JOAN OF ARC/ JEANNE D’ARC/ THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC

France, 1999, 150 minutes, Colour.
Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman, Tcheky Karyo, Vincent Cassel, Pascal Greggory, Richard Ridings, Timothy West, Andrew Birkin, Desmond Harrington, Toby Jones, Gina Mc Kee.
Directed by Luc Besson.

Jeanne D’Arc? was a spectacular treatment of the story of Joan of Arc directed by Luc Besson and cowritten with British actor-writer, Andrew Birkin (King David) who is seen in the role of the severe and judgemental Talbot.

There have been many films about Joan of Arc, classic studies by Dreyer and Bresson, heroics with Ingrid Bergman, various portraits starring Sandrine Bonaire, Lelee Sobieski. Here the role is played by the young Milla Jovovich, who had appeared in Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element and had married him. There was criticism of her performance at the time – but some reassessment later in her favour.

Besson, while respecting the traditions about Joan, her voices, her faith, also tries to offer some psychological understanding, a poor, illiterate girl, traumatised by the rape and death of her sister, hearing voices, simplistic interpretation in terms of God calling her to fight for France, mission and compulsion, and, with the voices and dreams, the possibility of schizophrenia. Which does not lessen her status as a saint.

The film offers many battle sequences, detailed, close-up, violent, and Joan’s participation in the battles.

There are sequences of the court, John Malkovich as the somewhat effete Dauphin, Faye Dunaway is a strong presence and influence as his mother in law. There is a very strong French cast portraying the members of the court as well as the warriors. There is also very strong British cast as soldiers, bishops and ecclesiastics. Some of those in the cast are merely glimpsed (like Toby Jones and Gina Mc Kee).

There is a fantasy sequence with Dustin Hoffman, habit and cowl, listed as The Conscience, rather a devil’s advocate in interrogating, challenging, condemning Joan. In a sense his presence is jolting but all the more because of his particular American accent and voice modulation, seemingly out of place in the 15th century.

However, the film won a number of awards at the time and seems more acceptable in later decades.

1. Audience knowledge of Joan of Arc, as a person, her role in the wars, imprisonment, torture and execution? Reputation as St? Canonised as St Joan of Arc?

2. France on the 15th century, the wars with England, the many scenes of battle, the siege of Orleans, the attack on Paris? This countryside of Joan’s childhood? The sequences of the countryside, the armies travelling through it? The palaces, the interiors, courtly style? Cathedrals, coronation? The prisons, the cells, the ecclesiastical court? The square in Rouen and the burning of Joan?

3. The interpretation of Joan by Luc Besson? A young peasant girl, illiterate, devout, her continually wanting to confess, her simple faith? Religious experience and voices? A sense of mission? Her acting on her voices, her compulsion and determination? Her God language and interpretation? The determination to find the Dauphin, the trick played on her, her finding him, the court’s belief in her? Becoming a warrior, the vision of the sword on the grass, her banner? Cutting her hair, her armour? In battle, fierce, not wanting to kill anyone? Her being wounded, defying the wound, rallying the troops? Her being betrayed and her disappointment? Capture, imprisonment, torture?

4. The psychological interpretation? A simple girl and illiterate? Psychological states? The particular visions and voices? Her dreams and the influence? The trauma of her sister’s rape and murder? The possibility of schizophrenia, and the voices? Her lack of sophistication in self-understanding? Her reliance on her understanding of God, faith and her responsibilities?

5. The tone, Joan in the countryside, the soldiers, the invading British, coming home, her sister hiding her, her experience of her sister’s defence of her, rape, death? The sequence later haunting her? Her voices, appearances, divine interpretation, lying in the grass, the sword – and its later being used by The Conscience and the many possibilities for how it got there and her interpretation?

6. The political situation, her loyalty to France, her travelling to see the Dauphin, sending messages? The court, the Dauphin, his character, somewhat effete, the courtiers and warriors, the strong presence of his mother in law? The military advice not to see Joan? The courtiers, the game, the decision as to who would represent the Dauphin? Joan’s arrival, her identifying him, talking with him privately?

7. The background of the military advisers, their politics, strategies, concerns about the English? The siege of Orleans? The young man impersonating the Dauphin, his friendship with Joan, his continued loyalty throughout?

8. The acceptance of Joan, the varied motivations, her hair cut, armour, banner, her presence at the siege, Dunois, his role as a leader, the troops, his attitude towards Joan, changing attitudes? The first attack, the brutality, the tactics, the reaction of the English, Talbot and his crew looking down on Joan? Her revising the troops, Dunois and his attitude? Her being wounded, the reaction of the English, tending her wound, her recovery, taking the banner back, defying the English? Rallying the troops, the attack, the relief of the siege?

9. The relief in the court, the buildup to the Dauphin and his coronation? But his not supporting Joan, especially in the attack on Paris? The visuals of the attack, the defeat?

10. Joan and her confrontation with the Dauphin, his rejection of her?

11. Joan, bewildered and lost, her being taken by the English? Imprisonment, torture and taunts?

12. In prison, the presence of The Conscience, playing devil’s advocate with her? The interrogations, the ironic comments, the challenges to her faith? The many appearances, in herself, in the court room? The final vindication, his laying his hand on her head?

13. The ecclesiastical court, Burgundy and the British, Bishop Cauchon, concern about heresy, the range of ecclesiastics, clergy, friars? The elderly friar and his wanting to report back to Rome, his arrest? Cauchon and his interrogation, Joan wanting to confess, his concern about her? The range of judges and interrogators, the heightened rhetoric of their attacks, the harshness and the effect on Joan and her replies? Cauchon persuading her to sign the document, promising confession and mass?

14. The British taking over, considering Joan guilty, witch – and the quick transition to the square in Rouen, Joan in the flames, the friar with the cross, the final image of Joan burning and seeing the cross?

15. The credits and the information about Joan’s canonisation?