The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
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The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (simply titled Jeanne d'Arc in French) is a French historical drama film directed by Luc Besson. The screenplay was written by Besson and Andrew Birkin, and the original music score was composed by Éric Serra.
The Messenger portrays the story of St. Joan of Arc, the famous French war heroine of the 15th century and religious martyr, played by Milla Jovovich. The story begins with young Joan witnessing the atrocities of the English against her family, following her through her visions, to her leadership in battle, through doubt (with Dustin Hoffman playing a character credited as "The Conscience"), and finally to her trial and execution.
Coincidentally, a miniseries, Joan of Arc, was made for television at the same time as Besson's film. The films theme song is entitled "Tell Me" and is sung by Jovovich who played the title character
Plot
Joan, as a little girl, has a violent and supernatural vision. She returns home to find her village burning. Her sister, Catherine tries to protect her by hiding her from the attacking English forces. An Englishman kills Catherine. Joan goes to live with her distant relatives.
Many years later, at Chinon, the Dauphin and soon to be King of France Charles VII receives a message from Joan, requesting an army to lead into battle. Joan explains her visions to Charles, and declares that she is to lead the French Army to victory against the English, and predicts that only then will he become the King of France.
Joan, clad in armour, leads the French army to the besieged city of Orléans, which is under the military command of Jean de Dunois. She gives the English a chance to surrender, which they refuse.
The armies commanders, skeptical of Joan's leadership, initiate the next morning's battle for the stockade at St Loup without her. By the time she arrives on the battlefield, the French soldiers are retreating. Joan ends the retreat and leads her army into another charge, which succeeds in capturing the fort. With the fort taken, they find the Tourelles, a small but impressive stronghold commanded by Sir William Glasdale, that will be much more difficult to take. Joan gives the English another chance to surrender, which they refuse.
Joan leads the French soldiers to the Tourelles, where the prepared English defenders inflict heavy casualties on the French attackers. While climbing a ladder to the fort, Joan gets shot in the chest with an arrow. The seriousness of her wounds causes great concern within the French army. She rises before the troops the next morning, and leads them in a second attack, which proves successful.
The English army regroups on the other side of the river, and the French and English armies move to face each other on an open field. Joan rides alone towards the English and offers them a chance to surrender and return to England. The English accept her offer and retreat.
Informed of Joan's victory, the Duke of Bedford wants Joan of Arc burned. Joan returns to Reims to witness the coronation of Charles VII of France. Her military campaigns continue to the walls of Paris. Her requested reinforcements are not sent to her, and the siege is a failure. Joan tells King Charles VII to give her another army, but he wants her to go home, explaining that he now prefers diplomacy over warfare. Convinced that Joan has become a political nuisance, Charles conspires to get rid of Joan by letting her get captured by enemy forces. She is taken prisoner by the pro-English Burgundians at Compiègne, who sell her to the English.
Charged with the crime of heresy, stemming from her dubious claim of receiving visions and signs from God, she appears in an ecclesiastical court proceeding that is being forced upon the Christian church by the English occupational government. She refuses to take an oath, declaring it runs contrary to her beliefs. The English wish to quickly condemn and execute Joan as English soldiers are afraid to fight while she remains alive. The Bishop expresses his concern about the possibility of wrongfully executing someone who might have truly received visions from God.
About to be burned for heresy, Joan is distraught that she will executed without having confession. Bishop Cauchon plays upon her fear, telling her she must sign a recantation of her visions before he can hear her confession. Joan signs the recantation. The relieved Bishop shows the recantation to the English and tells them that Joan can no longer be burned as a heretic.
The frustrated English devise another way to have Joan executed by the church instead of by them. English soldiers go into Joan's cell room, rip her clothes and give her men's clothing to wear. They state she conjured a spell to make the new clothing appear, which suggests that she is a witch who must be burned. Although suspecting the English are lying, the Bishop nonetheless abandons Joan to her fate. Joan is burned alive in the marketplace of Rouen.
Cast
- Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc
- John Malkovich as Charles VII of France
- Faye Dunaway as Yolande of Aragon
- Dustin Hoffman as The Conscience
- Andrew Birkin as John Talbot
- Vincent Cassel as Gilles de Rais
- Pascal Greggory as John II, Duke of Alençon
- Desmond Harrington as Jean d'Aulon
- Tchéky Karyo as Jean de Dunois
- Richard Ridings as La Hire
- Timothy West as Pierre Cauchon
- Jane Valentine as Joan of Arc aged 8
See also
