Joan of Arc (1948)

The abbreviated life of the 15th Century French heroine.

Director:

Victor Fleming

Writers:

Maxwell Anderson (play), Maxwell Anderson (screenplay)

Stars:

Ingrid Bergman, José Ferrer, Francis L. Sullivan

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 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 Jean Massieu - Joan's Bailiff / Narrator
Gene Lockhart	...	Duke Georges de La Trémouille - The King's Chief Counsellor
John Emery	...	Jean, Duke d'Alencon - Cousin of Charles VII
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: At Domremy
Robert Barrat	...	Jacques d'Arc - Joan's Father: At Domremy
Jimmy Lydon	...	Pierre d'Arc - Joan's Younger Brother: At Domremy (as James Lydon)
Rand Brooks	...	Jean d'Arc - Joan's Older Brother: At Domremy
Roman Bohnen	...	Durand Laxart - Joan's Uncle: At Domremy

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:

f rated | character name as title | joan of arc character | reference to joan of arc | reference to the passion of joan of arc | 

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Taglines:

A cast of thousands

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

11 November 1948 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Joan of Lorraine

Filming Locations:

Balboa, Newport Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions

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

At one time, MGM was scheduled to release the film, but they eventually backed out due to disagreements with Sierra Pictures.

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Goofs

At 1:13:31, the hand position of the man on the right changes.

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Quotes

Joan of Arc: You see there is no strength in me, and no strength in my hands. There is no strength in any of our hands great enough to win against the English. Our strength is in our faith. And if our faith is eaten away by little things that God hates, then, though there be a million of us, we should be beaten back and die.

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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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Alternate Versions

In 1998, UCLA restored "Joan of Arc" to its original length of 145 minutes, and the complete version was finally given its first public screening in nearly fifty years on December 3, 1998.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)

User Reviews

Ingrid's great triumph!

I am lucky enough to have a video of the uncut version of this film, in which the trial is shown in full. This is the part of the film in which we see Ingrid's best acting. It's so immensely moving! Ingrid believed in Joan and it shows. She had just come from a triumphant Broadway run in Joan of Lorraine, the play on which this movie is based. The movie is a more straightforward telling of Joan's story [the play is a play within a play] and I would say it's accurate, though some details have to be left out, due to lack of time. Sadly, Ingrid's popularity in the USA had waned when this film was released. What a tragedy! I am amazed that a so-called enlightened and free nation could turn against this honest woman, because of her love for an Italian film director and the birth [out of wedlock] of their beautiful son. I think Ingrid would have won another Oscar with "Joan of Arc", had it not been for the "scandal". It's definitely the best film version of this remarkable saint's story and a fulfilment of Ingrid's lifetime wish. Long live Ingrid Bergman - and her favourite saint! Mary Hutchings [Founder, Ingrid Bergman International, Yahoo clubs]