Joan of Arc (1999)

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Movie
German title Joan of Arc
Original title The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
Country of production France
original language English
Publishing year 1999
length 158 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Luc Besson
script Luc Besson,
Andrew Birkin
production Patrice Ledoux ,
Luc Besson
music Eric Serra
camera Thierry Arbogast
cut Sylvie Landra
occupation

Joan of Arc (original title The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc ) is a French historical film from the year 1999 , which is based on the life story of Joan of Arc is based. Directed by Luc Besson . The main actress is Milla Jovovich .

action

The entire film spans a period of eleven years. It began in Domrémy in 1420 when Jeanne was eight years old, but made a leap in time of about ten years relatively early , shifting the scene to Orléans and Paris . The fictitious introduction to Jeanne's childhood serves to show her motivation for the following important events in the film. The film ends with death at the stake on May 30, 1431.

introduction
After a fade-in explaining the historical context and geographical area, the film begins in 1420 with Jeanne's childhood. The eight-year-old has visions for the first time, but she cannot yet interpret them. The experience of the rape and murder of her older sister by plundering English soldiers is groundbreaking for her later mission.
Audition to the king
In 1429 the now 17-year-old Jeanne rides to the Dauphin , Charles de Valois , to convey her divine message to him. The prospect of the royal crown, but especially the rationally calculated considerations of the mother-in-law, are decisive for the Dauphin's trust in the peasant girl from Lorraine .
Campaign against the English - victory at Orléans
With the desired army, Jeanne, in armor and with a banner, moves to the strategically important city of Orléans. The English disregard Jeanne's warnings and ridicule her. At first, the virgin did not enjoy any respect from her own generals either. But in the battle it becomes clear that only her person - now with short hair - enables the troops to fight against the British occupation forces. As if by a miracle she survived an arrow shot near her heart and achieved a victory despite a serious injury. Your credibility increases. Surrounded by violence and dead, she is caught up with memories of the murder of her sister and repeatedly plagued by severe remorse. The new formation of the English smashes them with words like a miracle and moves them to retreat.
Coronation
Jeanne is celebrated by the people and the Dauphin is crowned King of France (Charles VII) with great pomp and expense. The French monarchy is saved and Jeanne's mission has been fulfilled in the eyes of the royal family.
Battle of Paris - defeat
However, Jeanne cannot give up. The English are still in the country and too many people are in need. She tries in vain with a few soldiers to retake Paris. The promised reinforcement does not come. Even Jeanne's loyal followers see the hopeless situation and no longer want to fight. The royal family, in particular Jolanda von Aragón, are making plans how to get rid of the peasant girl.
Capture
Captured at the Battle of Compiègne , Jeanne is eventually sold to the English. The money that the people were able to raise for their liberation has disappeared.
Interrogation and cremation in the market place
Jeanne has to face the court and appears in women's clothes before the Bishop of Beauvais . She insists on confession and refuses to answer questions about Charles VII. In her dark cell, God appears to her again and again, or rather her conscience, which she tests hard. Close to madness, she finally signs a document that denies her divine visions. Jeanne immediately demands the revocation and ends up in prison again, where she is forced to wear men's clothes. The bishop, summoned to witness this recidivism, refuses Jeanne the promised confession. God / conscience takes this away from her. Inwardly at peace, she was burned on May 30, 1431 in the market square.

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Outdoor spaces
Most of the film "Johanna von Orléans" is set outdoors, which is related to both Jeanne's origins and the central event of the film, the Battle of Orléans. The outside space stands for Jeanne's simple origins and her love for God. It also offers space for the necessary dynamics and movement of the battles. In addition to the battlefield, the forest and the market square are also important as typical medieval outdoor spaces.
inside rooms
The interiors are rather static, but provide the information that is of great importance for understanding what is happening in the exterior. They are largely associated with power and wealth. The big differences between a simple village house and a castle illustrate Jeanne's crossing (s). The most important interior space is the Dauphin's castle, whereby the focus is not on the castle as a whole, but on certain rooms (ballroom, chambers). Other action-relevant interiors are numerous churches that appear in the film and emphasize Jeanne's religiosity and godliness.

Narrative structure

The film runs chronologically with an interruption or time jump of eleven years. There is a flashback before the Tourelle storm in which Jeanne relives her sister's murder. The film thrives on quick cuts and abrupt scene changes, which are supposed to suggest Jeanne's growing madness.

Plot elements

The most important elements of action include Jeanne's visions, the deliberations about the harnessing of Jeanne by the court of Charles for the political purposes and interests of Charles (which are not necessarily completely identical to the interests of France), the enthusiasm of the soldiers and the masses for the “savior “Jeanne, the willingness to make sacrifices and the courage of Jeanne and her followers, the battle of Orléans, Charles's coronation in Reims , the dropping of Jeanne by the royal court (or, to put it more harshly, the royal betrayal of Jeanne), the dialogue Jeannes with her "conscience" (although it is also possible that the conscience could actually be God, Satan or delusions), the conflicts of conscience of the accusing clergy, as well as the final interrogation including the defense brought against the indictment.

Conflict situations

Conflicts arise among others between the following formations:

  • noble rulers - peasants (Jeanne as a peasant girl)
  • England - France
  • Man - woman (woman in man's clothes, man's role)
  • Religiousness - War
  • Clergy - secular rulers
  • Idealism - opportunism , selfish striving for power and political calculation
  • Professional army and mercenary army of the occupying army of the English - largely out of the will for freedom against the occupation fighting French people's army
  • inappropriate thinking and sincerity - accusation of heresy
  • extraordinary achievements - accusation of witchcraft

Historical background

Social order

In France, torn by war and largely occupied by English soldiers who robbed, murdered, raped and pillaged, a prophecy or legend of a virgin from Lorraine was circulating in the people who would save France or the French monarchy . The Dauphin of France - a hesitant, hesitant, insecure, mostly advice-seeking, weak leader - saw himself the only a few months old Henry VI. , as well as his strong mother (Charles sister, who is not mentioned in the film, but is of great importance for understanding the situation). In the midst of this power struggle for the crown of France, Jeanne, a peasant girl from Lorraine, appeared. At the behest of Jolandas von Aragón - Charles' rationally calculating mother-in-law - Jeanne went to war, liberated some areas (including the strategically important city of Orleans on the Loire) from the English occupation troops and, through her military successes, helped the Dauphin to become “God's willed “Coronation, with which France had a king again. The balance of power established by the coronation in favor of Charles threatened to be imbalanced again by the charismatic Jeanne. Charles was now king, and Jeanne's divine visions were no longer of political value for the royal court, but were dangerous or even destabilizing with regard to their own royal power. The royal court initially withdrew military and financial support from Jeanne. Jeanne's power and influence quickly declined. Eventually she was even extradited to her enemies and sentenced. Their first judges, who were at least in part godly clerics , feared making a mistake, partly because they did not want God's punishment. Initially rather good-natured, they finally lost patience with the often self-confident Jeanne and finally delivered her, as both the English and the Burgundians, as well as secretly wanted by Charles Königshof (while the royal court of Charles was open to the public Could wash hands in innocence) to hostile worldly rulers, namely to the Burgundians, who were allied with the English, who did not hesitate and got Jeanne out of the world. After the English had accused Jeanne for a long time of being a witch, the Burgundians now also adopted the accusation of witchcraft or at least heresy made against Jeanne. The shame, the danger emanating from Jeanne and above all the crossing of borders, which the peasant girl committed in the 15th century by wearing men's clothes and leading an army, is too great.

Sources and research

There are numerous legends about the Lorraine farmer's daughter Jeanne. For the "historical Jeanne" the trial files with the recorded statements of Jeanne, her colleagues and opponents are considered reliable sources. The original files in everyday language have been lost, but there are copies in Latin. Because there are no direct statements from Jeanne's self, research tends to focus on Jeanne's impact on her contemporaries.

In view of the locations and the chronological sequence of the events, the film is close to the historically transmitted events. Luc Besson allows himself a great deal of freedom when it comes to the design . For example, Jeanne has no brothers, but a sister. Some of these deviations represent simplifications suitable for the public or contemporary ideas (especially with regard to Jeanne's voices), on the other hand they increase the emotional concern of the audience. For example, Jeanne's hatred of the English becomes very understandable with the murder of her sister.

Since the French historian Jules Quicherat (1814–1882) laid the foundation stone for Joan of Arc research, a large number of differently motivated works on Joan of Arc have appeared on which Luc Besson was able to draw on in his film . A consultation of the case files is clearly recognizable from the chronological sequence. Besson's Jeanne d'Arc corresponds to the image of a charismatic personality, but like all other protagonists is largely very modern in the sense of: designed like a person of the present. Such freedoms and tension-increasing, rather unrealistic moments come from the direction of Bessons, but make it easier to understand the film and to identify with the character shown.

Implementation of the medieval material

Character set / symbols

Numerous elements such as castle, dungeon, large mass and battle scenes, horses, violence and brutality, marketplace, church or pyre create a basic medieval atmosphere in the film.

the atmosphere

  • Setting : The focus of the film is clearly not on the setting. Rather, Besson relies on finely differentiated characters and powerful battle scenes. The buildings are kept simple, especially on the outside. Apart from the big battle scenes in front of the castle walls, they seem a bit deserted and therefore very backdrop-like.
  • Music, background noise: Eric Serra's music makes use of the typical motifs of medieval film music. It includes pompous-heroic trumpet music, fanfares, slow string music, pseudo-religious chorale-like music up to distorted spherical sounds. The latter in particular are another means of portraying Jeanne as cool and close to madness. The background noise is dominated by clattering armor, clinking swords and carnage.

Lighting design

The cold light mostly used by Besson gives the whole film a cool, slightly threatening atmosphere. The weather reflects not only Jeanne's state of mind, but also her rise and fall. An example of this is the rain pouring down on Jeanne immediately after the royal coronation, during which she tries in vain to recapture Paris .

Speak and act

Like the characters, the language in the film is kept modern. No specifically old expressions are used, but Jeanne speaks very carefully, sometimes almost poetically. The various languages ​​(English, French) and the resulting problems of understanding are not addressed.

Medieval behavior can be seen, for example, in the food culture of the English soldiers, who greedily reach for food with their hands during the looting. Jeanne's everyday life is dominated by a strong fear of God and the constant urge to confess. The weak Charles de Valois is constantly torn between the different opinions of his influential advisors and is unable to make his own decisions.

Throughout the film there are scenes in which the actors' speaking and acting seem very modern or similar to today's speaking and acting. Occasionally there seems to be a lack of seriousness. Even in dangerous combat and stressful situations, the people and officers involved in combat and war occasionally show a certain lightness and a certain sense of humor. In fact, according to one historian, some conversations are almost ridiculed while the situation or topic itself is serious or extremely threatening. Jeanne's possibly hinted madness could be seen as a mental illness that also occurs nowadays, whereby the inhuman bloody murder of her sister that occurred in her face can possibly be seen as a cause. However, almost all people who were charismatically and more or less successfully involved in political conflicts, and who took risks for their own lives, were always accused of madness or witchcraft by their opponents, while their own followers usually simply considered the person to be a figure of light or regarded as enlightened and chosen by God. The film allows an interpretation according to which Jeanne would be insane, but the film does not present this interpretation as necessarily the only possible interpretation. It would also be possible that God actually has an influence on her, or the devil, or that she falls into a trance, or that their visions come from daydreams or from meditations or from some kind of seventh sense. After all, taking risks voluntarily occurs in almost every action film, without the protagonists necessarily and automatically all being considered insane. And there are many possible causes for visions - but madness would be just one of many possible causes.

Trivia

Reviews

  • Lexicon of international film : “A fast-paced film in often breathtakingly beautiful images with a powerful leading actress as a modern figure to identify with. The conflict between belief and conscience is presented more visually than verbatim. "
  • prisma-online : “For Besson, this medieval, bloody battle epic is way too long. And leading actress Milla Jovovich is only convincing when she plays between madness and reality. Good scenes, however, are those conversations with Dustin Hoffman , who was engaged here as a guilty conscience or voice of God-to-be. "
  • In his 2006 book "Jeanne d'Arc: The Story of the Maiden of Orléans", the historian Gerd Krumeich described Besson's film as a "very serious attempt to shape the subject." The implementation of the necessary crowd scenes was "excellent". However, this film about Jeanne will not endure either, since it is “too careless with the sources”. Jeanne's guilty conscience is an invention of Besson, who also "foolishly turns her accuser, Bishop Cauchon , into a priest who is very loving towards her".

Awards

In 2000, Catherine Leterrier's costumes and tone were awarded the French César , while the Prix ​​Lumières awarded film and directing awards. In the same year, the sound editing was awarded by the US Motion Picture Sound Editors . Title heroine Milla Jovovich received a nomination for the Golden Raspberry .

literature

  • Duby, Georges et Andrée: The Trials of Joan of Arc. Wagenbach, Berlin 1973. ISBN 3-8031-2129-9 .
  • Hobbins Daniel: The trial of Joan of Arc. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London 2005, ISBN 0-674-01894-X .
  • Schirmer-Imhof, Ruth (Ed.): The Jeanne d'Arc trial, translated (excerpts). Bachem, Cologne 1961, ISBN 3-423-30202-X .
  • Tanz, Sabine: Jeanne d'Arc: late medieval mentality in the mirror of a worldview. Hermann Böhlau, Weimar 1991. ISBN 3-7400-0103-8 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Certificate of release for Johanna von Orleans . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , November 2013 (PDF; test number: 83 642 V).
  2. ^ A b Röckelein et al .: Jeanne d'Arc as a construction of history. 1996, p. 10.
  3. ↑ Schirmer-Imhof .: 1961.
  4. ↑ Joan of Arc. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed April 4, 2018 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. ^ Film review, prisma.de