The Passion of Joan Arc

Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, The Passion of Joan of Arc has been critically acclaimed as one of the top ten best silent films (by the Guardain at least see bottom of this post). I decided after looking at Rita Hayworth and having been told by several people they were looking into Charlie Chaplin to watch this female to see a female silent movie star. Everyone knows females are portrayed differently on screen.

Renee Maria Falconetti moves the audience with this performance. She jerks a tear onto their faces, with one sweeping glare that mesmerise the history of cinema. In a film made up entirely of Medium and Close Ups, detail becomes crucial. Every single muscle in the face becomes analysed. When it's no longer about the big actions but the little actions you appreciate the details a lot more.

Falconetti (as she is always called) made only this single movie. "It may be the finest performance ever recorded on film,” wrote Pauline Kael. She was an actress in Paris when she was seen on the stage of a little boulevard theater by Carl Theodor Dreyer (1889-1968), the Dane who was one of the greatest early directors. It was a light comedy, he recalled, but there was something in her face that struck him: "There was a soul behind that facade.” He did screen tests without makeup, and found what he sought, a woman who embodied simplicity, character and suffering.

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-passion-of-joan-of-arc-1928

I really enjoyed reading this quote about the screen tests, theres nothing I love more than having more knowledge about something I've just watched. To understand the ins and outs of it and to appreciate the problem people had making it and how they overcame them. And with this film there is a lot of background knowledge about the sets and the editing. But today I'll just focus on the acting. She's come from the stage and hasn't been chosen for her looks but her tone and emotion and how she can convey suffering. Because what 19 year old has suffered like Joan of Arc did?

For me what I find most interesting, is how this film doesn't rely on the narrative even though it's telling a historical background of someone everyone should know about. Instead it's more of a work of art. The close ups are less like film pieces but more like key frames in an animation. It's very rare does a shot have more than a handful of emotions in it, so I bet the editing of this required serious organisation, especially because all the film would of had to of been cut by hand. This is more like a piece of craft work in the film history.

You can see how films like this inspired Dali and surrealists and all those who became auteurs like Michelangelo Antonini. There's definitely a signature from the director on this film. Each shot is beautifully framed with interest yet simplicity highlighting the emotions.

I think this film would go hand in hand with study task 3, with the over exaggeration of each emotion. Obviously without any happiness, just severe melancholy. Although it's quite long I enjoyed this film, but I imagine it would have a greater impact in a cinema, I don't think it's one to watch in a small box. If you want to understand, anger, sadness, suffering, brooding, then I recommend this film.



http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/nov/22/top-10-silent-movies-films