Victor Fleming’s 1948 Technicolor Joan of Arc is an interesting film.
Produced with a very large budget, and with three superb cinematographers at the helm, it’s a gorgeous film to look at.
As a production, it’s big on process and small on heart, as (at least for me) Miss Bergman’s performance never takes you where one should be taken.
Again, from a personal perspective, I’d add it to library based upon cinematography alone.
Winton Hoch (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, The Searchers), William Skall (Northwest Passage, Reap the Wild Wind, Kim), and Joseph Valentine (The Wolf Man, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope) have over one hundred years experience combined.
If there is a problem with the presentation of the cinematography, it comes down to budgets and analogue tools, as portions, shots of the film are heavily out of registration. While correctable in the digital world, not so much when one is working on a strict budget, and has only analogue tools. The film might also have had a few more hour of digital clean-up.
Where the image is cohesive, especially in close-ups, the color can be magnificent.
That point made, sit back far enough, and you’ll not notice a thing.
Jose Ferrer’s first appearance on film.
Look for Rand Brooks, John Ireland, Henry Brandon, Hurd Hatfield, Alan Napier, William Conrad, George Zucco, George Coulouris, Ray Teal, all in smaller roles.
Based upon the play by Maxwell Anderson.
Image – 3.5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – Yes
Recommended (caveats noted)
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
Post Disclaimer
Some of our content may contain marketing links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links. In our editorial content, these affiliate links appear automatically, and our editorial teams are not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. We work with several providers (currently Skimlinks and Amazon) to manage our affiliate relationships. You can find out more about their services by visiting their sites.
Similar threads
- Robert Harris
- Blu-ray and UHD
2- Robert Harris
- Blu-ray and UHD
2- Robert Harris
- Blu-ray and UHD
2