During the Hundred Years’ War, peasant girl Joan of Arc (Ingrid Bergman) hears voices instructing her to save France from the English. Convinced that these unsummoned murmurings are divine messages from God, Joan consults the uncrowned Charles VII (Jose Ferrer) who, startled by the accuracy of her clairvoyance, assembles an army and installs her as its leader and spiritual guide. Her victorious forces reclaim much of their homeland from the English, but she herself falls into enemy hands.
I am lucky enough to have a video of the uncut version of this film, in which the trial is shown in full. This is the part of the film in which we see Ingrid’s best acting. It’s so immensely moving! Ingrid believed in Joan and it shows. She had just come from a triumphant Broadway run in Joan of Lorraine, the play on which this movie is based. The movie is a more straightforward telling of Joan’s story [the play is a play within a play] and I would say it’s accurate, though some details have to be left out, due to lack of time. Sadly, Ingrid’s popularity in the USA had waned when this film was released. What a tragedy! I am amazed that a so-called enlightened and free nation could turn against this honest woman, because of her love for an Italian film director and the birth [out of wedlock] of their beautiful son. I think Ingrid would have won another Oscar with “Joan of Arc”, had it not been for the “scandal”. It’s definitely the best film version of this remarkable saint’s story and a fulfilment of Ingrid’s lifetime wish. Long live Ingrid Bergman – and her favourite saint!
BRRip 720p | MKV | 1280 x 720 | x264 @ 2560 Kbps | 2h 25mn | 2.77 GB
Audio: English AC3 2.0 @ 160 Kbps | Subs: None
Genre: Drama
