A Film of Transcendental Beauty.

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2016)

A truly beautiful and powerful film of such an influential and admirable status that not many films could ever achieve such praise. Dreyer's vision with The Passion Of Joan Of Arc is still recognised as one of the greatest pieces of filmmaking in existence.
Falconetti's performance as Jeanne d'Arc is widely accepted as one of the greatest performances ever committed to film and it should be very clear as to why. Her performance is very restrained, subtle and mature, providing distinctive character development, understanding and empathy through only her facial expression. The silent era was one where over-acting had become common but her performance did not follow such a convention and even by today's standards it's still a beautifully restrained performance. Her face and eyes are so expressive and emotional that they speak louder than any dialogue ever could, and with the film's cinematography focusing on extreme close-ups of the characters' faces, it emphasises the power that Falconetti could harness through such acting. The close-ups also allow us, as viewers, to pay attention to every facial twitch of Jeanne d'Arc throughout the film, adding to the emotional torture that she must have faced.
The film is beautiful in every respect, from its cinematography's focus on extreme close-ups, its supporting character performances and even the few moments you truly glance at the set design and decorations. It all contributes wonderfully to Dreyer's vision of the trial of Joan of Arc, but the highlight for me, along with many other viewers, is certainly Falconetti's performance. It's honestly heartbreaking when the inevitably tragic ending is portrayed as for the brief time we, as viewers, have been watching the film, it certainly feels like we have got to know who both Jeanne d'Arc and Falconetti are and that she has opened herself up to the world - her performance is one of the most genuine performances I've ever had the pleasure of viewing.
I definitely recommend this film, whether you're curious about acting, cinematography or silent cinema, this should definitely be essential viewing.