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The Trial of Joan of Arc

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100% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
In 15th-century France, teen peasant Joan of Arc (Florence Carrez), who claims to be able to communicate directly with God, is put on trial on charges of heresy against the church. Throughout the proceedings, Bishop Cauchon (Jean-Claude Fourneau) relentlessly pursues his version of the truth, and presses the girl to admit that she's lied about receiving messages from a higher power. But Joan remains resolute, even as the threat of a violent public execution slowly becomes an imminent reality.

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The Trial of Joan of Arc

Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 08/12/2022
4/5
Collated by Bresson from three contemporary court transcripts, the tense exchanges between Joan and her inquisitors provide a fascinating insight into the true nature of her primal crimes. Go to Full Review
TIME Magazine 03/05/2013
Bresson's treatment of the Trial of Joan is characteristically ascetic; but it is also quintessential history, unique and timeless, graced with a master's touch. Go to Full Review
Variety Staff Variety 07/06/2010
Using non-actors, there are no false dramatics. This unveils another side of the oft-filmed tale, and the state and church politics of that century. Go to Full Review
Sean Axmaker Parallax View 05/04/2012
As much as I love Bresson's works, I'm rarely caught up in the sweep of his drama. The drama comes for me only at the conclusion - and then lingers for days after. Go to Full Review
Dan Callahan House Next Door 01/09/2012
The Trial of Joan of Arc (1962) might be my favorite Robert Bresson film, and Florence Delay, who plays Joan and who went on to become a respected novelist in France, my favorite Bresson lead. Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 03/28/2010
Suspended like the protagonist between sanctity and pride, undaunted yet utterly naked Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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John A @ExcessMale 05/31/2023 Not a bad short film but Robert Bresson's cinematic vision of Joan's final moments struggles to interest (especially in comparison to Dreyer's iconic version from decades before). Florence Delay is a great choice for the titular role. See more chris k 06/30/2021 A portrait so powerful that one cannot simply ignore or forget. See more 11/09/2018 Did the child Joan of Arc offer her eternal soul to God as a sacrifice, to be damned forever, to free the multitude of souls damned to hell which Jesus Christ could not save? Or is this blasphemy? Find out in: "JEANNETTE - The Childhood of Joan of Arc" (ages 8-16) Film/Musical (2017). French language, English subtitles. my Alternate Title: "The Death, Resurrection, and Lying Departure of the Young Joan of Arc" (1420-1428). As much Jewish as it is Christian. As much about the boy David as it is the girl Joan. As much about Israel as it is France. See more 05/20/2018 I love french arthouse movies, I love historical movies and I love musicals. But this movie is the worst movid I've seen for a long time. I would go as far and say it is the worst movie I have ever seen. Monsieur Dumont just stole 2 hours of my life which I will never get back. I am not disappointed, I am angry - the movie is so incredibly bad. See more 05/20/2018 This is by far the worst movie I've ever seen in my entire life. It was long. It was slow. It was torture. The main character kept promising they were really finally leaving but the sick joke was that the film just kept going. It was like a parody of what a high school level drama student would write if they were trying to be artsy. It had a reoccurring heavy metal theme with some of the worst choreography I have ever seen. Then randomly an uncle became a reoccurring character whose music genre of choice was rap and his choreography was not head banging but rather some modern nightmare remix of 'the robot.' By far some of the worst two hours of my life. Oh, and for some reason in the middle of this movie one of the characters walks like the exorcist?? This movie was truly a nightmare. See more 04/18/2018 Unless you are some art film masochist, skip this one, Absolutely the worst film I have seen in years, and I've seen some real stinkers. A pretentious, boring and badly filmed mess. I can only assume the only reason this got made was due to a government subsidy since no one in their right mind would produce such an artistically worthless trash. Astonishing that this has received an 81% favorable rating by critics. Wish I had whatever drugs they took to watch this thing (I feel asleep about half way through so maybe there were some better scenes than I suffered through, but I doubt it). See more Read all reviews
The Trial of Joan of Arc

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 15th-century France, teen peasant Joan of Arc (Florence Carrez), who claims to be able to communicate directly with God, is put on trial on charges of heresy against the church. Throughout the proceedings, Bishop Cauchon (Jean-Claude Fourneau) relentlessly pursues his version of the truth, and presses the girl to admit that she's lied about receiving messages from a higher power. But Joan remains resolute, even as the threat of a violent public execution slowly becomes an imminent reality.
Director
Robert Bresson
Producer
Agnès Delahaie
Screenwriter
Robert Bresson
Distributor
Pathé Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 11, 1965, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 26, 2018
Runtime
1h 5m
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