The Passion of Joan of Arc

One of my dear brothers in law told us how a clerk in a NYC store had recommended an old movie of Joan of Arc. He bought the movie based on the clerk's recommendation. He said it was a wonderful movie and offered to lend it to us. Last night we took him up on his offer.

My mom, Joey and I watched it. Wow! Is about all I can say about this amazing film. It is an art film. For you film buffs, you will not be disappointed.

It was a silent movie made in 1927 which would make it about the time my dad was born. This was a movie that had been lost until a copy was miraculously found in a mental institution in Norway.

Briefly, the movie takes place during Joan's trial and execution. As you watch the drama unfold before your eyes, you will contemplate the Passion of Christ, who was also mocked and abused by His tormentors.

"Dreyer's account of Joan of Arc ...centers on her trial and execution. Derived from actual transcripts of her trial., Dreyer's story defies all conventions of filmmaking through his use of close-ups, jarring angles, sweeping camera movements and disjunctive editing...As Joan, Renee Falconetti makes her only screen appearance which is still considered to be the best filmed performance ever. Like Joan herself, Dryer's masterpiece was destroyed by fire, (twice in fact), and thought lost forever. Then in 1981, several film cans containing Dreyer's original cut were discovered in a broom closet of a mental institution in Oslo, Norway. In 1988, composer Richard Einhorn wrote Vision of Light, music inspired by the film and the life of St. Joan of Arc. For the first time on video, these two masterpieces are presented together. To see just one frame is to understand why scholars and critics from Roger Ebert to the Vatican consider The Passion of Joan of Arc the greatest and most important silent film every made".

The foregoing is from the videotape description.

I would highly recommend this movie for everyone. It is very moving, touching and an extraordinary experience. For more on this movie please visit Wikipedia

Joey's school assignment is to read Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. He was finding it a little slow moving. However, since seeing the movie last night, his is looking forward to finishing the book. She is actually one of his favorite saints. As a little boy, he has always favored the warrior saints.