213. Joan Of Arc; movie review

JOAN OF ARC
Cert TBA
138 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

"This is as if someone at school put it together!"
Mrs W's pithy assessment of Bruno Dumont's Joan Of Arc may be uncharitable but I can empathise with her verdict.
I have to report that Dumont has taken one of the most enduring and mysterious stories in world history and made it interminably dull.
There are drawn-out drab scenes with characters standing in sand dunes discussing the very future of France as if it were as interesting as a bowl of salad leaves.
And there are long whining songs which drag on while characters just stare at the camera.
Indeed, there is a lot of staring between long stretches of dialogue involving Joan (Lise Leplat Prudhomme) who is so small and monotone it seems inconceivable that she could lead an army.
Not that we ever see the mass ranks of her soldiers. The outdoor scenes are beyond the battlefields.
Indeed, the only time there are more than half a dozen people on camera is when horses trot around, dressage style, to foreboding drumming as a prelude to fighting the English.
Joan of Arc presumes great swathes of knowledge - its sporadic written narratives not nearly filling the gap.
So, we don't know how she arrives at being a leader of men, the details of the angels' voices in her head and how they seemed to predict the future.
Neither is it explained how she was arrested and on what basis she was taken for trial by church leaders.
Suddenly, she is facing her accusers and that is when both she and the film and infused with a bit of energy.
However, even then, it's all talk and very little action.

Reasons to watch: A new take on a story which dates back more than 500 years
Reasons to avoid: So, so dull

Laughs: One 
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 2.5/10

Did you know? Burning a body takes a lot longer than many of us are probably aware, and after the first round of flames, Joan's body was pulled from the coals and put on display. The intent of this was to show any sceptics that she absolutely did not escape, and was indeed burnt.  Her body was then put back into the flames until it had completely disintegrated. 

The final word. Bruno Dumont: "The film’s goal was not to seek historical accuracy — more like a timeless accuracy if you will. And the fact that we were able to rely again on the younger girl is an asset, I believe. It’s another way to emphasize the idea of youth. All throughout the film, we keep hearing people calling Joan a child, and that’s exactly what she is." Mubi.com

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