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Official Review on my site

It seems that even decades into the past the medium of cinema was still confronted with drastically variant perceptions of a single film. The Passion of Joan of Arc is no exception, even though its status in today’s society is sealed as a classic masterpiece, the same was not always widely agreed upon within its original release date of 1928. However, the curious detail which brings a bit of puzzlement to this survey is found within the mixed reviews themselves. Curiously enough, all of the journals and magazines researched to bring upon this bibliography either regard this film as a contemporary “masterpiece” (The Bioscope) or a motion picture which “isn’t worth a dollar”(Variety); however, they hold radically deviated opinions while sharing the same reason for either their distaste or satisfaction of the film. These dissimilar perspectives are all found within the extreme emotions expressed through The Passion of Joan of Arc’s technically-mastered use of the close-up.

Though it is difficult to judge whether or not these extremely opposite opinions were formulated through a bias of the personal subject of religion Carl Theodor Dreyer’s film comments on, the audiences and readers from the 1920s and 30s had only these scarce sources to decipher their reasons for either viewing the masterpiece or ignoring the worthless and time-wasting picture. Reviews found in The Bioscope hint at the film’s future in regarding it as “one of the greatest films of the age”, admiring the realism of the picture through the successful use of the close-up in achieving emotional expression and power. However, essays from volumes 2 and 5 of Close-Up were absolutely disgusted at experiencing this very same use of emotion while only appreciating its procedural or mechanical glory as opposed to anything theological. Feeling arrested and tormented by the film one critic questions “why must my very hands feel that they are numb and raw and bleeding…as if beating at those very impregnable medieval church doors” (Hilda Doolittle 1928). For some, the emotional expression of the picture was a blessing, for others, a torture.

For example, a critic from Variety, already tiresome of a soundless picture a year after the first “talkie” was released, only finds photographic merit and technical achievement in the film, viewing the motion picture as hard to sale to audiences and mostly made for French colonies appreciative of the historical aspect the film portrays. Yet, Experimental Cinema saw this work of art as a milestone in its technical mastery of capturing human expression within a single frame and linking it to other movements in the scene just as Theatre Arts proclaims the picture to be “a gallery stirred to life and given flow and beauty by movement” (John Hutchens 1929) in ways that transports the audiences back in time to a historically significant time in France’s past with which audiences of the current era would surely be “torn between [feeling] foreboding, indignation, passionate sympathy and an equally deep sense of futility” (Hutchens 1929) for the protagonist, Joan.

Lastly, the audiences of the time were left to see a haunting and altogether shockingly dramatic poster of Joan within the flames of hell, being judged by four almost God-like faces amidst her very own trial. This depiction of the film surely raised bias and speculation to those audience members already aware of the story and the content matter for which The Passion of Joan of Arc is famously known by.

Thank you for reading,
Omar Antonio Iturriaga

1- Doolittle, Hilda. “Joan of Arc.” Rev. of The Passion of Joan of Arc. Close-up v.3 n.3 September 1928. Journal.
2- “Passion of Joan of Arc.” Rev. of The Passion of Joan of Arc. Variety 10 April 1929
3- Potamkin, Harry A. “The French Cinema.” Close-up v.5 n.2 August 1929. Journal.
4- Hutchens, John. “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” Rev. of The Passion of Joan of Arc. Theatre Arts 13 May 1929. Journal.
5- “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” Rev. of The Passion of Joan of Arc. The Bioscope 09 April 1930. Journal.
6- Klingler, Werner. Rev. of The Passion of Joan of Arc. Experimental Cinema v.1 n.1 February 1930. Journal.
7- Artist unknown. The Passion of Joan of Arc original poster.New York : Eloquent Press, N. Morgillo: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Passion_of_Joan_of_Arc_movie_poster.jpg

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? 2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.4 Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. 5 They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.
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6 But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!”

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9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. 10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born.

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11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. 12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in! 13 Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey. 14 My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. 15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. 16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. 17 I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. 18 They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice[a] for my clothing.

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19 O Lord, do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! 20 Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. 21 Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen.

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22 I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.[b] I will praise you among your assembled people. 23 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

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25 I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. 28 For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations.

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29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.

(Sunday / March 21, 2010 / 2:00am)

“The Passion Of Joan Of Arc” is arguably the best, if not the greatest “silent” film ever made and greatest film of all time. This film was done with precise emotional level that no other film has. Joan Of Arc is the most visualizing film I have ever seen, not only does it serves emotional expressions, it also delivers one of the greatest acting ever put on film. Renée Falconetti blew out my little brain with her fantastic, hands down, greatest, the best, on top, can’t and won’t reach acting by any actors and actresses. Carl Th. Dreyer has made the most ravishing film, and that is “The Passion Of Joan Of Arc.” Beautiful. Beautiful. And Beautiful.

It could not be more perfect.

Lesser films made from Joan’s story have fallen into the trap of turning the spiritual elements of her final moments into a melodramatic pastiche of supernatural encounters and tiresome battle scenes. Dreyer chooses not to exploit. His work is honest and to take any other approach would taint his audience’s perception of Joan. He shows only the trial set against the stark white walls of the courtroom; the face of actress Renée Falconetti says it all.

In the words of Béla Balázs, “[The Passion of Joan of Arc] has brought an attempt to present a drama of the spirit closer to realization than any stage play has ever been able to do.”

The film is a dichotomy; at once both a medieval passion play, and also an innovative piece made in the still new art form of film. Its focus on the use of faces to tell the story of Joan of Arc pioneered the effective and stark power of the close up as a narrative and emotional tool. It has a stunning amount of power and impact, provided not just by Dryer’s superb direction, but also by the incredible performance of Falconetti as Joan. It may be one of the most purely brilliant pieces of film acting ever captured, and it holds up exquisitely today.

Extraordinary visual imagery and innovative filmmaking are the hallmarks of Carl Theodor Dreyer’s still somewhat overrated “cinematic masterpiece”. With ingenious use of extreme close-ups, tracking shots, and editing, Dreyer crafts some undeniably powerful moments and unforgettable visuals. But the story itself is repetitive and sometimes tedious; and Maria Falconetti’s much lauded performance, though often effective, consists far too much of her looking upward wide-eyed. The legendary emotional impact was lost on me, though maybe I’m just missing something. A fascinating work and essential to cinematic history, even if it does not quite live up to its reputation.

I first saw this film at a university film club in the late ’60s. I was enthralled by it; particularly the faces of Jeanne and the judges. It stayed with me for years before I finally was able to get a copy and watch it again. It is a most outstanding film and I can see where Ingmar Bergman developed his style. This film is one of my all-time favourites.

I’m a bit confused about how this site works, or how to rate the film but I give it 5/5.