Product: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (Region 2) (1999)
Rating: 2.0
Can't compare with the silent film
Watch this one and then watch the silent 1928 Passion of Joan of Arc. It's the difference between a comic book and Les Miserables. I've seen most of the Joan films except the one with Ingrid Bergman, which I haven't been able to find. I'm not an expert on the historical Joan, but I can compare films. The Joan films have been good, bad, and indifferent. The silent film is beyond compare. This one falls somewhere between bad and indifferent. Someone else mentioned the mix of accents. It drove me crazy. Most of the French army sounded more English than the English and Joan sounded like she was from Illinois. I also get extremely annoyed with historically based films that feel compelled to dumb down the dialogue by salting the dialogue with contemporary-usage obscenities and vulgarities. As a historical novelist myself, one of the things I research meticulously is the slang of the period. Nothing pulls you out of a historical moment like a 20th century slang coming form a long-ago character. I guess ultimately I have to say it's an ok movie to rent, but I wouldn't spend money on it. If you want to buy a Joan film, opt for the 1928 silent. The added orchestral score is wonderful. The acting will break your heart. This one *shrug*Ruth Sims