adonis98-743-186503 In 1431, Jeanne d'Arc is placed on trial on charges of heresy. The ecclesiastical jurists attempt to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions. I really did not expect to like this movie but it was a pleasant suprise and i always found Jeanne D'Arc's story quite disturbing but also very interesting and this silent movie showcases that perfectly and especially the actress who portrays her does such a great job with her face emotions and it's really amazing. If you love to see a good silent movie definitely check this out it's brilliant and kinda disturbing too. (A+)

Colin Christian It's Falconetti's face,somehow Dreyer managed to capture on film what seems impossible,such raw human emotion,a soul if you will,and the viewer is left drained at what they had just seen. I recommend the 24 frames a second with the 'Voices of Light' score,and watch it on the biggest screen you can find,because this is a life changing experience,transcendent even.Falconetti gives the greatest performance I've ever seen on film,and the director uses closeups for much of the movie,it's confrontational and brilliant,there is nowhere to look but at Joan,what she is going through,it's powerful stuff,your life will be elevated by just watching it.

Robb C. Expressive eyes, tense lips, closed mouth, and the stare that just looks ahead and farther away from the desolate mundanity to settle to the glorious chants of heaven, Maria Falconetti easily and without a doubt gives one of the best performances found in the era of silent film. The Passion of Joan of Arc is one of the most influential French films of its time, and still continues to inspire today. It focuses on the last days of Joan of Arc's life, and dives right into her trial immediately after being captured and accused of being a heretic.Being banned in multiple countries as it was controversial during their time, this film is a strong testament on how far human nature can go, how humanity can easily shift towards "sides" depending on number. Likewise, this film is a spiritual experience that explores the idea of faith, and how much sacrifice one can put in just trying to protect or restore one's beliefs. It doesn't show Joan of Arc prior to her days at the trial. It doesn't show her victories, her accomplishments, nor her success in leading the English out of France. Instead, it completely strips her to a character undergoing through a strong crisis as she goes through a questioning of fate that ultimately decides life or death.I have seen the version with music in it (and am currently interested in viewing the completely silent one), and it is truly transcendent. Considering the fact that it was done way back in 1928 impressed me, and the metaphysical journey that this may bring to the viewer—religious or not, may take one to utmost beauty, even up to the brink of tears. Personally, the psychological power of the close-up made me sympathize much more with Joan, and the fact that Falconetti only acted once in her entire life is just stunning. Even without words, Falconetti is still able to display a performance of outright vulnerability while still being confident and at one with God.As per usual with silent films, I still did have some problems with this, and these are more personal ones that I found affecting my entertainment value of the film. As great as this film was, I found this one to be a difficult watch not just because of it's bleak subject matter, but also because of the way it was shot. I do understand the power of the close-up and I actually praised it a while earlier, but for me, using it for most of the film's shots was a mistake. There were barely any background pans or shots to establish the character's placement, so it's quite difficult to follow the location of each, making it sometimes a burden to watch. The wooden transitions between each scene also made everything jarring and dizzying. It's easy enough to forgive the film as it was almost made a hundred years ago, but I found myself occasionally distracted enough to pause the film, which isn't a good thing.In all, The Passion of Joan of Arc is easily commendable because of the technological advancement in film it made during that time, but the low rewatchability and abusive use of close-ups make this a difficult recommendation. Maria Falconetti's passionate performance may still make this film worthwhile, and the influence that this had on preceding films stretches out over many generations, but basing this on entertainment value, this film doesn't really hit the mark and, at times, feels outdated.

OliverBagshaw A truly beautiful and powerful film of such an influential and admirable status that not many films could ever achieve such praise. Dreyer's vision with The Passion Of Joan Of Arc is still recognised as one of the greatest pieces of filmmaking in existence.Falconetti's performance as Jeanne d'Arc is widely accepted as one of the greatest performances ever committed to film and it should be very clear as to why. Her performance is very restrained, subtle and mature, providing distinctive character development, understanding and empathy through only her facial expression. The silent era was one where over-acting had become common but her performance did not follow such a convention and even by today's standards it's still a beautifully restrained performance. Her face and eyes are so expressive and emotional that they speak louder than any dialogue ever could, and with the film's cinematography focusing on extreme close-ups of the characters' faces, it emphasises the power that Falconetti could harness through such acting. The close-ups also allow us, as viewers, to pay attention to every facial twitch of Jeanne d'Arc throughout the film, adding to the emotional torture that she must have faced.The film is beautiful in every respect, from its cinematography's focus on extreme close-ups, its supporting character performances and even the few moments you truly glance at the set design and decorations. It all contributes wonderfully to Dreyer's vision of the trial of Joan of Arc, but the highlight for me, along with many other viewers, is certainly Falconetti's performance. It's honestly heartbreaking when the inevitably tragic ending is portrayed as for the brief time we, as viewers, have been watching the film, it certainly feels like we have got to know who both Jeanne d'Arc and Falconetti are and that she has opened herself up to the world - her performance is one of the most genuine performances I've ever had the pleasure of viewing.I definitely recommend this film, whether you're curious about acting, cinematography or silent cinema, this should definitely be essential viewing.