Almost 20 years ago, the Joan of Arc miniseries aired on television, and I remember being deeply absorbed in it due to my fascination with Joan’s history. Afterward, I even read the transcript of Joan’s trial to compare the accuracy of the miniseries.
In my opinion, no film has completely captured Joan of Arc’s true story. She’s either portrayed as mentally unstable or romanticized with historical inaccuracies. Despite its flaws and dated aspects, the 1999 miniseries remains my favorite. It wasn’t perfectly accurate, but it attempted to tell her story with emotion, authenticity, and humanity, while following the main events from the 15th century.
The miniseries has the advantage of time, allowing it to depict Joan’s journey from childhood to her tragic death. The story follows Joan, an illiterate peasant girl who hears voices from God and angels. She believes these messages are a divine mission to end the war in France and lead the country to victory, ultimately crowning Charles as the rightful King. Remarkably, without military training, she achieves this, becoming The Maid of Orléans, a future legend and saint.
But Joan’s success takes a dark turn when she is captured by the Burgundians and put on trial as a witch and heretic. History buffs know what happens next…
What sets this miniseries apart from other portrayals is that Joan isn’t depicted as schizophrenic or perfect. She’s shown as a human with a divine mission, making mistakes and learning from them. Her faith inspires those around her, especially her loyal friends and guards, including Jean de Metz. As a teenager, I loved watching Joan’s friendship with Jean develop. There’s a subtle hint of love between them that remains unspoken, even at her death. While this might not be historically accurate, it adds depth to their platonic relationship and brings Joan’s character to life for me.
The incredible performances by the cast also make the story compelling. With talents like Olympia Dukakis, Peter O’Toole, Powers Boothe, Robert Loggia, Jacqueline Bisset, Shirley MacLaine, and Maximilian Schell, along with exceptional supporting actors like Chad Willett as Jean de Metz and Neil Patrick Harris as King Charles VII, there’s much to appreciate. But it’s Leelee Sobieski who truly shines as Joan, bringing passion and authenticity to the role. Her portrayal feels genuine and even angelic at times. This miniseries serves as a testament to Joan of Arc’s history, leaving viewers with a renewed interest in her story.
The special effects do feel outdated, which might turn some people off, and the battle scenes are arguably the weakest parts, appearing somewhat cheesy. However, for those who enjoy the TV miniseries style of the 1990s and prefer less gore, this might not be a big issue. I also wish the miniseries had included more of Joan’s actual trial words. Nonetheless, Joan of Arc remains a captivating TV miniseries for anyone interested in history and the remarkable figure of Jeanne d’Arc.
While not officially rated, I would suggest that Joan of Arc feels like a TV-14 for its violent content. You can purchase the 1999 Joan of Arc miniseries on DVD.
Do you have a favorite film about Joan of Arc? Share your thoughts below…
