Jeanne d’Arc (1900)

France 10m, Hand Coloured, Silent
Director: Georges Méliès; Cast: Jeanne Calvière, Georges Méliès, Jeanne d’Alcy

The earliest film adaptation of the story of Joan of Arc is Georges Méliès’ photo play which utilizes theatrical sets and static camera work. Though quite rudimentary in style and production, this was the longest film that he had shot to date and included changes of scene, only previously introduced in his five-minute adaptation of Cinderella (1899). Produced as a visual spectacle, early films like Jeanne d’Arc helped set the stage for more ambitious productions which promoted film beyond simple novelty (Klaus Ming March 2016).