The Trial of Joan of Arc
Director: Robert Bresson
Year Released: 1962
Rating: 3.5
Bresson's barebones approach doesn't always produce the most compelling of cinematic treats, so while I'd be hard-pressed to say I "enjoyed" this film of the Joan of Arc trial, I cannot deny the minimalism works in its favor. The Carl Th. Dreyer film is a far superior look at Joan's physical suffering and torture, but this is more of a spiritual Q&A session, as she responds to each of her persecutors' questions with the most direct and honest of responses (the text is apparently from the actual trial). With a running time of an hour, it doesn't seek to punish its audience by drawing things out, and Bresson allows the blank looks and bland sets to say everything about the young rebel's grim last days.
