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The Passion of Joan of Arc

Play trailer Poster for The Passion of Joan of Arc Released Apr 21, 1928 1h 17m History Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A classic of the silent age, this film tells the story of the doomed but ultimately canonized 15th-century teenage warrior. On trial for claiming she'd spoken to God, Jeanne d'Arc (Renee Falconetti) is subjected to inhumane treatment and scare tactics at the hands of church court officials (Eugene Silvain, Jean d'Yd). Initially bullied into changing her story, Jeanne eventually opts for what she sees as the truth. Her punishment, a famously brutal execution, earns her perpetual 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 Times (UK) 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. Jul 9, 2020 Full Review Jaime N. Christley Village Voice 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. Nov 22, 2017 Full Review Thomas H Green Daily Telegraph (UK) In the hands of the great Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer it becomes a potent saga of battered faith, vicious bullying and personal torment. Rated: 4/5 Feb 27, 2013 Full Review Sebastian Zavala Kahn Me gusta el cine 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]. Rated: 5/5 Feb 21, 2025 Full Review Ian Thomas Malone ianthomasmalone.com 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. Sep 9, 2024 Full Review Vernon Young Accent: A Quarterly of New Literature 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. Jan 18, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jakelyn P 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! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/06/25 Full Review babarizam D 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. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/25/25 Full Review DanTheMan 2 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/25 Full Review Jay W 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/20/24 Full Review Mason M A great and interesting courtroom drama, that does very well at portraying its story for a silent film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review Simon T Swift, stark and brutal. Dreyer's minimalist silent masterwork jettisons back story to hurl us straight into the trial, stripping the famous story down to its core and conveying the cruelty of the calcified Church elders through close-up and fast edits. But of course it is Falconetti's luminous Joan who guides the film and elicits our compassion and pity. A story that resonates still and a major cinematic achievement. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/03/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis A classic of the silent age, this film tells the story of the doomed but ultimately canonized 15th-century teenage warrior. On trial for claiming she'd spoken to God, Jeanne d'Arc (Renee Falconetti) is subjected to inhumane treatment and scare tactics at the hands of church court officials (Eugene Silvain, Jean d'Yd). Initially bullied into changing her story, Jeanne eventually opts for what she sees as the truth. Her punishment, a famously brutal execution, earns her perpetual martyrdom.
Director
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Screenwriter
Carl Theodor Dreyer, Joseph Delteil
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Video Yesteryear, Janus Films, LS Video
Production Co
Société générale des films
Genre
History, Drama, Biography
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 21, 1928, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 23, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.4K
Runtime
1h 17m
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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