Summary
Joan of Arc is a 1999 Canadian two-part television miniseries about the 15th-century Catholic saint of the same name. The miniseries stars Leelee Sobieski as Saint Joan. A joint production of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Alliance Atlantis Communications, it was shown internationally in 1999.
| Joan of Arc | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover for the film | |
| Genre | Historical Drama/Biography/Adventure |
| Written by | Michael Alexander Miller Ronald Parker |
| Directed by | Christian Duguay |
| Starring | Leelee Sobieski Chad Willett Peter O'Toole Jacqueline Bisset Powers Boothe Neil Patrick Harris Maximilian Schell Maury Chaykin Olympia Dukakis Jonathan Hyde Robert Loggia Peter Strauss Shirley MacLaine |
| Composers | Asher Ettinger Tony Kosinec Charlotte Church (special vocals) |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 2 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Graham Flashner Ed Gernon Peter Sussman |
| Producer | Peter Bray |
| Cinematography | Pierre Gill |
| Editor | Ralph Brunjes |
| Running time | 140 minutes (180 minutes - uncut version) |
| Production companies | CBC Alliance Atlantis Communications |
| Budget | $20.000.000 (estimated) |
| Original release | |
| Release | May 16 – May 18, 1999 |
The miniseries received thirteen Primetime Emmy Awards nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations.
Plot edit
The miniseries tells the story of Joan of Arc, from her birth in 1412 until her death in 1431.
Joan of Arc is born in 1412 in the village of Domrémy in the war zone of Northern France. During her youth, she often witnesses the horrors of war, and when 11 years old she starts hearing divine voices. Her spirit is kept high by the legend of the Maiden of Lorraine. This says that a young maiden one day will unite the divided country and lead the people to freedom.
At 17, Joan's village is invaded and burned, and her blind best friend, Emile, killed. She begs God to tell her what she said to deserve this, and the visions come back, telling her to travel to Charles, (rightful heir to the throne) and reunite France under his crown.
Joan leaves her small village to find Charles. She jumps into a livestock cart that is supposedly being taken to the king. Instead she is taken to Vaucouleurs, where she is denied help to get to Charles. Here she finds refuge with a nun, who helps her unite the people of Vaucoleurs and build defenses against the English and Burgundian invaders. With this unification and defensework, rumor starts spreading that Joan is the Maid of Lorraine.
Although Joan doesn't seem to believe that she is The Maid, she goes along with it to give the people hope. After bringing the people together, the lord of Vaucouleurs finally gives her the tools she needs to find Charles.
Cast edit
- Leelee Sobieski as Joan d'Arc
- Jacqueline Bisset as Isabelle d'Arc
- Powers Boothe as Jacques d'Arc
- Neil Patrick Harris as King Charles VII of France/The Dauphin
- Maury Chaykin as Sir Robert de Baudricourt
- Olympia Dukakis as Mother Babette
- Jonathan Hyde as Duke of Bedford
- Robert Loggia as Father Monet
- Shirley MacLaine as Madame de Beaurevoir
- Peter O'Toole as Bishop Pierre Cauchon
- Maximilian Schell as Brother Jean le Maistre
- Peter Strauss as La Hire
- Chad Willett as Jean de Metz
- Ron White as Jean de Dunois
- Jaimz Woolvett as Duke of Burgundy (as Jaimz Wolvett)
- Ted Atherton as Jean d'Estivet
- Robert Haley as Georges de la Trémoille
- Matt Hoffman as Raymond
- Justin Peroff as Pierre d'Arc
- Chandra Engstrom as Young Joan
Awards and nominations edit
See also edit
External links edit
- Joan of Arc at IMDb
