Joan of Arc

It's still a relic from the golden age of Hollywood, but thanks to a stunning restoration by the renowned UCLA Film and Television Archive, 1948's Joan of Arc can now be appreciated in all its magnificent Technicolor glory, restored to its original theatrical length of 146 minutes after decades of truncated TV broadcasts. Under the direction of Victor Fleming (whose credits include Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz), this is a stodgily respectable mini-epic, adapted from Maxwell Anderson's acclaimed play Joan of Lorraine and giving then-33-year-old Ingrid Bergman one of her quirkiest star turns as the 19-year-old "Maid of Lorraine," who was divinely inspired and destined by fate to rescue her beloved France from British occupation before facing trial on charges of witchcraft. Winner of three Oscars (for cinematography, costumes, and an honorary award to producer Walter Wanger for boosting Hollywood's "moral stature") and featuring José Ferrer in his screen debut as the French Dauphin, the film suffers from an abundance of talky exposition and stage-bound incident, but the battle scenes are still rousing, with Bergman glowing beatifically in polished armor and surrounded by a seasoned cast of studio-era character players (although, somehow, Ward Bond just doesn't belong in medieval France!). If you get bored during the slow parts, you can always marvel at the pristine restoration--showcased here on this extra-less DVD--which is full of heavenly sunbeams, masterful matte paintings, and enough colorful detail to make most 1948-vintage films pale by comparison. A strong optional purchase. (J. Shannon) [Blu-ray/DVD Review—Apr. 3, 2018—Kino Lorber, 146 min., not rated, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1948’s Joan of Arc features a fine transfer with DTS-HD 2.0 audio, but no extras. Bottom line: this uneven Bergman vehicle sparkles on Blu-ray.]