Joan of Arc (1948)

In the Fifteenth Century, France is a defeated and ruined nation after the One Hundred Years War against England. The fourteen years old farm girl Joan of Arc claims to hear voices from ... See full summary »

Director:

Victor Fleming

Writers:

Maxwell Anderson (play), Maxwell Anderson (screenplay),

Stars:

Ingrid Bergman, Francis L. Sullivan, J. Carrol Naish

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ingrid Bergman	...	Joan of Arc
Francis L. Sullivan	...	Pierre Cauchon (Count-Bishop of Beauvais)
J. Carrol Naish	...	John, Count of Luxembourg (Joan's captor)
Ward Bond	...	La Hire
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Father Massieu (Joan's bailiff)
Gene Lockhart	...	Georges de la Trémouille
John Emery	...	Jean - Duke d'Alencon
Leif Erickson	...	Dunois, Bastard of Orleans
Cecil Kellaway	...	Jean le Maistre (Inquisitor of Rouen)
José Ferrer	...	The Dauphin (Charles VII, later King of France)
Selena Royle	...	Isabelle d'Arc (Joan's mother)
Robert Barrat	...	Jacques d'Arc (Joan's Father)
Jimmy Lydon	...	Pierre d'Arc (Joan's younger brother)
Rand Brooks	...	Jean d'Arc (Joan's older brother)
Roman Bohnen	...	Durand Laxart (Joan's uncle)

Storyline

In the Fifteenth Century, France is a defeated and ruined nation after the One Hundred Years War against England. The fourteen years old farm girl Joan of Arc claims to hear voices from Heaven asking her to lead God's Army against Orleans and crowning the weak Dauphin Charles VII as King of France. Joan gathers the people with her faith, forms an army and conquerors Orleans. When her army is ready to attack Paris, the corrupt Charles sells his country to England and dismiss the army. Joan is arrested, sold to the Burgundians England and submitted to a shameful political trial in Rouen castle.

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Plot Keywords:

france | trial | joan of arc | faith | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

Greatest of all spectacles!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 1949 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Joan of Lorraine

Filming Locations:

Balboa, Newport Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sierra Pictures (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min 100 min (cut) 145 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film to receive 7 Academy Award nominations without receiving a Best Picture nomination.

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Quotes

Joan of Arc: My gentle Dauphin, it is you I seek, for I have come a long way to find you and no other can take your place. God has spoken to me through His messengers, and it is His will that I come to aid you and that you be King of France.

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Crazy Credits

In the 145-minute version of the film, the cast list, naming not only the actors but who they played, was deliberately presented in the style of the cast list of "Gone With the Wind", in order to evoke the feeling of an epic about to be presented. Victor Fleming, who directed "Joan of Arc", had also directed "Gone With the Wind" (after replacing George Cukor, "GWTW"'s original, uncredited director).

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Connections

Referenced in The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood Jr. (1995)

User Reviews

At 100 minutes this is a waste

Good editing always improves the rough vision of the accumulated daily takes. Chopping the heart out of a completed film, however, should simply be a hanging offense.

The original 1948 Joan of Arc at 145 minutes is magnificent. The 100-minute version that's been foisted off on the USA buying public is below mediocre. Key scenes were deleted wholesale with no regard to continuity or development.

The only enjoyment from the severely and amateurishly edited version is to see Ingrid Bergman do what she does best. But only if you have seen the original version can this chopped and cropped semi-copy have any marginal value.

Check the specifications on any version you are tempted to buy. If the running time is 100 minutes, don't bother. Some European versions are longer at 125 and 133 minutes. Hopefully, someone will offer this masterpiece in a full 145 minute DVD version