TRIAL OF JOAN OF ARC
***** out of *****

Genre
Drama
Religion

1962
Written and directed by
Robert Bresson
Cast
Florence Delay .... Jeanne d'Arc (as Florence Carrez)
Jean-Claude Fourneau .... Bishop Cauchon
Roger Honorat .... Jean Beaupere
Marc Jacquier .... Jean Lemaitre
Jean Gillibert .... Jean de Chatillon
Michel Herubel .... Frère Isambert de la Pierre
André Régnier .... D'Estivet
Arthur Le Bau .... Jean Massieu
Marcel Darbaud .... Nicolas de Houppeville
Philippe Dreux .... Frère Martin Ladvenu
Paul-Robert Mimet .... Guillaume Erard
Gérard Zingg .... Jean-Lohier

Joan of Arc has proven to be an elusive figurehead. She's long been an enigmatic vision whose image has become the symbol of French nationalism, and then further appropriated into the folds of modernity, feminism and modern sexuality. Her upbringing, religious conviction, strategic prowess and even her beauty have been hotly debated over the years by historians, but like any symbol, she has continued to draw hordes of fans who project their own beliefs onto her.

Robert Bresson follows the mould set by Carl Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), focusing only on her trial, but strives for absolute authenticity, restricting his dialogue only to the preserved transcripts and as with his other films, employing non-actors in central roles.

Ordinarily, such a preoccupation with verisimilitude would threaten to strangle the life out of the screen, condensing it with the boredom of 'reallife' which doesn't make for good cinema. Thankfully then, Bresson has always chosen the most intriguing stories to focus his attention, stripping away the tragedy (Mouchette, 1967), exaggeration (Pickpocket, 1959), irony (L'argent, 1983), and in the case of Joan of Arc: religious affirmation.

Bresson interrogates Joan (Florence Deley) as severely as her accusers, holding surprisingly invasive mid shots, which linger on Joan's steely gaze, eventually exposing her inner contradictions.  When she is finally forced to recant her claims of guidance from Saints, Bresson maintains his steadfast observational style, even while his heroine's credibility begins to falter. The effect doesn't invalidate Joan's sainthood; in fact, it makes her more human and far more worthy of devotion. By eschewing embellishment, Bresson foregrounds Joan's humanity. Her burning at the stake becomes an odd revelation, both cementing her place in history, and silencing any ongoing contribution to it. This isn't so much a revolution from Dreyer's film, but rather an expansion of ideas. While Dreyer directed Maria Falconetti to a heartbreaking performance, Bresson ensures Florence  Deley never strays emotionally from the text, only rarely breaking her icy veneer. Joan posed a serious threat to the Catholic faith, which on the one hand demanded the belief in its symbols, but condemned Joan's visions as heresy.

Politically Joan's death was seen by the English as a potential catalyst for the end of the hundred years war. Cinematically she continues to be re-imagined as warrior/feminist/saint/icon, depending on the filmmaker (incidentally, there has recently been a confirmation of yet another Joan of Arc project, to be helmed by Gods and Generals (2003) director Ronald F. Maxwell who, judging by past history, will most likely evaluate her strategic role).

With only an hour long running time, Bresson's film is brisk and concise, and effectively renders Joan as a true human being, who enraptured a nation and became something far more complex and compelling: a symbol who even in Bresson's meticulous hands still manages to shine as a beacon of faith and religious affirmation. Something I'm sure Bresson intended to show, without having to fake it.

Shahir Daud's reviews also appear on DVD Compare, where they include details of the DVD release. For this review click here.

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