How We Almost Lost This Masterpiece - The Story of The Passion of Joan of Arc

Carl Theodor Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc is often considered one of the greatest films of all time with the greatest performances of all time. Due to this status, it is shocking to learn that it was almost lost due to scandal, censorship, and pure bad luck. Here is the story of how it was made, how it was lost, and how it was rediscovered.
I do not claim ownership over any of the copyrighted content used in this video. All copyrighted content belongs to its appropriate owners. This video is made for educational and entertainment purposes.
Sources
- My Only Great Passion: The Life and Films of Carl Th. Dreyer, by Jean Drum, Scarecrow Press
- Criterion Audio Commentary
- www.film-foundation.org/colum...
- Version history from the Criterion Blu-Ray Extras
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Producer: Société générale des films
Starring: Renée Jeanne/Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, Antonin Artaud, André Berley, Maurice Schutz, Michel Simon.
Live performance clip
- • "Voices of Light" by R...
Mildred Pierce restoration
- • Restoration Spotlight:...
Music used in this video
- March, Tchaikovsky, by Ohad Ben Ari: artlist.io/song/12201/march-t...
- One Day in Iceland, by Michele Nobler: artlist.io/song/55010/one-day...
- Scorched Earth, by Maya Belsitzam: artlist.io/song/92478/scorche...
- Élan, by Ardie Son: artlist.io/song/54274/%C3%A9lan
- Eternal Recluse, by Kyle Preston: artlist.io/song/56148/eternal...
- There, by Laurel Violet: artlist.io/song/83274/there
- Folklore - Alternative Version, by Ardie Son: artlist.io/song/61348/folklore
- Prelude in C Minor, Op. 28, No. 20, by Birraj: artlist.io/song/96178/prelude...
Audio assets used
- Record player, vinyl static noise, by DB Studio: artlist.io/sfx/track/42185/re...

[@coppingtonfarnham7731]

I went into the cinder-block screen tower of a closed drive-in theater to take photos. There were multiple floors to the structure. One floor had piles/dozens of rusting film cans. I was disappointed to find the cans were all empty. So much for thinking I might have found a holy grail film copy...granted the theater only dated to 1955...

[@brettcoster4781]

Great video. As for which lost film I'd like to resurface, I'd really like The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) to be found intact. It was evidently the first feature-length film (about 60 mins) done about an Australian bush ranger. Currently only about 17 mins survive. If not the Kelly Gang, I'd like for the 4 Devils or maybe London After Midnight to be found, one by F W Murnau, the other with Lon Chaney.

[@rickaust5887]

Wonderful. Thank you for producing it.

[@griffinhamill761]

Great video. Is it a stand in who gets blood let? Look at Marie at 9:37 and she has a bandage on same arm, at the same spot. Interesting.

[@wychwoodmusic]

Thank you. Really striking point about the film suffering (almost) the same fate as Joan herself

[@ItsModernJack]

Keep making videos these are really amazing! I enjoy your channel a lot!

[@nikolanikolic1366]

Love this film, thank you for this video

[@houtanarefi3325]

I watched this movie first time around 15 years ago, It is wonderful, a real masterpiece of art.

[@JB-ou6fl]

I am happy to have a copy of the Criterion blu-ray for this masterpiece.

[@maxschreck4095]

Great video, seems like you deserve more viewers my friend. Though one thing I don´t get, does the movie show the judges as sympathetic to Joan or cartoonishly evil? Maybe both?

[@alsplaylist]

amazing video. your channel as a whole is so good

[@jethrovic007]

Love this

[@theguythatdoesthatthing]

ok so like we own this