The Trial of Joan of Arc

When one thinks of the directoral style of Robert Bresson, terms such as, minimalist or transcendental immediately come to mind. This, however, is minimalist even by Bresson standards. Here, like Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc, Bresson sticks almost exclusively with the facts, having his models (actors) speak the words from the actual court transcripts with no inflection. The trial scenes primarily consist of two shots: a medium shot of Joan answering the questions, and a medium shot of the inquistor asking the questions (and perhaps an occasional cutaway to one of the onlookers). The Joan from Dreyer's film is a nineteen year old girl who feels like a fish out of water -- never able to comprehend why those who claim to speak for God, refuse to believe that she had been sent by God. However, the Joan of Bresson's film is much more bold, direct, and self-assured. She has absolute confidence that she will be delivered by God. Her answers are direct, honest, and intelligent for a girl who was never formally educated. However, as fine a film as this is, I am finding it difficult to discover what this says about Joan or spiritual enlightenment that wasn't already said in Dreyer's film (which remains the superior telling).