Joan of Arc – Jeanne (2019)

Directed by: Bruno Dumont | 137 minutes | drama | Actors: Lise Leplat Prudhomme, Annick Lavieville, Justine Herbez, Benoît Robail, Alain Desjacques, Serge Holvoet, Julien Manier, Jérôme Brimeux, Benjamin Demassieux, Laurent Darras, Marc Parmentier, Jean-Pierre Baude, Joseph Rigo, Yves Baudelle, Aurélie Desain, Laurence Malbete, Augustin Charnet, Jose Morel, Fabien Fenet, Valério Vassallo

The French heroine Joan of Arc has been stirring things up for centuries. So it’s not surprising that filmmaker Bruno Dumont wasn’t done with the intriguing subject. In his own words, however, it is playwright Charles Péguy who brought him on her path. ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ (original title simply ‘Jeanne’) is the unofficial successor of Dumont’s ‘Jeannette’ (2017), but is also fine to watch without prior knowledge. In ‘Jeannette’ Jeanne’s childhood is central (when she is portrayed eight by Lise Leplat Prudhomme, Jeanne as a teenager by Jeanne Voisin). It is a special rock opera with headbanging nuns and finely choreographed dance numbers, based on the first part of Péguy’s play, ‘À Domrémy’. In ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ we follow the remaining years of the girl’s life. This film is based on the other two parts of Péguy’s play, “Les batailles” and “Rouen”. A nice side effect: Lise Leplat Prudhomme takes on the role of the French legend again.

‘Jeanne d’Arc’ begins on May 8, 1429, when Jeanne is asked during her prayer to touch a rosary, so that the boy next door, who is seriously ill, has a chance to get well. Jeanne’s answer is sober and hopeful at the same time: she refuses to touch the wreath, “because if Madame Jacqueline touches it, it’s just as good.” But she does offer to pray for the patient. Four months later, Jeanne finds herself in the middle of political and military discussions, in a dune landscape. Wearing a suit of armor, one hand on a banner pole, the other always by her belt: the innocence splashes from the young face, while her serious look betrays a deeper layer. Jeanne’s receptivity to divine messages soon takes shape in Dumont’s ‘Jeanne d’Arc’: accompanied by the music composed by Christophe, we look for minutes at Jeanne’s face turned to heaven. The texts and images flow together; this is jeanne’s inner experience. It feels lofty and poetic.

A little later, Jeanne expresses her concerns in vain to the French king (Fabrice Luchini at his worst) and then decides to go out on her own. Her capture happens off-screen. Dumont does not value historical truths, but takes the artistic freedom to represent events, characters and dialogue as it suits him. Broadly speaking, the diptych ‘Jeannette’ and ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ naturally follows the tragic life of the French saint, but don’t expect an accurate presentation of facts. In February 1431, we finally arrive at the trial at the Château de Rouen (recorded in Amiens Cathedral). For the next fifteen minutes of the film, we follow the pompous and laughable conversations between the priests, academics, theologians and other members of the jury, and hear Jeanne’s impassioned defense. Christophe himself is still making his appearance in what turns out to be his last role (the singer-songwriter died of COVID-19 in April 2020).

The strength of ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ lies not only in the performance of Lise Leplat Prudhomme. While it’s impossible to take your eyes off her and the stark contrast between her portrayal and that of her occasionally bombastic, almost amateurish cast members reinforces your appreciation for her, everything about Joan of Arc feels like Dumont. is in tight control. Every choice is made consciously; for the staging, the sets, the sometimes wooden actors. In any other movie this would lead to a fiasco, in the hands of Dumont it’s nothing short of alchemy. ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is an essential film in his already special oeuvre.