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:

15 April 1949 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Joan of Lorraine

Filming Locations:

Balboa, Newport Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,600,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$12,574,549

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

Though he was born in Puerto Rico and of Spanish ancestry, José Ferrer plays a French character in this film. He would go on to play many more: Athos in The Fifth Musketeer (1979), Alfred Dreyfus in I Accuse! (1958), and, most famously, the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac (1950).

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Goofs

Shots at 2:22:05 and 2:22:18 are mirrored.

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Quotes

Joan of Arc: [to her troops, after hearing her voices] This is the hour. Now is the time. In God's name, strike! Strike boldly!

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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

The cut version of the film reduced many of the supporting actors' roles (notably those of Hurd Hatfield and Jeff Corey) to mere walk-ons, with all of their dialogue gone. Hatfield, especially, was practically edited out of the shorter version, so that viewers who have seen only the 100-minute cut of the film, and knew that he was in it, were left wondering if he really appeared in the movie at all. Both of Robert Barrat's dialogue scenes were also cut, despite the fact that he plays Joan's father, a rather important role. Dialogue belonging to Joan's mother (Selena Royle), however, was retained in the edited version.

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Connections

Version of Johanna aus Lothringen (1959)

User Reviews

Bergman's performance excellent, film good

Joan of Arc is perhaps Bergman's finest "high acting" performances. (Her greatest performance is still her "minimalist" performance in "Casablanca"). This is a better than good movie, but not great. With the cast, it should have been GREAT! It is, however, well worth seeing; Bergman is in fine form.