The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
”A peasant girl leads France in turmoil with divine guidance, facing doubt and death.”
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Why watch this film?
Joan of Arc is a film that seeks to tell the story behind this complex title character—or at least a part of it. Directed by French filmmaker Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), the movie begins in the 1420s when the war between France and England seemed settled in England's favor. But the death of King Henry V reignites the conflict. It is in this moment of crisis that the legendary Joan of Arc emerges, a teenage girl who claims to be guided by divine visions, portrayed here by Milla Jovovich, best known for her role in the Resident Evil film franchise.
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Plot summary
The year is 1429. France is in political and religious turmoil as members of the royal family battle for rule. But one peasant girl from a remote village gave her country the miracle it was looking for. Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, Dazed and Confused) is Joan of Arc, a young woman who would inspire and lead her countrymen until her execution at the age of nineteen. Raised in a religious family, Joan witnessed her sister's rape and death at the hands of an invading army. Years later, as the same war raged on, Joan stood before her king with a message she claimed came from God: give her an army, and in God's name she would reclaim his diminished kingdom. But was the message real, or the delusion of a girl whose life had been shattered? This startling epic drama by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) explores the life of Joan of Arc, her amazing victories, relationship with God, and tragic death. Co-starring John Malkovich and Academy Award® winners Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway, "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" is a modern take on a medieval saint who enthralls people even today.
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