Unbelievable. That final scene, my god.

An extremely emotional movie made in a movie language and context much too unbeknownst to me. I cannot even begin to comprehend the skill in this movie, considered one of the 10 best movies ever made by a wide variety of critics. I might very well enjoy and praise the movie a whole lot more when I eventually become more experienced in this, practically, outdated genre, but right now I am simply too young and much too inexperienced. Still, I give it a fine grade; I know it was good, just not why.

I'll give it another chance if I can find a version with the "Voices of Light" soundtrack, but as it stands now, I think it's just a film with a notable performance, not a masterpiece.

It's moving, yes. The most striking thing about it is how Dreyer makes it so. The asymmetrical minimalism, the figures hovering at the edges of the frame, the impossible close-ups, the world dissolving in the smoke...it's one thing to capture the immaterial in silence, it's an entirely different feat to do so visually.

She sure can ... stare wide-eyed. If you have an untreatable fetish for that sort of thing, then you're gonna fall in love with this movie. I wasn't so stricken by this film, but it gets such a high rating for the fantastic score (err, not that I can recall which one I listened to).

Compelling and visually stunning. See it completely silent.

Perhaps Dreyer didn't intend it that way, but this film is ten times better with the music!

20

The performance by Renee Falconetti is what gives the film it's heart. She's absolutely captivating.

Proof that Dreyer was a genius.

What a beautiful film. Falconetti gives a brilliant performance, while Dreyer builds momentum throughout the film with inventive shots and editing. There isn't a false note here. It belongs at the pinnacle not just of silent film, but of the entire history of the cinematic medium.

One of the great performances--the face as a canvas for the soul.

Intimate documentary style drama. No bullshit indulgence with establishing shots that jack off all over sets and scope. Feels like it's actually filmed in 1431, but has no agenda to convince you of this. Everything is perfect, but it's mostly pushed aside, making way for, you know, the passion.

As Norma Desmond once said about silent movies, "We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!" Here's the ultimate proof. Falconetti's performance is so magnificent, the close-ups so relentless and involving, that you will be convinced this is a 15th Century documentary. This is a profound film about faith and cruelty.

Timeless masterpiece. And let's face it, how many films can you truly say that about? A couple of years ago it came with a specially made opera score. That's the one you want. It's unbelievable. Dreyer would have frowned.

Sucks that they focused on the most uninteresting parts of Joan's life, but whatever. Feels like a movie Scorsese would've made had he been making films in 1928. Didn't hit me on an emotional level like so many others but I can recognize this is a good film - just not one I'm gonna be revisiting any time soon.

I've never seen a silent with this type of camera work and shot composition. Technically amazing. The music by Voices of Light was perfectly-suited. And the acting was phenomenal. My only complaint is that I got a bit tired of seeing the same closeup face shots over and over, especially of Joan, and especially in the first half. I could have done with about half of them. Despite that small nitpick, this is a pretty amazing movie.

What Falconetti gives in this masterpiece is INCREDIBLE. I can't think of anything better...

Single handedly one of the greatest films of all time! I have been completely blown away from this masterpiece. The Passion of Joan of Arc will literally have mental sex with you and give you some of the most epic moviegasms you will ever have. Do not be steered away by the year it was made or if the plot line doesnt seem like something you will like. WATCH THIS and have your life changed.

Such an amazing performance from Falconetti. The two best eyes I've ever seen in cinema, maybe. The use of close-ups was a masterstroke.

For god's sake this could be restored in a version close to Dreyer's original. His shots on Falconetti's face are very impressive and so is her acting. Falconetti's facial expressions are just extraordinary. Together with Richard Einhorn's score, Passion is brutally captivating. 09-03-2010

You cant base an entire Full Length movie on a single facial expression.