The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Andrew Birkin (written by) &
Luc Besson (written by)

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Plot:

A young girl receives a vision that drives her to rid France of its oppressors.

Plot Keywords:

France | Sword | Heretic | Crossbow | Siege

Awards:

5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Rab Affleck	...	Comrade
Stéphane Algoud	...	Look Out (as Stephane Algoud)
Edwin Apps	...	Bishop
David Bailie	...	English Judge
David Barber	...	English Judge
Christian Barbier	...	Captain
Timothy Bateson	...	English Judge
David Begg	...	Nobleman - Rouen's Castle
Christian Bergner	...	Captain
Andrew Birkin	...	Talbot
Dominic Borrelli	...	English Judge
John Boswall	...	Old Priest
Matthew Bowyer	...	The Bludgeoned French Soldier
Paul Brooke	...	Domremy's Priest
Bruce Byron	...	Joan's Father

Also Known As:

Joan of Arc (Australia) (Philippines: English title) (UK)
Jeanne d'Arc (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic battles, a rape and some language.

Runtime:

158 min | USA:148 min

Country:

France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18PL | New Zealand:R15 (re-rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | New Zealand:R18 (theatrical rating) | Italy:VM18 (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:C | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Beynac, Dordogne, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Kathryn Bigelow refused to direct when Luc Besson insisted that Milla Jovovich, his wife at the time, played the lead.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When the siege tower falls on the gate to the castle, everybody behind the gate door runs away. But on the next clip, there are a lot of people stuffed in under the falling gate.

Quotes:

Joan of Arc: I don't think. I leave that to God. I'm nothing in all this, I'm just the Messenger.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Eddie Izzard: Circle (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

My Heart Calling

Beyond all expectations...!

Milla Jovovich may have been the only woman who could have portrayed a 'Joan' believable enough for such a film and approach as that taken by Luc Besson, one which stops just short of suggesting some sort of 'shamanic visionary' as opposed to a character labelled everything from 'deranged schizophrenic' to 'lesbian', simply due to attire, while 'hearing voices' (all historical facts). The key ingredient: the eyes. Not since Faye Dunnaway's unforgetable portrayal in "The Eyes of Laura Mars" (1976), who coincidentally co-stars as an excellent Yolande d'Aragon herewith, has someone captivated an audience simply by a look or a glance. Spell-binding, riveting, and as true to the historical record as one can expect for this most noble of French heroines, while adding a plausible childhood, Besson, Jovovich, an excellent supporting cast and the film were all but ignored for the honours they so richly deserved. Rating five stars (of five) and a film I'll never forget!