Joan the Maid 1: The Battles

1994 [FRENCH]

Action / Biography / Drama / History / War

8
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 82% · 7 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 82% · 250 ratings
IMDb Rating 7.1/10 10 941 941

biography based on true story orléans joan of arc historical drama 15th century

Plot summary

Convinced only she can lead France to victory against the invading English, Jeanne leaves her childhood home to plead with Charles, heir to the French throne, to allow her to guide his troops on the battlefield.

Director

Jacques Rivette Photo
Jacques Rivette

Top cast

Xavier Maly Photo
Xavier Maly as Xaintrailles
Sandrine Bonnaire Photo
Sandrine Bonnaire as Jeanne d'Arc
Thierry Bordereau Photo
Thierry Bordereau as Le Basque
Stéphane Boucher Photo
Stéphane Boucher as La Hire
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
1.44 GB
1280*682
French 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
24 fps
2 hr 40 min
Seeds 1
2.96 GB
1920*1024
French 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
24 fps
2 hr 40 min
Seeds 13

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by ramansour

Most historically accurate Joan of Arc movie to date

In the November 15th 1999 issue of "The New Yorker," Joan Acocella called Rivette's "Joan the Maid Parts 1 and 2" "the best Joan of Arc movie ever made." I couldn't agree with her more. It's also the most historically accurate to date. The scenes and dialogue are taken practically word for word from primary source accounts made by her contemporaries. Unlike Hollywood's big-budget Joan of Arc "epics," Rivette's film is modestly low-budget, but its simplicity makes it all the more charming. It focuses on the character of this extraordinary 15th century woman rather than the big battle spectacles. As "Sight and Sound" magazine put it, "Rivette takes us not onto the stage of history but backstage -- to its green room." I found Sandrine Bonnaire's performance very moving. Most film portrayals of Joan of Arc fail what I call the essential "leadership test." (Would anyone follow Milla Jovovich's Joan of Arc into battle? We'd sooner put her in a padded cell.) But Sandrine Bonnaire portrays Joan as an intelligent, confident young woman that anyone would follow. She charms the audience as much as the real Joan charmed her countrymen.
Reviewed by MarioB

Very good Joan of Arc, but...

The one and the only Joan of Arc of the movie world is Renée Falconetti, from the 1928 silent film of Carl Dreyer. I don't give credit to Jean Seberg in Preminger film, and to Ingrid Bergman, both in Fleming and Rosselini movies. One pretty good Joan of Arc movie was a French TV Movie of 1989 : Jeanne d'Arc: le pouvoir et l'innocence (it is not listed on IMDB!) featuring Cécile Magnet. And please, I don't want to think of that ugly 1999 film by Luc Besson. And here comes veteran Jacques Rivette, with this two part production of 1994. As many viewers have pointed out, it is very strong on an historical point of view. Sandrine Bonnaire is also very good, especially in the second part. But, like most of the Rivette's movies, it is too long. I know that it is his style, but sometimes, it's a little bit boring (like the crowning of the dauphin.) And everybody knows that the real Joan of Arc was a teenager. Everybody knows it, except movie directors. Sandrine Bonnaire is in her mid thirties! Why not take a younger actress? I think, for this film, that young very good actress like Marie Gillian or Élodie Bouchez (I love you, Élodie!) could have been more realistic. I don't mean to say that miss Bonnaire is bad, but it should be more realistic with a younger actress. There is also a sense of respecting the language of the priest, of the dauphin, but some soldiers talks a lousy 20th century french, which sounds very strange in this movie. One says : J'en ai plein l'cul (which means : My ass!) - oups! sorry! - and another says : J'vais t'casser la gueule = I'm gonna knock you out. Oh yeah? Really? In 1429? Despites these little annoying facts, I still think of the film as one of the best Joan of Arc movies of all time.
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