Joan of Arc: The Virgin Warrior (2000?)

"Gettysburg" director Ron Maxwell is currently making a film, reportedly to go head to head with the Luc Besson film with Milla Jovovich. The film will star Mira Sorvino as Joan. CBS "Joan of Arc" veteran Jacqueline Bisset reportedly is also in the cast. The word on this is that its more accurate than "The Messenger" by far. If this is anything like Maxwell's last big film, Gettysburg, Joan of Arc nuts are in for a real treat!  Gettysburg followed details of the battle very meticulously, and I doubt that I've ever seen a more accurate historically based movie. Until now, perhaps?

9/29/99 - Corey Johnson at the Unofficial Joan of Arc Movie Page says that this production has been shelved. No further word yet.

2/1/00 - The official Ron Maxwell website looks as if everything is a go. It is currently in pre-production.  A piece of artwork is up, and copies of the screenplay are available for purchase for a limited time.

2/18/00 - I will soon start a page for movie scoops and updates here at this site.

5/13/00 - I've now had a page up for "The Virgin Warrior" for a while now(way to give speedy notice, Patrick). Ron Maxwell's official site has been continually updated, and production seems to be picking up speed. Yay! Mira Sorvino, and a host of other well known actors are cast in the movie. This movie promises to be the first really accurate, "here's how it really happened" kind of movie. Which is infinitely more than can be said for the trashy Messenger.  Well, they won't even be comparable to each other. Well, enough of that. To go to my more in depth page for the Virgin Warrior, click HERE.

The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc  (1999)

I was extremely disappointed with 'The Messenger'. They made it up to be a historically and religiously serious movie, and then when people actually get to see it they get a farcical, inappropriately humorous, unrespectful, and highly slanderous movie about a rebellious, sacrilegious, deluded, and often-times short-tempered and argumentative teenager. *If* Joan was actually like this, the miracle that saved France in the 100 Years' War is that anyone followed her. Milla Jovovich was not really up to the role, and she obviously got the part because it was her husband's(at the time) movie. The carnage in the movie was overdone, with inappropriate humor thrown in at the wrong times. Not to mention a totally laughable depiction of Joan's childhood, they were lucky to get any event right. They managed to do away with Joan's credibility(lack of the examination at Poitiers) and also with Charles' divine right of kingship(Yolande filling up the vial of the Holy oil of Clovis with her own oil). With that, their case for Joan's insanity would seem a lot more credible. All in all, a pretty rotten movie, I think. Your money, if you haven't already seen the movie, would be best spent elsewhere.
Another bone I have to pick with this movie is Luc Besson's opinion of Joan's, for lack of a better term, 'killing fix'. From the production notes for the movie, here is what Besson said - "If she wanted to be a good Christian, a good person...even if her motivation was good, to have her country free, it was wrong to participate in the massacres. 'Thou shalt not kill' - thats a commandment." First of all, the only time Joan ever actually used her sword was when she was captured at Compiegne. It was in self defense, and she never killed anyone. Second of all, how do you lead an army without participating in the battles, whether or not they are massacres? When God's will requires you to lead an army into battle, you shouldn't question it. Even with these comments from Besson, we get a movie that seemed to overdo and glorify killing. He should get off his moral high-horse and look at the message his movie conveys. He killed more people in the making of his movie (1 stunt extra) than Joan did during her entire career.
The CBS mini-series, though flawed in a few places, is a much more accurate and respectful movie. It does not slander Joan's memory, and there is at least an attempt to get the history correct.
Ron Maxwell's project, which should be coming out sometime next year, promises to be REALLY accurate and respectful.
If I were you, I'd content myself with these two movies, or some of the older ones.
If you have anything to say here about the movie, please feel free to email me. Or leave a message on the message board.

My page for the Messenger can be found HERE.

Critic's Reviews:
Culture Vulture
Salon
NZone
Film.com
Ron Maxwell's Review

Joan of Arc (1999 CBS Miniseries)

This first aired on CBS on May 16 & 18, 1999. This movie was excellent(forgiving a few noticeable historical flaws), in my opinion.  It starred Leelee Sobieski as Joan, Neil Patrick Harris as Charles VII, and Peter O'Toole as Bishop Pierre Cauchon. It got 13 Emmy nominations and 1 Emmy award, to Peter O'Toole for his supporting role. Among the nominations were: Outstanding Miniseries Directing, Outstanding Leading Actress in a Miniseries, and Outstanding Miniseries. Too bad it didn't win more! It was also nominated for 2 Golden Globe awards for Best Lead Actress, and Best Miniseries or TV Movie, of which it won neither.

My review for the CBS Miniseries "Joan of Arc" can be found HERE.