of Brian", "Groundhog Day"), it's reassuring to find a gem in the mix like "The Passion of Joan of Arc". Originally released as a completely silent film, I opted to watch it with the accompaniment of the 'Voices of Light' soundtrack, which renders the story in a much more spiritual manner.Accused of blasphemy, Jeanne d'Arc (Maria Falconetti) is placed on trial for refusing to recant her assertions that she's had visions of St. Michael, and that she was directed by the voice of God to take charge of her country's army and lead it to victory. In that regard, the picture's principal negative is that it's not placed in historical context, and one does not know the events taking place during the period of time the woman lived. It actually occurred during the latter half of The Hundred Years War (1337-1453) between England and France. Jeanne's involvement in the conflict turned a long standing Anglo-French conflict into something of a religious war, as her importance to the French cause grew over the course of time.One will be struck by the completely one sided nature of Jeanne's trial, one in which every theologian and judge mocked her replies and judged her responses as blasphemous. What's striking is the portrayal Maria Falconetti brings to her character, she is at the same time terrified of her ordeal, but sublime in the way she accepts her fate. It's one of the more impressive performances one would be fortunate enough to see, particularly coming from cinema's silent era. I think it's safe to say that even if one were not religiously inclined, there's an underlying spiritual power and presence that takes hold of the viewer while watching. It's an experience not to be missed.

It's a true blessing that The Passion of Joan of Arc was not lost forever and was miraculously restored for the world to behold the incredible wonder this film is. The Passion of Joan of Arc is a French silent film based on the true story of the real woman by the same name who claims experiences of visions from God which angers the church. The film centers on the trial itself and ultimately her death at the stake. The story was wise to focus on only these events provided the documents available about the trial are public and regarded as definitive history. Furthermore, the filmmakers were wise to not explore her life or speculate on the truthfulness of her claims. Instead, the film is a powerful, relentless character study on a woman who stands by her convictions even if it costs her her life. This is executed spectacularly by our leading lady Maria Falconetti who delivers maybe the single best performance these eyes have personally witnessed in a silent film. Stellar performances aside, it's easy to understand why many considered this piece to be one of the first "artistic" films ever made. Cinematography reminds me of Tom Hooper style frame composition and its editing and lighting make some haunting and impactful moments. Despite not hearing any musical score for the film, it never feels slow or dragging. In fact, it's near impossible to take your eyes away from the screen. Every frame is a beautiful work of art that demonstrates Carl Theodor Dreyer's masterful hand with the camera. Everything about the production and narrative on The Passion of Joan of Arc is masterful. It's a fantastic film that comes recommended to anyone who loves precise storytelling. If it's available (especially with the Criterion release), give this a thorough watch. It's well worth it.

I simply agree that this is one of cinemas true masterpieces, I'm with those who consider it one of if not the greatest film.Two details that I always loved; when Joan sits in her cell taking comfort by staring at the image of the cross formed by the windowpane, then the priest who pretends to befriend her but intends to betray her walks in and his shadow covers the image of the cross - wow, is there a more haunting or effective use of imagery in all of film?Also, I appreciated how at the end when she was about to be killed the same priest looked down on her, unseen, and bowed and shook his head with an expression of true sorrow. I think that was such a profound scene, showing that, though not exactly one of the good guys, he didn't really want her to die, he respected her strength and faith, it showed he was human - I thought that was an amazing, great touch.Also I'd like to mention Richard Einhorn's inspirational soundtrack that matches the film so incredibly well that I can't imagine one without the other. I'd love to shake his hand and simply say 'Thank you! ...you lucky dog!" ;) ... to now and onward be associated with and part of this great film. First time I watched the film, the style of the soundtrack struck me, a new sound, but I was engrossed in the film to think much about it. Second time I watched it, the moment the music started I began to cry, to my surprise! It had left such an affect on me the first time, I didn't realize!

Part of what makes The Passion of Joan of Arc so bold and unflinching, for its time and its current state in cinema, is, much like its titular subject, how battered, beaten, and kicked around it has been in order to get where it is today. This is a film that, from its very inception, was a controversial subject that clerical authorities didn't want to be seen by a wide audience, for its portrayal of religion and politics. Nonetheless, writer/director Carl Theodor Dreyer pushed forward in a direction for a film on Joan of Arc that detailed the gap between religion and politics, in addition to insights into the complex of the fragile male ego that boasts assimilation and manipulation. After the completed and finalized print was lost in a fire, it was doubtful that a print even close to the original would ever resurface until one was discovered in a mental institution in Oslo, Norway in the 1980's. After some cleaning up and polish was added, the film was restored into an eighty-one minute cut, which is said to be very close to the original film's length and structure.Dreyer's focus in The Passion of Joan of Arc was precisely what the title suggests; an intimate and often harrowing portrayal of the agony the French heroine (played ever-so tenderly by Renée Jeanne Falconetti) endured following her unfair trial after the Hundred Years' War. Dreyer sees no point or purpose in showcasing sweeping battle sequences nor does he see it fit to detail Joan of Arc's story in a series of "greatest hits" moments that ultimately ends in a corrupt sentencing. Instead, Dreyer places us, the audience, in an awkward position throughout; we are practically voyeurs into the trial and sentencing of Joan of Arc, who we witness subjected to enough physical and mental torment to shatter one's entire self-worth. As she takes a stand for her faith and her beliefs of her own personal sainthood and relationship with God, she is bludgeoned and abused by an all-male jury and various authorities before being sentenced to death by being consumed by fire.The Passion of Joan of Arc can be viewed in two basic forms; in its original form, with no dialog, or a modified, Criterion Collection version that adds accompanying orchestration from Richard Einhorn called "Voices of Light" (which was my audio-track companion) throughout the film. Einhorn's score provides well-timed parallels in sound and musicality to events transpired on-screen, and the symphonic blend of instruments at various times adds to the cacophony of emotions and tones throughout the picture in a way that wouldn't be as impacting, I feel, with an empty audio-track. Dreyer's film has far too much potential for impact to be viewed in complete and utter silence.Dreyer's decision to focus largely on facial expressions and the facial personalities of characters almost overshadows the complex work of his and Rudolph Maté's in the cinematography department. At the time of its release, The Passion of Joan of Arc erected one of the most expensive and immaculately detailed film sets in the history of cinema, with its construction of the famous Rouen Castle taking most of Dreyer's seven million franc budget on the film. Having said that, the detail in the background of the film is almost as important as the detail in the foreground, with hulking walls and set architecture towering over the characters in the film like a bitter and obvious presence. The walls are nothing more than helpless witnesses to the atrocious treatment of a very confident woman; so confident she makes her male counterparts squirm with inferiority and fear.Out of eighty-one minutes, probably a good forty or forty-five are Dreyer's camera lingering and depicting the facial and emotional reactions of Joan of Arc. Dreyer allows us to zero in on Joan of Arc's emotional responses as a way of peeling back the events of this film and revealing a tender, more human side that can often get lost in the shuffle. This is also likely why Dreyer forgoes the conventional battle sequences the Hundred Years' War practically loans itself to on film; it doesn't work to detail the kind of grounded human interest in the film.Finally, there's the concept of male ego that Dreyer subtly explores here. Consider how manipulated Joan of Arc becomes shortly after allowing herself to be tried for blasphemous remarks about her alleged sainthood and her relationship with God. Her trial was never intended to be fair, but instead, a circus for masculinity to triumph over a defenseless woman who was never going to be heard out on anything she had to say. As a result, the males of the court room decide to shame her, cutting off all her hair and physically and mentally abusing her in a barbaric manner that shows little else besides dominance over the meek and powerless in a cruel situation.The result is a heartbreaking film that grabs you with an all-too-real depiction of a time period frequently obscured by the lingo of textbooks and droll college lectures thanks to Dreyer's human approach and intimate focus on facial expressions and steadfast realism. It's only fitting that The Passion of Joan of Arc endured such a brutal life trying to gets its message out to a wide audience; it perfectly replicates the struggle and fight of its titular character.Starring: Renée Jeanne Falconetti. Directed by: Carl Theodor Dreyer.