Joan of Arc films.

[JackFavell]

I only saw a tiny bit of the Ingrid Bergman film. Likewise with the Jean Seberg version, but somehow, the Preminger one really caught my interest, partly because of Jean's rather startling youthful "look". The more I see of Seberg, the better I like her. Somehow, watching her in this role felt right. Knowing her battles in real life made me appreciate the bravery she showed taking on this role, and it all worked as the character of Joan for me. Granted, this is from watching about 20 minutes right in the middle, but it made me want to watch the whole thing. Widmark was disconcerting, but I gotta give him credit for trying out a new sniveling character.

[klondike]

Anyone else seen Luc Besson's Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, from 1999?
I enjoyed watching it, and came away with many mixed emotions, and different reactions . . the highly expressive, though often taciturn, Mila Jovovich certainly makes for a memorable Jeanne d'Arc, and Dustin Hoffman breathes large as her non-corporeal counselor . . an ambitious choice for Besson, as he had just finished rounding the bases after The Professional, and The Fifth Element.

[jdb1]

I only saw a tiny bit of the Ingrid Bergman film. Likewise with the Jean Seberg version, but somehow, the Preminger one really caught my interest, partly because of Jean's rather startling youthful "look". The more I see of Seberg, the better I like her. Somehow, watching her in this role felt right. Knowing her battles in real life made me appreciate the bravery she showed taking on this role, and it all worked as the character of Joan for me. Granted, this is from watching about 20 minutes right in the middle, but it made me want to watch the whole thing. Widmark was disconcerting, but I gotta give him credit for trying out a new sniveling character.

You'll get no argument from me about Seberg. I have already freely admitted my girl crush on her.

I think in the past I was too influenced by the critics of the past and just sort of agreed -- yes, she's amateurish and can't speak "Shaw," etc. But this time I was very taken by her performance. Not great, of course, but quite compelling, and I can see Preminger's point here in using Seberg: a small town girl out of her element among pros, who has the intelligence, poise and potential to be a star, just like Joan. Really, who else do you look at when she's onscreen with other actors? I think she held her own amazingly in Bonjour Tristesse against Niven and Kerr. It's another movie I like more with each viewing.

[JackFavell]

I completely agree, and have my own, "girlcrush".

And you are right, Bonjour Tristesse grows better and better with every viewing. It's fairly leaping for me right now. Last night, it reached "great movie" status with me. I couldn't find a fault with it. This is probably my fourth or fifth viewing, and I think there will be even more pleasure in watching it the next time and the time after that. There's a lot of "meat" to it, something unsettling in the relationships propelling the way the characters float around one another and love and hate and want what is bad for them. Lost innocence (in everyone) is portrayed perfectly here, what was once fun and exciting and innocent now feels wrong, impure and tarnished. Jean's ennui is heartbreaking, but there is no other way for it to come out. It's my second favorite Preminger, right after Laura.