Saint Joan (1957 film)
| Saint Joan Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan |
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Theatrical release poster designed by Saul Bass
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| Directed by | Otto Preminger |
| Produced by | Otto Preminger Douglas Peirce |
| Written by | G. Bernard Shaw (play) |
| Screenplay by | Graham Greene |
| Starring |
Jean Seberg Richard Widmark Richard Todd Barry Jones Anton Walbrook John Gielgud Felix Aylmer Harry Andrews Finlay Currie Bernard Miles Patrick Barr Kenneth Haigh |
| Music by | Mischa Spoliansky |
| Cinematography | Georges Périnal |
| Edited by | Helga Cranston |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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110 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | US$400,000 |
Saint Joan (also called Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan) is a 1957 British-American film adapted from the George Bernard Shaw play of the same title about the life of Joan of Arc. The restructured screenplay by Graham Greene, directed by Otto Preminger, begins with the play's last scene, which then becomes the springboard for a long flashback, from which the main story is told. At the end of the flashback, the film then returns to the play's final scene, which then continues through to the end.
This was the film debut of actress Jean Seberg, who won a talent search conducted by Preminger that reportedly tested more than 18,000 young women for the role.
In 1456, Charles VII (Richard Widmark), experiences dreams in which he is visited by Joan of Arc (Jean Seberg), the former commander of his army, burned at the stake as a heretic twenty-five years earlier. In the dream he tells Joan that her case was retried and her sentence annulled. He recalls how she entered his life as a simple, seventeen-year-old peasant girl; how she heard the voices of Saints Catherine and Margaret telling her that she would lead the French army against the English at the siege of Orléans and be responsible for having the Dauphin crowned king at Reims cathedral. When Joan arrives at the Dauphin's palace at Chinon she discovers that he is a childish weakling with no interest in fighting. After being tested by the members of the court, who conclude that she is mad, Joan imbues the Dauphin with her belief and fervor and he gives her command of the army.
Shortly thereafter, Joan witnesses the coronation of Charles. Although her military triumphs have made her popular with the masses, her voices, beliefs, self-confidence and apparent supernatural powers have given her fearful enemies in high places. Charles, who has no further use for her services, expects her to return to her father's farm. When Joan challenges Charles to retake Paris from the English, he tells her he would rather sign a treaty than fight. All refuse Joan's plea to march on Paris, and the archbishop warns her that if she defies her spiritual directors, the church will disown her. Nevertheless, Joan puts her faith in God and appeals to the common people to march on Paris. She is captured and handed over to the English. To assure that Joan will never again become a threat to England, the English commander hands her over to the Catholic Church to be tried for heresy. Joan spends four months in a cell and is visited frequently by the Inquisitor (Felix Aylmer). The English become impatient with the delay in her prosecution and press for the trial to begin. Joan holds to her faith, as always, refusing to deny that the church is wiser than she or her voices.
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