The Passion of Joan of Arc

A classic silent film from 1928, by Carl Theodore Dreyer. Generally claimed to have one of the greatest filmed performances ever, given by Maria Falconetti. Her prior work was in light stage comedies and she returned to it after filming this, never making another film before her death in 1946.

Joan of Arc, a young woman who led the French troops against the English during the Hundred Years War, is captured and put on trial by her mortal enemies. They attempt to get her to back down from her claims of holy visions. She refuses, and is eventually burned at the stake for it.

Tropes used in The Passion of Joan of Arc include:

• Burn the Witch: It's a Joan of Arc movie, so. . .
• Corrupt Church: The Bishop of Beauvais.
• Downer Ending: Not only Joan dies, but the Rouen populace rebels and riots against the English for "killing a saint". And as this happens, Joan's corpse burns into ashes. . .
• Dutch Angle
• Face Death with Dignity: Joan does her best to pull this, despite her very tearful fear. She more or less manages to, likely because she suffocated to death rather than actually burn alive.
• Famous Last Words: Joan's "JESUS!!!"
• Jeanne D'Archetype: Nope: it's solely centered on poor Joan's downfall and death.
• The Late Middle Ages
• Lima Syndrome: Some of the English actually come to feel sorry for Joan. She's still burned, tho.
• Public Execution: Joan
• Shamed by a Mob: The crowds who attend Joan's execution are so sympathetic to her that they riot and harshly call out the English on what they're doing.
• Shown Their Work: The dialogue is all the actual court records of what Joan of Arc is known to have said at her trial.
• Traumatic Haircut: Joan's already short hair is cropped to stubble on-camera. It may count as a real-life example too, as Falconetti apparently begged Dreyer not to have to do it.
• You Can't Go Home Again: It's not stated in the dialogue — it's all in Joan's face when the priest asks her who taught her how to say her prayers, and she answers, "My mother."