JOAN OF ARC

US, 1948, 145 minutes, Colour.
Ingrid Bergman, Jose Ferrer, George Colouris, Francis L.Sullivan, J.Carroll Naish, Hurd Hatfield, Gene Lockhart, Ward Bond, Leif Erickson, William Conrad, John Ireland.
Directed by Victor Fleming.

Joan of Arc was one of the biggest-budget films of the '40s - but was not successful at the box office. It was an ambition for Ingrid Bergman to play Joan of Arc as she had on the stage. However, her disillusionment with response to the film occasioned her contacting Roberto Rossellini to film with him - and a whole change in her life and career.

The film is an adaptation of the play Joan of Lorraine by Maxwell Anderson. The play had a modern actress interpreting the role of Joan. This was omitted from the film which then became straightforward pageant. While it is colourful, it is a series of episodes and done in a plain style. The film relies on the trappings of pageantry as well as very old-fashioned and pious attitudes towards saints. It does not make persuasive drama.

Ingrid Bergman gives a sincere performance as Joan. The film introduced Jose Ferrer as the Dauphin. There is a strong supporting cast of American character actors - with a great mixture, unfortunately, of accents. Francis L. Sullivan, however, is memorable as Bishop Cauchin.

Carl Theodor Dreyer had directed a classic silent Passion of Joan of Arc. Robert Bresson was to do a classic Trial of Joan of Arc. Otto Preminger did a version of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan in the mid-'50s with the young Jean Seberg in the central role with a strong supporting cast. It is a more interesting film than the present one, although Jean Seberg was inexperienced.

Of interest, as '40s film-making and a performance by Ingrid Bergman.

1. The quality of the film, its impact? Its lack of success at the box office? Cut for television showing by half an hour - would this have improved it?

2. Production values, the emphasis on pageantry, decor, costumes? Successful re-creation of the period? The musical score - emphases on pageantry and piety?

3. The opening focus with the Canonisation of Joan of Arc and St. Peter's Basilica? The placing of a halo on Joan right from the beginning? Joan as saint, her prayers, visions, experiences? The reliance on holy poses? Holy words? The very pious presentation of Joan's death and the final heavenly choir? The blending of facts and legend? The credibility of Joan as a person, as a saint?

4. The adaptation of Maxwell Anderson's play - the elimination of his dramatic tension by focusing on a contemporary actress? The effect of focusing on Joan only?

5. The suitability of Ingrid Bergman as Joan? Her screen presence, the quality of her performance? Sincere, persuasive? The supporting cast - and the motley range of American accents?

6. Audience familiarity with the story? Audience response to Joan as a person, her experiences, crusade, her martyrdom?

7. The portrait of Joan as a girl at Domremy? Her age, family, religious experience, the reaction of her family, her father's dream that she was to leave and go to war?

8. The quick transition to Vaucouleurs? Sir Robert and his not seeing her? His return and questioning her about her insight into the war? Her being mocked and prevented from seeing authorities? The concern of her family, wanting to take her back home? The people admiring her? Sir Robert's return, the travelling to Chinon? The support of the officials of the town through which they passed, the warning to save them from the Burgundians?

9. The Dauphin and his court, their frivolity, the lavish entertainment? Tremouille and his greed, advice? Jesting at Joan's expense, the decision to mock her, her coming into the court, not believing the false Dauphin, seeking him out? The reaction of the court?

10. The Dauphin and his reaction to Joan, reverence for her, hearing her prophecy? Enabling her to go to war, her armour, going to battle? His support? The battle of Orleans and the sieges, the details of the battle. the way battles were waged in the period? Joan's being wounded, her returning and stirring the men, the taking of the city? The success of the battle - yet her reaction to seeing so many dead, her blaming herself? Her having to be persuaded to ride triumphantly through the city? The reaction of people to Joan the Maid? Her wearing men's clothes for safety, the cutting of her hair? The enemy calling her a witch?

11. The achievement of the coronation. the rehearsal, the message from the Burgundians about truces, the ceremony itself, the acclamation of Joan, the Dauphin making his decision for the money and the truce?

12. The Dauphin and his lavish court, idling the time, betraying and abandoning Joan?

13. The Burgundians and their reaction against Joan? Bishop Cauchon moved from his See? His enmity? The Duke of Warwick and the English attitude? Plans, Joan idle and captured? Cauchon buying her from her jailer?

14. The familiarity of audiences with the trial? The way that it was conducted, Cauchon's presidency and his prejudice? The church officials, the English and the Duke of Warwick? The rigged trial? The issues of heresy? The hypocrisy of holding a religious trial when the matter was civil? The friars and their support of Joan? Jean and his understanding? Joan in the British jail. the attack of the jail keeper and his humiliating her? The advice to appeal to the Pope - and its being overruled? The denunciation of the trial by the Papal Legate? The special hearings? Joan being persuaded to recant, signing her confession? The question of wearing women's clothing?

15. Joan and the loss of her voices, their returning, her gaining faith, her feeling she had betrayed herself. the refusal to wear women's clothing, the inevitability of death?

16. The atmosphere of her death, the funeral pyre, her being led to it, the reactions of the English and Cauchon's machinations, the defiance of the Bishop and his subsequent arrest? Her being tied to the stake. wanting a cross? The reaction of the executioner? The ugliness of the burning - and the transition to her being a saint?

17. The phenomenon of Joan of Arc, her role in French nationalism, in the Hundred Years War? Suspicion of witchcraft in superstitious days? Her fidelity to her mission, her holiness? The film's adequate treatment of Joan as a person, historical symbol?