Review Archives

1 | 2 | 3

Today's Date is:

Joan of Arc


Reviewed by: Tom Reynolds
Genre: Drama
Video: Widescreen anamorphic 1.78:1
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 surround
Language: English
Subtitle: English
Length: 140 mins.
Rating: NR
Release Date: September 21, 1999
Studio: Artisan Entertainment
Commentary: None
Documentaries: None
Featurettes: None
Filmography/Biography: Ten cast members
Interviews: None
Trailers/TV Spots: None
Alternate/Deleted Scenes: None
Music Video: None
Other: Production notes
Cast and Crew: Leelee Sobieski, Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Neil Patrick Harris, Peter Strauss, Olympia Dukakis, Peter O'Toole, Maximilian Schell, Chad Willett, Shirley MacLaine
Screenplay by: Written by Michael Alexander Miller, Ronald Parker
Produced by: Peter Sussman, Ed Gernon, Andrew Deane, Graham Flashner, Brenda Friend
Directed By: Christian Duguay
Music: Asher Ettinger, John Herberman, Tony Kosinec
The Review: Early in the 15th Century, Burgundy and England fought for control of a divided France, while Charles, the dauphin and rightful heir to the throne, hadn't enough power nor the backing to make his ascendancy. But it had long been prophesied that a maid from Lorraine would rise up to unite France and make the country whole; and in 1429 that prophecy came to pass, when a young woman from the farming country in the north made her way to Charles and convinced him that she was on a mission from God. Her name was Joan D'Arc. She was seventeen-years-old at the time, and through Divine guidance managed to lead an army to victory after victory, and within months, Charles was on the throne, King of France. When Joan was ten-years-old, she first heard the "voices" that would ultimately lead her to her destiny. It was the voice of her patron saint, Catherine; and by the age of seventeen, having been guided by others, including Saint Michael, she was in the court of Charles. How she was able to do what she still seems inexplicable; and yet it is matter of recorded history that this maid, Joan D'Arc, did indeed lead the armies of France and helped unite the country. That she was betrayed by Charles and burned at the stake for heresy when she was nineteen is also well documented, as is the fact that seven years after her death France at last became a whole country, united-- as she had predicted. And Charles went on to reign for another thirty years. Originally made for TV as a miniseries, this film nevertheless is as good, or actually even better, than many projects that find their way into theatrical release. Well written and directed, it presents Joan as a very real person, struggling herself to realize where she fits into the grand scheme of things. Director Duguay successfully avoids lapsing into any melodrama, and instead delivers a solid drama that is realistic and absorbing. But the real strength of the film is the performance by Leelee Sobieski, who keeps Joan grounded and entirely credible, while making her extremely accessible to the audience; one with whom you can easily empathize. Joan is strong, but vulnerable, and Sobieski's ability to capture the complexities of the character is what makes her so good, and makes her Joan so believable. There is both an innocence and a maturity about her, attributes that conceivably the real Joan of Arc would have had. And Sobieski embodies it all with her engaging, powerful performance, which is arguably the best portrayal of Joan ever brought to the screen.
Image and Sound This transfer is good, but not the best; the picture is reasonably clear but rather "soft." The images rarely have that distinctness that defines a DVD picture, as compared to the VHS format. It is, however devoid of any blips or signs of wear or roughness, with the exception of one scene in which a "ripple" clearly runs through the picture, and one instance when a smattering of debris is visible for a few seconds in the upper left hand side of the screen. The background images tend to be a bit hazy at times, but not really conspicuous by any means. The color is good, and the deep reds and blues are especially vivid, and the sheen of the armor and the reddish-gold/white/yellow of the fire comes through beautifully. The sound is decent, but lacks the resonant fullness you would expect from a DVD, which is noticeable, for example, in the canon shots, which you would expect to explode! more forcefully. Many of the effects are excellent, however, like the metallic clanging of the swords during the battles, the sounds of the horses snorting and neighing and the pitch and swell of the voices from the crowds. The fire at the stake, both visually and audibly is impressive, and the dialogue is always clear. Overall the balance and integration of foreground and background sounds and noise is good, but the music at times overwhelms the action. So in the end, you have a better picture than you would get from VHS, with two minor flaws that are so brief they are easily overlooked, and sound that is more than adequate, if not exceptional; a disc that is acceptable and satisfying.
The Extras The production notes are comprised of a few, brief pages, with information ranging from the genesis of this project, how director Duguay came to it, some background on Sobieski and some of her thoughts about Joan, to locations used for the actual shooting of the film. More of a thumbnail sketch than anything in-depth, but worth a look and easy to navigate, as are the profiles and filmographies of the ten cast members found in the "Cast and Crew" selection of the menu.
Commentary None
Final Words: An inspiring, well made film, "Joan of Arc" is the most accurate and realistic rendering of the life of Joan D'Arc ever made. And Sobieski's portrayal is the best-- more credible even than Ingrid Bergman's interpretation in the 1948 version. What really sets this film apart, though, is the way in which Joan is presented; an ordinary, down-to-earth girl who could be your next door neighbor, who happened to be chosen-- for whatever reason-- to do extraordinary, unbelievable things. It's a story that goes a long way in proving that fact is, indeed, often stranger than fiction; for had the story of Joan been a work of fiction, who would have believed it? The DVD, while not exceptional in quality is still the superior format, and even without any extras included on the disc, the movie alone would make it a worthwhile addition to any library.


Send all Comments to Teakwood Productions
 June 17, 2001