La Papesse Jeanne

I realise many criticise this movie for being 'based on fiction' but hey. It's a move and very good entertainment at that. I loved all the actors EXCEPT John Goodman who was cringeworthy as Pope Sergius. In particular, Johanna Wokalek is a revelation, I love her simplicity and pure spirt, at least that's how her "Joan" came across to me. The mediæval setting is well done, though lacks the glorious costumes of high budget productions. There is criticism that the crowd scenes are a little uncrowded, I didn't notice this at all. David Wenham's a gorgeous actor with an amazing voice I love his rendition of the almost gormless Gerold, so ruggedly handsome. I also like the all to short role Iain Glen was given as the Village Priest, what wonderful acting. Much praise also to the very sweet Tigerlilly Hutchinson (Tigerlilly??), she plays the young Joan with aplomb. Not the best historical drama I've seen but an excellent one, only thing missing was the fragrance of mediæval europe.

This movie is about the indomitable spirit of many of our species regardless of race or sex. It's not about liberal or conservative, it's about right or wrong. Not about girl or boy, but about the abilities of each of us to advance the human cause on this earth. It's not about Buddist, Jew or Christian but about aleivating all the suffering we can. Consider that for one month of the cost of the war in the middle east, every human could have access to clean drinking water. Who knows where the next Einstein or TuTu will come from, surely the potential exists and needs a chance to show itself without the intolerance of prejudice for one of a different color, sex or the distance from your home they come. We have a duty to expand our knowledge and expose all to the light of reason and in that we have no fear. This movie is a gift to parents and adults that want to find the ways to help all. Ignorance is not bliss, the scene about the mustard seed is worth the price of this great movie. Allegory is when your teacher thanks you. Thank you mother.

Wokalek and Flack are superb and a joy. John Goodman is like your pastor or priest and as amiable as I imagine JohnPaul II. Petherbridge as Aesculapius is exactly my image of Hesse's Magister Ludi and Wenham, a developing Chomsky, could of evolved into a Smedly Butler! For those in power this could be a great mini-series for all involved, IMHO. Villains don't get a mention, sry Iain and AT. m.

Although critics in my native Greece were very circumspect when valuing this movie I disagree with them. Many found that it lacked grandiose crowds in the battle and acclamation of the Pope scenes, but I think that in reality medieval battles and the assembly of Roman plebeians acclaiming the Pope must not have been particularly grandiose events and that added a quality of realism to the movie.

Also the structure of the story, the equivalent of what Germans call Bildungsroman-that is the process of the development of character through life, was presented in a very able manner, showing the evolution of Joan, a simple but charismatic country girl, to supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

The love story subplot was also good adding romance to a tale that would have been dull otherwise and proving that even scholarly girls are not immune to the pleasures of the flesh.

I have to comment on the acting of Ms Wokalek, which I found admirable in the way that it portrayed the subdued power of the character of Joan under a facade of neutral manners and also the surprise role of John Goodman who played a larger than life exuberant and kindly Pope.

The evocation of the age was also excellent avoiding excesses, and presenting the mendacity of peasant life in the villages as well as the relative luxury of the ruling classes.

Of course the main point of the story concerned the barriers that gender and class posed to a talented poor woman during that dark age. I think the story has similarities with that of Joan of Ark. The final surprise, which I will not disclose, must have been a novelistic devise relative to modern concerns about the Church invented by the author of the novel on which the movie was based and not an integral part of the Pope Joan legend as preserved through the ages.

All in all a very able movie which I greatly enjoyed. It is a pity that the response of the Greek critics was at best lukewarm.

The story is old. The details are spices of dusty legend. The tragedy of a Roman Church "accident" is chapter of many conspiracy books. But, behind that things, "Pope Joan" is a beautiful film. And this fact is important.For costumes and atmosphere, for extraordinary John Goodman and for the art of details, for the basic fact than the IX-th century is another XXI century, for the perfume of serenity and the force of a myth to be stronger than reality. For the feeling than Joan exist without any testimony. For the spring air and grass smell. For the art to destroy clichés. For remember of essential values of human circle and the end as fly of ash bird. For the warm impression . Historic movie, it is in fact a parable. Like many who sleeps in our memories.

the subject is far to be new. but it remains source of the same controversies. and the film has the rare gift to create a coherent, seductive image for a theory who remains obscure. the film has all the ingredients of genre. and it gives an interesting portrait of a woman who, against the social rules, step by step, sacrifice by sacrifice, becomes one of the most important figures of Catholic Church. the important thing is not the story itself. but the manner to use its nuances. because it has the romanticism and the tension, the fight scenes and the chain of dark secrets who define many other films. its specificity remains the beautiful performance of Johanna Wokalek who discovers the right rhythm for define in clear , delicate, precise manner her character. her admirable work is the axis of the inspired recreation of the atmosphere. and basic ingredient about a image of success and its price.