The Passion of Joan of Arc

In 1950 auteur Billy Wilder gave a big thumbs up to the silent film era in the film 'Sunset Boulevard'. He cast Gloria Swanson, a former silent film star, in the fictional role of Norma Desmond, an on-screen former silent film star who had been discarded by the industry. Ms. Swanson had no difficulty in putting emotion into her recollection of the past."We didn't need dialogue. We had FACES!"

One wonders if each of them was thinking about Renee Falconetti, star of live theatre in France and principal performer in Carl Th. Dwyer's brilliant film "The Passion of Joan of Arc". Ms. Falconetti was so idolized as a stage actress that she was known by a single name only; 'Falconetti', a la 'Brando, 'Garbo', or 'Duke'.

The genesis of the film is unusual indeed. Joan, born in 1412 in a tiny French village, became a devotee of 'the church'.'The church' was the most powerful organization in the Christian world, even more powerful than any reigning Monarch.

At that time hostilities between French and English armies seemed to never cease, giving rise to the descripto 'The 100 Years War'. Joan, at the tender age of 19, believed she had been visited by messengers from God and had been told she would lead her countrymen in driving the enemy back to their own shores.

Joan was captured by the English and put on trial by that most powerful court, 'the church'.

Here-in begins the tale. Although the church was the same as that in France, the bishops and everyone else of course was English. There were not a lot of sympathetic ears to hear Joan's attempts to explain the passion that drove her to join the French soldiers in battle. There were no surprises in the trial's outcome, and I expect everyone is familiar with the fate of Jeanne d'Arc.

Although personal animosities and grudges ran rampant among Joan's captors, the church has to be lauded for its efforts to present their decision in a fair manner. The entire trial was recorded and the notes taken in 1431 are still available. These notes were the guideline for the film's script.

Falconetti's performance in the role of Jeanne d'Arc was mesmerizing. Referring to the film as one of the best silent films is doing it a disservice. It is one of the best films ever put on screen, silent or otherwise.

The film was shown at a local concert hall with a group of five men known as The Orlando Concert singing a capella. The thought was good; spiritual voices lending cadence to the beleaguered Joan of Arc in her darkest moments. However the voices seemed to be in competition with the events on screen rather than giving support.

Still, I look forward to seeing this classic again.