La passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)

Director:

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Writers:

Joseph Delteil (writer)
Carl Theodor Dreyer (writer)

Release Date:

21 April 1928 (Denmark)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

A chronicle of the trial of Jeanne d'Arc on charges of heresy, and the efforts of her ecclesiastical jurists to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions.

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Trial | Torture Chamber | Suffering | Heresy

Cast

Maria Falconetti	...	Jeanne d'Arc (as Melle Falconetti)
Eugene Silvain	...	Évêque Pierre Cauchon (Bishop Pierre Cauchon) (as Eugène Silvain)
André Berley	...	Jean d'Estivet
Maurice Schutz	...	Nicolas Loyseleur
Antonin Artaud	...	Jean Massieu
Michel Simon	...	Jean Lemaître
Jean d'Yd	...	Guillaume Evrard
Louis Ravet	...	Jean Beaupère (as Ravet)
Armand Lurville	...	Juge (Judge) (as André Lurville)
Jacques Arnna	...	Juge (Judge)
Alexandre Mihalesco	...	Juge (Judge)
Léon Larive	...	Juge (Judge)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Aymé	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Gilbert Dacheux	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Gilbert Dalleu	...	Jean Lemaître (uncredited)
Paul Delauzac	...	Martin Ladvenu (uncredited)
Fournez-Goffard	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Henri Gaultier	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Paul Jorge	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Henri Maillard	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)
Raymond Narlay	...	Juge (Judge) (uncredited)

Directed by
Carl Theodor Dreyer		(as Carl Th. Dreyer)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joseph Delteil		writer
Carl Theodor Dreyer		writer

Original Music by
Jesper Kyd		(2007 New Score)
Ole Schmidt		(1982)

Cinematography by
Rudolph Maté

Film Editing by
Marguerite Beaugé		(uncredited)
Carl Theodor Dreyer		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Jean Hugo		(settings)
Hermann Warm		(settings)

Costume Design by
Valentine Hugo

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Holm	....	assistant director
Paul La Cour	....	assistant director

Other crew
Pierre Champion	....	historial advisor
Carl Theodor Dreyer	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Société générale des films

Distributors

• Gaumont (1928) (France) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2003) (UK) (theatrical) (subtitled) (re-release)
• Capitol Film Exchange (1933) (USA) (theatrical) (states rights system)
• Janus Films (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• M.J. Gourland (1929) (USA) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinokuniya (2005) (Japan) (DVD) (special edition) (original Denmark version)
• LS Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Sherlock Home Video (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Video Images (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Yesteryear (1991) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Passion of Joan of Arc (USA)

Runtime:

110 min | France:88 min (1952 re-release) | USA:114 min | 82 min (restored DVD version) (24 fps) | Denmark:96 min

Country:

France

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1988) | Spain:13 | South Korea:12 | Finland:K-16 (1954) | Norway:16 (1928) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (2003 re-rating) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company:

Société générale des films

Trivia:

Although the film was shown with live musical accompaniment in the theatre, there is no evidence that Carl Theodor Dreyer ever selected a definitive score. All current DVD versions of the film use Richard Einhorn's "Voices of Light" for accompaniment.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the 15th century, a priest can be seen wearing a Jesuit robe. The Jesuit order was founded in the 16th century.

Quotes:

Juge: Has God promised you things?
Jeanne d'Arc: That has nothing to do with this trial!

Movie Connections:

References Häxan (1922)

Soundtrack:

Voices of Light

Falconetti's face is sublimely human

I saw this film for the very first time last week and was so tremendously captivated by it that I needed to share this rapture. The innovative camera-angles, the close-ups revealing pain and spirituality. It elevates the human condition and the Art of film. I would love to be able to go on into the whys or hows or technicalities. But my words couldn't do the film justice for the imagery still overwhelms me.