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The Passion of Joan of Arc

Play trailer Poster for The Passion of Joan of Arc 1928 1h 21m History Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Spiritual rapture and institutional hypocrisy come to stark, vivid life in one of the most transcendent masterpieces of the silent era. Chronicling the trial of Joan of Arc in the hours leading up to her execution, Carl Theodor Dreyer depicts her torment with startling immediacy. Anchoring Dreyer's audacious formal experimentation is a legendary performance by Renée Falconetti, whose haunted face channels both the agony and the ecstasy of martyrdom.
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The Passion of Joan of Arc

The Passion of Joan of Arc

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Critics Consensus

The Passion of Joan of Arc is must-see cinema for Renée Maria Falconetti's incredible performance alone -- and an all-time classic for innumerable other reasons.

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Critics Reviews

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Times (UK) Staff The Times (UK) 07/09/2020
The composition of the pictures is extremely beautiful, and the deliberation of the movement allows time for their beauty, and the poignancy of Mlle. Falconetti's acting, to produce a cumulative effect. Go to Full Review
Jaime N. Christley Village Voice 11/22/2017
This is neither a hopeful nor a hopeless film, but one of feeling so colossal and resplendent, it can't be constrained by prison or consumed by fire. Go to Full Review
Thomas H Green Daily Telegraph (UK) 02/27/2013
4/5
In the hands of the great Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer it becomes a potent saga of battered faith, vicious bullying and personal torment. Go to Full Review
Sebastian Zavala Kahn Me gusta el cine Feb 21
5/5
With an enigmatic protagonist, a story based on cruel real events and an innovative staging, Dreyer's film is considered one of the greatest classics in the history of cinema. [Full review in Spanish]. Go to Full Review
Ian Thomas Malone ianthomasmalone.com 09/09/2024
Dreyer delivers a timeless treatise on the agony of the soul that bristles against the confines of its structure, a film so carefully constructed yet completely raw in its delivery. Go to Full Review
Vernon Young Accent: A Quarterly of New Literature 01/18/2024
The Passion of Joan of Arc is one film among probably less than a dozen of which it can be said that it adds deeply to the sum of one’s experience. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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revolver.0 8 10h beautifully light and shoot portraits See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 8 Failed the silent movie test in just 1 hour and 17 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Jakelyn P Mar 6 Dare i say the epitome of art and cinema? Wow wow wow! This film is visually so incredibly stunning! It’s breathtaking in every sense. Renee Falconetti’s performance is absolutely electrifying, she had me hooked from the start. Her raw emotion and intensity are unparalleled. This isn’t the type of film I’d typically gravitate toward, but I’ve been trying to expand my horizons and just HAD to see this one, and I’m so glad I did! Admittedly, I found myself starting to get distracted after the first 30 minutes, but that’s more because of my own attention span or lack thereof, than a reflection the film itself. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, so I knew I needed to push myself to stay focused but it was absolutely worth it. All in all, an extraordinary film. I completely understand why it’s so beloved and celebrated. A true work of cinematic art! See more babarizam D Feb 25 Probably one of the greatest movie in cinema history due to its set, close ups (which were quite popular during that era) Acting is fantastic. See more DanTheMan 2 Feb 10 A timeless treatise on the agony of the soul that bristles against the confines of its structure, so much of The Passion of Joan of Arc's power comes from its use of close-ups, carefully constructed yet completely raw in its delivery. The film makes for an intimately unsettling watch, as director Carl Dreyer's shooting style traps the viewer as much as the players, his camera acting like a microscope, peering into the souls of the legions of men circling Joan like a pack of hyenas, trying to break down her soul and force a confession. Ultimately it's Maria Falconetti who steals the show, her haunted face channelling both the agony and the ecstasy of martyrdom, youthful and weathered; her expressions are tortured but joyous, it's a legendary performance. Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light just further adds to this film's haunting beauty, creating a deeply moving experience, one that captures spiritual rapture and institutional hypocrisy in stark, almost vivid, life. One of the most transcendent pieces I've seen from the silent era, The Passion of Joan of Arc is the divine captured on film, a thing of irreproachable honesty and ethereal suffering. See more Jay W 11/20/2024 I understand that this isn't a film for everyone. In fact, as I sat down to watch it, I felt like a pretencious cinephile. But it was one that I felt would be important to watch in order to gain some perspective, and pay my respects to the classics. Kind of like eating your vegetables, you know they don't taste great, but you do it because "it's good for you." And yes, I can say that this film, despite having to do a fair bit of reading, is good for you. Joan of Arc is a fascinating person. And this film likewise is a fascinating part of history in its own rights. Appropriately titled, because this is, in deed, a passionate film. See more Read all reviews
The Passion of Joan of Arc

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Movie Info

Synopsis Spiritual rapture and institutional hypocrisy come to stark, vivid life in one of the most transcendent masterpieces of the silent era. Chronicling the trial of Joan of Arc in the hours leading up to her execution, Carl Theodor Dreyer depicts her torment with startling immediacy. Anchoring Dreyer's audacious formal experimentation is a legendary performance by Renée Falconetti, whose haunted face channels both the agony and the ecstasy of martyrdom.
Director
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Screenwriter
Joseph Delteil
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Video Yesteryear, Janus Films, LS Video
Production Co
Société générale des films
Genre
History, Drama, Biography
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 21, 1928, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 23, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.4K
Runtime
1h 21m
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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