‘Sweet God, I accept death gladly…’
Anyone familiar with silent cinema will know The Passion of Joan of Arc for the famous close-up shot of actress Maria Falconetti with a shaved head and tears streaming down her face. While I largely enjoyed Carl Theodor Dreyer’s silent classic, that one shot is pretty much a summation of the entire film…
Joan of Arc (Falconetti) or Jeanne d’Arc to use her Sunday name, is put on trial by a bunch of evil monks and must reckon with her loyalty to God and her complicated relationship with France.
At only 80 minutes, Dreyer’s film is worth seeking out for Falconetti’s performance alone. It’s a very modern performance. Expressive without being melodramatic and heartbreaking without being hysterical. Dreyer’s screenplay, co-written with Joseph Delteil feels authentic and this, combined with the naturalistic performances and lack of makeup (unheard of in the silent era) imbues The Passion of Joan of Arc with a gravitas that ensures that this film will endure.
Considered a lost film until it was re-discovered in 1978, The Passion of Joan of Arc is undoubtedly a classic of the silent era.