THE TRIAL OF JOAN OF ARC

France, 1962, 65 minutes, Black and White.
Florence Carrez, Jean- Claude Fourneau, Marc Jacquier, Roger Honorat.
Directed by Robert Bresson.

The Trial of Joan of Arc is a brief film by French director Robert Bresson. He says that he went back to the texts of the trial and used these for the basis for his screenplay. Noted for his austere manner,this is very much to the fore in the plain presentation of the interrogations and the burning of Joan. He seems to be letting the material stand for itself and for the audience to judge, differently from the accusers and those who condemned her. Joan of Arc was tried in the 15th century, later vindicated and canonised by the Catholic Church in 1920. Other films on Joan of Arc include that by noted Danish silent director Carl Dreyer and the Victor Fleming film of Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman. Otto Preminger made a version of George Bernard Shaw's play with Jean Seberg in the central role.

1. Audience interest in Joan of Arc ? as a person, saint, her place in history, French history, her persecution as a witch, victim of politics and nationalism, of the Church?

2. The work of Robert Bresson, his declaration at the beginning about the use of the text of Joan's trial? His plain presentation of the trial itself, the presence of the actress, the transcript of the text, the basic dramatic situation?

3. The importance of Joan's mother's testimony at the beginning, her vindication? A reflection of later opinion on Joan of Arc?

4. The black and white photography, the confining of the action to the basic sets of court and cell? The angles for conversation and interrogation? The importance of the keyhole spying? The presentation of the execution, the witnesses, the friars, Joan and the burning and the cross and smoke?

5. The presentation of the trial in the form of tableau rather than action? The austerity of the style and presentation? How objective? How much interpretation by the director?

6. How well did the personality of Joan communicate itself to the audience? Her presence, appearance, manner? How trustworthy and telling of the truth? How objective could the audience be in judging her? Sharing judgment with the Bishop and the ecclesiastical court? The importance of Joan's words and the use of the historical words? Her shrewdness and naivety? Her personal involvement in her mission, her visions? Joan as a religious person? A saint? Her presence in the army and its repercussions on her? Leader? Her virginity? Her age, dress? A portrait of a saint on trial?

7. Joan as a victim of politics, emerging French nationalism, English enmity, international deals? Her being bought? The attitude of the British and their manoeuvering the ecclesiastical court, the English interjections for her burning etc.? The use of Bishop Cauchon? The role of the Church? The various appeal to Pope and Council? The decision before the trial that Joan was to be burnt?

8. The little support that Joan had - the Dominican friar,the examiners for her virginity and the affirmation of her virginity, the English and their unwillingness to be the cause of her loss of virginity? The cross at the end?

9. The question of Joan's voices and what they really were? The number of questions asked, about the saints themselves, their speaking in French, their appearance? The overtones of superstition, witchcraft? Joan's recognition of the saints, her being guided by them, her obedience? St. Michael and his presence? Their relationship to God and her being guided by God? Spiritual explanation, psychological explanation?

10. Joan's work for France, for the Dauphin, the recounting of her military exploits, her being wounded, capture? Her throwing herself from the tower? Her being betrayed and victimised? The ultimate success for the French? Joan's place in French history?

11. The trial and the continual attempts to wear her down, the variety of questions, the moving from one topic to another so quickly, the long interrogations in her cell, the reasons for her decision to sign the document, her revoking of that document?

12. How well presented was Bishop Cauchon, his presence, severity, his motivations both religious and political, in relationship to the English? Any personal regard orr Joan? His talking of her salvation? His witnessing her death?

13. What happened to Joan as a person throughout her trial? Her facing the English in battle, her being guided by God, her facing her accusers and their false accusations? Her willingness to face death? The manner of her death and the cross?

14. The purpose of the film - to record the trial, interpret it, re-present it? For a modern audience?. For a French audience, non-French? A portrait of a significant person in history,a portrait of a human being, within her society, a religious person?