Scene from the film.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc) was a silent film released in France in 1928 based on the trial records of Joan of Arc. The film was directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and starred Maria Falconetti and Antonin Artaud. A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard. ... Image of Joan of Arc, painted between 1450 and 1500 (Centre Historique des Archives Nationales, Paris, AE II 2490). ... Carl Theodor Dreyer (February 3, 1889 - March 20, 1968) was a Danish film director. ... Renée Maria Falconetti (July 22, 1892 - December 12, 1946) was a French stage and film actress, notably for her role as Joan of Arc in Carl Theodor Dreyers 1928 silent film, La Passion de Jeanne dArc. ... Antonin Artaud Antonin Artaud (September 4, 1896–March 4, 1948) was a playwright, actor, and director. ...

The film itself is comprised of five grueling cross-examinations and the resultant burning of Joan at the stake. What especially stood out at the time Passion was made was the film's camera-work and emphasis on the actors' facial features. Dreyer shot a great deal of the film in close-up and forbade his actors to wear any makeup, the better to tell the story through their expressions. Falconetti — in her only movie role — was commended for her multifaceted performance as Joan. The Eyemo spyder model 71QM in action, fitted with a metal accessory on the camera door. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film is considered by many to be an important art form; films entertain, educate, enlighten and inspire audiences. ...

Critics raved that Passion was the best silent film ever made, but it was banned in Britain for its portrayal of crude English soldiers who mock and torment Joan in scenes that mirror biblical accounts of Christ's mocking at the hands of Roman soldiers.

As Dreyer began Passion, sound had already arrived in France, but he didn't have sufficient financing to add it to his film. Title cards in the film thus seem disjointed and overwhelming.

Dreyer's original version was lost for many years, until 1981 when a complete print was found in a janitor's closet of an Oslo, Norway mental institution.

Although Dreyer intended for the film to have no musical accompaniment, in 1994, composer Richard Einhorn wrote an operetta based on the movie. Entitled "Voices of Light". it is available as the musical accompaniment on the Criterion Collection's DVD release of The Passion of Joan of Arc. Operetta (literally, little opera) is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. ... The Criterion Collection is a joint venture between Janus Films and The Voyager Company that was begun in the mid 1980s for the purpose of releasing authoritative consumer versions of classic and important contemporary films on the laserdisc and DVD formats. ...

External links

• The Passion of Joan of Arc at the Internet Movie Database