An Evening of Passion

Yesterday evening, John denBoer and Brian & Nicole Dijkema made their way to my humble abode for an evening of fine cinema. After a bit of chit-chat we made our way downstairs to watch The Passion of Joan of Arc. I've seen a few movies focused on this curious French teenager who would restore France, but none are worthy of being in the same category as this.

The Passion of Joan of Arc is a silent film which focuses on Joan's trial and execution. It was filmed in France in 1928 under the direction of Carl Th. Dreyer and includes French dialogue cards subtitled in English. Not being able to rely on dialogue means that the actors' facial expressions must speak volumes, and one of the highlights of this film is the top-notch acting. Renee Maria Falconetti plays the title character with such incredible force and skill that with a little movement of her lips or eyes she displays emotions beyond the reach of words. Roger Ebert writes that "[i]n a medium without words, where the filmmakers believed that the camera captured the essence of characters through their faces, to see Falconetti in Dreyer's 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928) is to look into eyes that will never leave you."

Surprisingly, the carded dialogue in the movie is also superb. Dreyer researched the actual trial transcripts, basing some of the script directly on the words of Joan and her accusers. Although the questioning is at times a bit obscure, the way Joan evades some of the traps of the inquisitors is beautiful!

Beyond some of the best acting ever recorded on film, the film's direction is superb. With the use of almost constant close-ups and odd camera angles and cuts Dreyer allows the viewer to feel a bit of Joan's confusion and anguish. Adding to this is the fascinating set design: windows and doors are out of alignment with eachother, right angles are rarely or never seen, all of which adds to the surreality of the experience. Some of the imagery is simply captivating, with a depth of meaning in details that would take hundreds of viewings to explore in full.

As icing on the cake, most editions of the film (including the Criterion edition we viewed) combine the movie with Richard Einhorn's superb score entitled Voices of Light. Einhorn, inspired by the film, completed a score to accompany it in 1995. Despite being written decades after film was finished, Einhorn's audio suits Dreyer's video perfectly. The two have become inseparable.

All those who appreciated The Passion of The Christ must see The Passion of Joan of Arc, a film equally as affecting without the use of shocking violence. Read Ebert's review, read Steven Greydanus' review, and most importantly SEE THIS MOVIE! I'd be more than happy to lend my copy out to anyone interested.