Joan of Arc (1999) (TV)

Director:

Christian Duguay

Writers (WGA):

Michael Alexander Miller (written by) and
Ronald Parker (written by)

Release Date:

16 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama

Plot:

Ten years before her death, Joan hears voices. Six years later, from the village of Domremy, she begins her mission to unite France under King Charles...

Plot Keywords:

Inquisition | Heretic | Burgundy | France | Orléans

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Leelee Sobieski	...	Joan D'Arc
Chad Willett	...	Jean de Metz
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Isabelle D'Arc
Powers Boothe	...	Jacques D'Arc
Neil Patrick Harris	...	The Dauphin, later King Charles VII of France
Maury Chaykin	...	Sir Robert de Baudricourt
Olympia Dukakis	...	Mother Babette
Jonathan Hyde	...	Duke of Bedford
Robert Loggia	...	Father Monet
Shirley MacLaine	...	Madame de Beaurevoir
Peter O'Toole	...	Bishop Cauchon
Maximilian Schell	...	Brother Jean le Maistre
Peter Strauss	...	La Hire
Ron White	...	Dunois
Jaimz Woolvett	...	Duke of Burgundy

Also Known As:

Jeanne d'Arc (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

140 min | UK:180 min | 60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | UK:12 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Krivoklát, Czech Republic

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When we first see the castle and city of Chinon, a white and blue truck can be seen on the left side of the screen.

Quotes:

Joan D'Arc: I will never outgrow simple decency.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Panis Angelicus

A challenging role

Joan is perhaps the most female difficult role to cast. The actress must be attractive but not conventionally alluring; magnetic but not intellectual; a towering figure but physically slight. You must understand why people would die for her. Above all, the performer must convey an authentic sense of religious piety, a virtual impossibility for young actors today. Sandrine Bonnaire--a wonderful star in every other respect--tried her hand in the recent French version but was too sexy for the part.

As Joan, Sobieski juggles the disparate requirements astonishingly well. This is emphatically not the kind of movie in which the actress can merely show up and look decorative; you have to work at it, but as Sobieski revealed in Uprising, she has the capacity for challenging period roles. And that also means that in contrast to her female peers in the business, she has a long professional future.

Watch out for O'Toole in an astonishing performance as a Cardinal who gradually realizes that Joan is the real thing.

The culminating scene--no details provided, you must see it yourself--is curiously uplifting and properly theological rather than merely unpleasant.