Maria Falconetti is superb as the eponymous tortured soul betrayed and tried for heresy in 15th century France. The history is well known, and Carl Theodor Dreyer sticks fairly faithfully to the more established, traditional, chronology which leaves us, the audience, to focus much more on the wonderfully emotive, gritty and poignant efforts from the cast and the wonderfully creative talent behind the camera. The combination of innovative, intimate and intense photography coupled with the beautifully expressive facial expressions from Miss Falconetti; the subtle but potent brutality of her persecutors - personified well by Eugene Silvain's Bishop Cauchon but also well exemplified by the cold and soul-less panel of judges all make this an effective and chilling film. The score - semi angelic, frequently intimidating but always powerful helps create an atmosphere that genuinely makes you feel fear and trepidation for this young woman, a pawn in things she little understands, but sticking faithfully to her beliefs of divine intervention and pureness of spirit. That emotional link is contagious, and even as a man of little faith myself, I found myself feeling an overwhelming pity for this person caught up in a trap of very much earthly ambition and deceit. It's a tough watch at times, especially as the chronicles remove even the slightest of chances for this woman. It is also pretty short - and that helps keep that momentum moving really well; there is no time for extended and sprawling cinematography to lessen the impact - it's a film about humanity, trauma and fear; and takes some beating...
cyberflixgold
January 27, 2025
10
There are a few different versions of this movie with different audio tracks. Dreyer himself criticized a bastardized version in the 1950s that changed the vignettes and audio to better fit for audiences of the time.
I saw this movie long ago from a poor reproduction with what I assume was the original score and it was pretty good. Years later showed it to someone else and we saw the remastered Voices of Light version. It had been elevated to a true masterpiece.
The higher video quality really lets us see Dreyer's decision to not use the extremely common heavy makeup found in the silent film era. The missing puzzle piece was found in the form of perfectly fitting vocals. Dreyer will simply have to excuse us for modifying his film.
**This is a perfect film**
I love Jeanne d'Arc, the patron saint of soldiers.\
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Before I saw this film, I had always considered 'The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc' to be the epitome of Jeanne d'Arc's story on film.\
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When I found out about this film a few years later, I only watched it because of my love for Jeanne d'Arc. But I didn't think a silent black and white film from the 1920s would be able to stand up to a modern film. When it was over, I stood corrected, because The Passion of Joan of Arc proved to be one of the most powerful and moving films of all time.\
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The incredible performances of Maria Falconetti (Jeanne), and every actor in the film was beyond perfect. The way they conveyed emotion through expression, and used their body language to speak volumes in this silent film, took hold of and captivated me. The camera work and settings were obviously far beyond their time. The director was truly a visionary. I completely fell in love with the film, and, for me at least, it became the pinnacle of Jeanne d'Arc's story on film.\
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When I researched about the history of this film, it turns out we're very fortunate to have this film with us today. As It was almost lost to history. Thankfully by the grace of God, and the love and dedication of others who cherished this film, today we can still view this wonderful masterpiece.\
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I highly recommend you give this a watch if you want to see a perfect film, especially if you love Jeanne d'Arc.\
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10//10.
