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
Vincent Cassel	...	Gilles de Rais
Charles Cork	...	Vaucouleur's Priest
Patrice Cossoneau	...	Captain
Tony D'Amario	...	Compiegne's Mayor
Daniel Daujon	...	Church's Peer - Coronation
Tonio Descanvelle	...	Xaintrailles
Philippe du Janerand	...	Dijon
Faye Dunaway	...	Yolande of Aragon
Sissi Duparc	...	Mary of Anjou's Lady's Companion (as Sylviane Duparc)
Barbara Elbourn	...	The Aunt
Christian Erickson	...	La Tremoille
Tara Flanagan	...	Woman Rouen's Castle
Bruno Flender	...	Poitiers' Inquisitor
Serge Fournier	...	Church's Peer - Coronation
David Gant	...	The Duke of Bedford
Sid Golder	...	Cell's Guard (as Sydney Golder)
Jessica Goldman	...	Duchess of Bedford's Lady's Companion
Framboise Gommendy	...	Joan's Mother
Robert Goodman	...	Blackbeard
Jean-Pierre Gos	...	Laxart (as Jean Pierre Gos)
Joanne Greenwood	...	Catherine
Pascal Greggory	...	The Duke of Alençon
Bernard Grenet	...	Senlis' Bishop
Valerie Griffiths	...	The Hag
Timothee Grimblat	...	Conscience - Child
Richard Guille	...	English Guard - Rouen's Castle
Thierry Guilmard	...	Assessor
Jerome Hankins	...	Nobleman - Rouen's Castle
Desmond Harrington	...	Aulon
Jacques Herlin	...	Orleans' Priest
Len Hibberd	...	Comrade
Dustin Hoffman	...	The Conscience
Didier Hoarau	...	Assessor
Vera Jakob	...	Woman at the Cemetery
Michael Jenn	...	The Duke of Burgundy
Toby Jones	...	English Judge
Milla Jovovich	...	Joan of Arc
Tchéky Karyo	...	Dunois (as Tcheky Karyo)
Gérard Krawczyk	...	Church's Peer - Coronation (as Gerard Krawczyk)
Richard Leaf	...	Conscience - Young Man
Franck Lebreton	...	Assessor (as Frank Lebreton)
Joseph Malerba	...	Beaurevoir's Guard
John Malkovich	...	Charles VII
Dominique Marcas	...	Poitiers' Inquisitor
Eric Mariotto	...	Young Monk
René Marquant	...	Rouen's Priest (as Rene Marquant)
Carl McCrystal	...	Glasdale
Gina McKee	...	The Duchess of Bedford
Phil McKee	...	Redbeard
Simon Meacock	...	The Teeth Soldier
John Merrick	...	Regnault de Chartres
Joseph O'Conor	...	Poitiers' Chief Inquisitor
Quentin Ogier	...	Louis
Kevin O'Neill	...	Scribe at Process
Mélanie Page	...	Young Girl in Bath (as Melanie Page)
Brian Pettifer	...	The Executioner / Torturer at Process
Philip Philmar	...	English Judge
Enee Piat	...	Monk at Coronation
Irving Pompepui	...	Louis XI - 5 Years Old (as Irving Pomepui)
Brian Poyser	...	English Judge
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Richemont
Vincent Regan	...	Buck
René Remblier	...	Dijon's Assistant (as Rene Remblier)
Joseph Rezwin	...	Poitiers' Inquisitor
Ralph Riach	...	English Judge
Mark Richards	...	Corridor's Guard in Rouen
Richard Ridings	...	La Hire
Malcolm Rogers	...	Bishop
Tara Römer	...	Gamaches (as Tara Romer)
Julie-Anne Roth	...	Young Girl in Bath
Olga Sékulic	...	Mary of Anjou (as Olga Sekulic)
Joe Sheridan	...	Canon (as Joseph Sheridan)
Eric Tonetto	...	Captain
Vincent Tulli	...	Orleans' Physician
Jane Valentine	...	Joan 8 Years Old
Jemima West	...	Girl
Tat Whalley	...	Raymond
Peter Whitfield	...	English Judge
Timothy West	...	Cauchon
Frédéric Witta	...	Poitiers' Inquisitor (as Frederic Witta)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matthew Géczy	...	(voice) (uncredited)
Romain Protat	...	Crown Monk (uncredited)

Directed by
Luc Besson

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

Produced by
Luc Besson	....	co-producer
Marc Jenny	....	executive producer
Patrice Ledoux	....	producer
Oldrich Mach	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Eric Serra

Cinematography by
Thierry Arbogast

Film Editing by
Sylvie Landra

Casting by
Martina Kubesova
Lucinda Syson
Tomas Zelenka

Production Design by
Hugues Tissandier

Art Direction by
Alain Paroutaud

Set Decoration by
Robert Le Corre
Ronald Meanti
Alain Pitrel
Jérôme Poirier		(set decor)

Costume Design by
Catherine Leterrier

Makeup Department
Fabienne Bressan	....	hair stylist
Fabio Campora	....	hair stylist: Milla Jovovich
Magali Ceyrat	....	key makeup artist
Nathalie Champion	....	hair stylist
Ivana Chlostova	....	makeup artist
Marianne Collette	....	key makeup artist
Nadine Dumas	....	assistant hair stylist
Nadine Dumas	....	assistant makeup artist
Claudia Gaudin	....	special makeup effects artist
Martial Germain	....	special effects assistant makeup artist
Fabrice Herbet	....	special makeup effects artist
Morgan Hildebrand	....	special effects assistant makeup artist
Barbara Kichi	....	makeup artist
Barbara Kichiova	....	makeup artist
Christine Leaustic	....	hair stylist
Gerald Mignotte	....	special effects assistant makeup artist
Franck Monelli	....	special effects assistant makeup artist
Linda Reif	....	assistant makeup artist
Kuno Schlegelmilch	....	special effects hair stylist supervisor
Kuno Schlegelmilch	....	special effects makeup artist
Bobo Sobotka	....	makeup artist
Manuela Taco	....	makeup artist
Ghislaine Tortereau	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Cyril Deleye	....	assistant unit manager
David Deshayes	....	unit manager
Bernard Grenet	....	production manager
Marc Guidetti	....	unit manager
Thierry Guilmard	....	production manager
Patrick Millet	....	production manager
Michal Prikryl	....	production manager: Prague

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laurent Brégeat	....	first assistant director: second unit
Laurene Cabillon	....	second assistant director
Pascal Chaumeil	....	second unit director
Gwénaelle Daujon	....	second assistant director
Frédéric Garson	....	first assistant director
Anne Gilles	....	first assistant director: second unit
Stéphane Gluck	....	first assistant director
Gérard Krawczyk	....	second unit director
Jordane LaFourcade	....	second assistant director
Jean-Paul Meurisse	....	second unit director
Stephane Moreno-Carpio	....	second assistant director
Tomas Pavlacky	....	first assistant director: Czech Republic second unit
Frantisek Rezek	....	third assistant director
Dusan Vodak	....	assistant director: Czech Republic

Art Department
Milan Babik	....	assistant propmaster
Gilles Baillot	....	art director assistant
Pierre Bandin	....	set property man
Jean-Michel Bar	....	property master: second unit
Sophie Campbell	....	assistant art director
Jean Castelnau	....	art director assistant
Jean-Pascal Chalard	....	art director assistant
Jean-Jacques Chapelle	....	head construction grip
Michel Courtemanche	....	locksmith supervisor
Thierry Doerflinger	....	plasterer
Gerard Drolon	....	art director assistant (as Gérard Drolon)
Alain Evrard	....	property master: second unit
Gilles Guerber-Zaza	....	model maker supervisor (as Gilles Guerber)
Jacky Hardouin	....	carpenter
Yvan Hart	....	plasterer
Virginie Hernvann	....	assistant art director
Géraldine Hervé	....	assistant production designer
Jacques Kazandian	....	draftsman supervisor
Bernard LaTouche	....	head construction grip
Bertrand Laval	....	head construction grip
André Marchandet	....	plasterer supervisor
Guy Montbillard	....	set dresser
Pavel Nový	....	art department coordinator: Czech Republic
Pavel Nový	....	construction manager
Alain Paroutaud	....	art director: Czech Republic
Pascal Peignet	....	art director assistant
Marc Pinquier	....	property master
Francis Poirier	....	sculptor supervisor
Claude Pollan	....	landscape scenic artist
Brigitte Renard	....	sculptor supervisor
Benoît Sanson	....	property buyer
Christian Vallat	....	art director assistant
Karel Vanásek	....	property master: Czech Republic

Sound Department
Yunus Acar	....	sound recordist: second unit
Marc-Antoine Beldent	....	adr assistant (as Marc-Antoine Belledent)
Marc-Antoine Beldent	....	foley assistant (as Marc-Antoine Belledent)
Anne Delacour	....	assistant sound editor
François Groult	....	adr engineer
François Groult	....	foley engineer
François Groult	....	sound mixer
François Groult	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frédérique Lebel	....	assistant sound editor
Jérôme Lévy	....	foley artist
Fred Mays	....	post-synchronisation
Pascal Mazière	....	foley artist assistant
Bridget O'Driscoll	....	assistant sound editor
Bruno Tarrière	....	adr engineer
Bruno Tarrière	....	foley engineer
Bruno Tarrière	....	sound re-recording mixer
Vincent Tulli	....	sound designer
Vincent Tulli	....	sound recordist
Jean-Alexandre Villemer	....	sound recordist
Ken Yasumoto	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Yasumoto	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Alain Couty	....	special effects technician
Jean-Claude Dauphinot	....	special effects technician
Grégoire Delage	....	head set special effects
Georges Demétrau	....	special effects supervisor
Denis Duplex	....	special effects technician
Pascal Fauvelle	....	special effects technician
Sara Helminger	....	special effects assistant coordinator
Jean-Claude Houbart	....	special effects locksmith (as Jean-Claude Houbard)
Didier Ledanturier	....	special effects property man
Delphine Le Roch	....	special effects producer
Raph Salis	....	special effects property man
Jirí Vojtech	....	special effects technician
Olivier Zenenski	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Andre Brizard	....	digital compositor
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects supervisor
Stéphanie Dargent	....	matte painter
Stephane Deverly	....	research and development
Delphine Domer	....	visual effects coordinator
François Dupuy	....	I/O technician
Pascal Giroux	....	visual effects production manager
Rip Hampton O'Neil	....	technical director
Afif Heukeshoven	....	3D artist
Chia-Chi Hu	....	digital compositor
Emmanuel Le Courbe	....	digital compositor
Bruno Le Provost	....	3D supervisor
Delphine Le Roch	....	visual effects producer
Karine Marchandou	....	transfer and digitization manager
Prothais Nicolas	....	rotoscope artist
Benoit Philippon	....	visual effects
Michael E. Phillips	....	digital editing supervisor
Pitof	....	digital visual effects director
Olivier Poujaud	....	sequence supervisor
Johann Quéré	....	visual effects
Sebastien Rame	....	digital compositor
Nicolas Rey	....	3D supervisor
Jean-Paul Rovela	....	digital artist
Antoine Simkine	....	visual effects executive producer: Duboi
Georges Tornero	....	digital compositor
Daniel Trujillo	....	digital artist
Jean-Marie Vives	....	matte painting director
Veronique Zylberfain	....	matte painting artist

Stunts
Alain Barbier	....	stunts
Christian Barbier	....	horses stunts
Jean-Marc Bellu	....	stunts
Christian Bergner	....	horses stunts
Michel Bouis	....	stunts
Daniel Breton	....	stunts
William Cagnard	....	stunts
Guillaume Castillon	....	horses stunts
Miriam Caumes	....	horse stunt double: Milla Jovovich
Pascal Chemel	....	horses stunts
Gilles Conseil	....	stunts
Patrice Cossoneau	....	horses stunts
Hugues Dalmagro	....	horses stunts
Yannick Derrien	....	stunt supervisor assistant
Laurent Devrieze	....	horses stunts
Michel Didier	....	horses stunts
Barbara Dupont	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Albert Goldberg	....	stunts
Alain Grellier	....	stunts
Pascal Guégan	....	stunt supervisor assistant
Philippe Guégan	....	stunt supervisor
Christian Hening	....	stunts
Cyrille Hertel	....	stunts
Jirí Kuba	....	stunt coordinator: Czech Republic
Marcel Labbaye	....	stunts
Pascal López	....	stunts
Mario Luraschi	....	horses stunts supervisor
Pascal Madura	....	horses stunts assistant
Patrick Médioni	....	stunts
Philippe Morel	....	stunts
Cyril Raffaelli	....	stunts (as Cyril Cuenel Raffaelli)
Catherine Robert	....	stunt double: Milla Jovovich
Patrick Steltzer	....	horses stunts
Marc Teterel	....	horses stunts
Eric Tonetto	....	horses stunts
Frédéric Vallet	....	stunts
Lionel Vitrant	....	stunts
Philippe Zone	....	horses stunts
Vladimir 'Furdo' Furdik	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Hric	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roman Jankovic	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gustáv Kyselica	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Branislav Martinak	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Lubomir Misak	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Michael Sandala	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roman Spacil	....	sword fighter (uncredited)
Philippe Zone	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Paul Agostini	....	focus puller: second unit
Thierry Alais	....	grip
Rene Basso	....	grip
Alain Bolle	....	focus puller: second unit
Sophie Bosquet	....	assistant camera
Sophie Bosquet	....	focus puller
David Campbell	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Dominique Cento	....	camera operator: helicopter unit
Karel Charvat	....	dolly grip
Bertrand Chatry	....	camera operator: second unit
Alain Dutartre	....	focus puller
Jack English	....	still photographer
Gilles Floquet	....	grip
Michel Galtier	....	assistant camera
Pierre Garnier	....	grip
Jean-Pierre Gesbert	....	grip
Claude Hirsch	....	head gaffer
Lukas Jaromersky	....	electrician
Loïc Jouan	....	gaffer
Cyril Kuhnholtz	....	grip: second unit
Benoît Lemercier	....	gaffer
Jean-Pierre Mas	....	key camera grip
Jean-Paul Meurisse	....	camera operator: second unit
Christian Meynard	....	grip: second unit
Yves Michaud	....	Steadicam operator: second unit
Michael B. Moers	....	second assistant camera
Steve Moreau	....	video assistant
Pierre Morel	....	Steadicam operator
Zdenek Mrkvicka	....	assistant camera
Frédéric North	....	pilot: camera helicopter
Philippe Pantanella	....	gaffer
Luis Peralta	....	gaffer
Marie-Laure Prost	....	focus puller: second unit
Maricella Ramirez	....	first assistant camera: additional scenes
Michel Rodas	....	Steadicam operator
Luc Rondeau	....	gaffer
Jean-Pierre Sauvaire	....	director of photography: second unit
Gérard Sterin	....	director of photography: second unit
Laurent Tangy	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Nathalie Cheron	....	casting: France
Nathalie Guillaume	....	casting: children
Claire Hammond	....	casting assistant: France
Virginia Murray	....	casting assistant
Juliana Reis	....	casting: children (as Juliana Reis-Peronne)
Todd M. Thaler	....	extras casting (as Todd Thaler)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Olivier Bériot	....	costume supervisor
Anne David	....	costume supervisor
Thierry Delettre	....	costume supervisor
Élodie Desautels	....	dresser: second unit
Bela Friedlová	....	wardrobe
Christophe Garcia	....	dresser
Christophe Giraud	....	costume painter
Patrick Lebreton	....	costume supervisor
Jacques Mazuel	....	dresser
Karen Muller Serreau	....	wardrobe (as Karen Serreau)
Laurence Nicolas	....	wardrobe
Sebastien Peronne	....	dresser
Annick Redon	....	dresser: second unit
Kamel Tazit	....	costume props designer

Editorial Department
Soline Guyonneau	....	editor trainee
Yann Hervé	....	assistant editor
Yseult Huret	....	assistant editor
Yvan Lucas	....	color timer

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	orchestrator (as Geoffrey Alexander)
Sébastien Cortella	....	musical assistant (as Sebastien Cortella)
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Didier Lozahic	....	score mixer: synthesizer score
Didier Lozahic	....	synthetic music recordist
Ulrich Schneider	....	music recordist
Eric Serra	....	conductor
Eric Serra	....	musician: synthesizer

Transportation Department
Barbora Jurkovicova	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Shelley Barbour	....	assistant: Mr. Hoffman
Philippe Bénard	....	assistant: Miss Dunaway
Yves Bogdan	....	location manager
Simon Borecky	....	runner
Olivier Bousy	....	historical advisor
Fabrice Champion	....	location manager
Mel Churcher	....	acting coach
Thierry Crépin	....	location manager
Donatienne de Goros	....	script supervisor
Nicolas De Loren-Anno	....	assistant: Mr. Besson
Alain Dominiecki	....	accounting assistant
Romuald Drault	....	production accountant
Richard Edwards	....	chaperon: Miss Valentine
Glen English	....	armorer
Terry English	....	armorer
Zdenek Fiala	....	location manager
Zdenek Flídr	....	unit production coordinator
Florence Forney	....	production secretary
David Frak-Lauer	....	production runner
Cédric Fréni	....	production crowd coordinator
Martina Götthansova	....	interpreter: second unit
Marc Guidetti	....	location manager
Bruno Guilhem	....	assistant: Mr. Malkovich
Rip Hampton O'Neil	....	research and development manager (as Rip O'Neil)
Didier Hoarau	....	location manager
Markéta Hodousková	....	production horse coordinator: Czech Republic
Veronika Horka	....	accommodation captain
Vladimir Houbard	....	location manager
Marcela Jahodova	....	cashier
Michael Johnson	....	armorer
Lenka Kadlecova	....	production runner
Tereza Kalova	....	production secretary
Vernice Klier	....	acting and dialogue coach: Milla Jovovich (as Vernice Illier-Moskowitz)
Jiri Kotlas	....	production runner
Marine Lafon	....	assistant: Miss Jovovich
Franck Lebreton	....	assistant location manager (as Frank Lebreton)
Patrick Le Goc	....	assistant location manager
Françoise Le Goff	....	production office assistant
Arnaud Le Roch	....	location manager
Louis Leterrier	....	production assistant
Sophie Lifshitz	....	assistant secretary
Colette Martin	....	production accountant
Virginie Moussier	....	production secretary
Poll Moussoulides	....	dialogue coach (as Pol Moussoulides)
Pinnell Neal	....	armorer
Roland Ory	....	helicopter pilot
Monique Pautas	....	financial controller
Lenka Pavlakova	....	interpreter
Jan Peterka	....	head accountant: Czech Republic
Sébastien Protat	....	production crowd coordinator
Arnaud Putman	....	location manager
Otto Requette	....	production assistant
Stéphane Reus	....	location manager
Gabriela Rezacova	....	set interpreter
Corinne Saglio	....	assistant production accountant
Verone Silla	....	production office assistant
Petr Splichal	....	production crowd coordinator: Czech Republic
Jiri Tichacek	....	assistant accountant
Jean Philippe Varin	....	animal supplier (as Jean-Philippe Varin)
Julie Vasconi	....	script supervisor
Bobane Veselinovic	....	location manager
Aruna Villiers	....	script supervisor
Cameron Watson	....	dialogue coach
Véronique Zimmer	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Mathieu Kassovitz	....	thanks
Madonna	....	special thanks
Sting	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gaumont

Distributors

• Gaumont (1999) (France) (all media)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (2000) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (2000) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Falcon (Czech Republic)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Renaissance Egypt Company (Egypt)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Sony Pictures (2008) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Duboi
• Duran Duboi

Other Companies

• Cinécool  titles
• Digital Factory  sound editing and mixing
• Digital Factory  sound post-production
• Digital Factory  sound re-recording
• Image Bank  stock shots (as The Image Bank)
• Ipon  stunts
• Jacana Productions  animals
• London Session Orchestra, The  score performed by
• Metro Voices  score performed by
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Paris Post Production Research  stock shots
• Sony Classical  soundtrack
• Technovision France  cameras and lenses (as Technovision)
• Tri-Track Sync  post-synchronization (as Tri-Track Sync)

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

France's Tragic Teenage Warrior Messiah

I found Luc Besson's take on the story of Joan of Arc thoroughly compelling. Like all of Besson's films, The Messenger is highly stylized, nicely cast, and visually powerful. The film is also forgivably anachronistic in terms of language while developing a strong period feel through sets and costume.

Joan was, of course, the deeply religious teenage girl who lead Prince Charles' army to improbable victory over the invading English at Orleans and helped re-consolidate French sovereignty. Joan considered herself God's appointed messenger, and France apparently saw her as an avenging angel. Today, she is commonly regarded as a schizophrenic. She was canonized in the 1950s, 500 years after her death. Regardless of whether God or insanity was the source of her strength, power, will and incredible courage - there is little ambiguity about her role in the salvation of France nor the fate that awaited her afterward.

In general, the acting is quite good. Jovovich's much-maligned performance is actually very good and exactly appropriate for what Besson was trying to do with the film. Comparing Joan of Arc to her other Messianic role as Leelu in the Fifth Element is, frankly, ridiculous. I believe that the problems people find in Jovovich's performance are problems those same people bring to the film. Malkovich and Dunaway are phenomenal. Tcheky Karyo and Vincent Cassell provide excellent support.

Besson strays from what we think we know about the details of Joan's story, but only to present the truth of the big-picture more accurately. His film steadfastly refuses to answer the questions many people will bring to it:

* Was Joan schizophrenic? * Was she a catholic messiah or divinely inspired prophet?

Why is Besson so careful about accurately presenting the ambiguity of the story? I think he wanted to make a moving film, but not a film which would unsubtly challenge its audience's beliefs. If you do not believe, you will tend to explain Dustin Hoffman's character as a manifestation of Joan's psychological problems. If you do believe, you may want to think of him as Satan, am angel, perhaps both. Thus, Besson, who is a deeply spiritual person, makes a powerful statement about faith through his metanarrative while maintaining an appropriately unevangelical position. He took similar paths in his more uplifting films The Fifth Element and Angel-A.

Highly recommended for Besson and Jovovich fans. Not a biography - avoid this if you must have the "plain" facts! Mildly recommended as a piece of historical fiction.