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Jeanne la Pucelle I - Les batailles
1994 History / Drama
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Credits
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Summary
Upon hearing a message from God, a young French maid, Jeanne, feels compelled to leave
her home in Domremy. She finally manages to get an audience with Charles,
the dauphin of France, and she persuades him that it is her destiny to lead the French
to victory against the English. Reluctantly, Charles puts her in charge of
his troops and, at a decisive battle, Jeanne’s courage and faith in God win her a first
historic victory.
Review
This is the first part of Jacques Rivette’s epic six-hour long film adaptation of the
Joan of Arc story. Whilst not in the league of Carl Dreyer’s 1928 masterpiece
La Passion de Jeanne
d'Arc, it is nonetheless a compelling and artistically pleasing entry in the ever-growing
catalogue of Joan of Arc films.
The film stars Sandrine Bonnaire who, despite being clearly too old for the part, gives a spirited and compelling performance, imbuing her character, and the film, with an intense and poignant humanity. This first part of the film is concerned with the battles which Joan of Arc led against the English, concluding with her arrest after the defeat at Orleans. Although less spectacular than Luc Besson’s 1999 Joan of Arc film, the film is far more watchable, primarily because it gives greater weight to characterisation and is less concerned with creating a spectacle. © James Travers 2002 Write a review for this film... |
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