jeanne
La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)
Starring Maria Falconetti, seen at left.
Dir. Carl Dreyer
An essay in the winter '07 issue of Blue Fifth Review
Why Poets Need Carl Th. Dreyer: La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc and
Seamus Heaney’s “From the Frontier of Writing”
A paradox. A poet must resist the vilifigura, but could anyone write without it? Jeanne’s shining triumph over the dark angels would not happen if she had not momentarily yielded to their seduction. Heaney could never win out over subjugation if he were not subjugated, never be freed unless first arraigned....
2 comments:
I think Falconetti's performance is one of the three or four best performances ever filmed. Astounding in its power.
A number of people have e-mailed BFR, letting me know they enjoyed the essay, James. It's a fine piece.
Thanks, Sam. It is a real pleasure to be a part of this issue, especially considering the other writers who are included. BFR gets better and better.
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