Pope Joan (1972 film)
A 1972 film treating the Pope Joan legend as fact.
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Pope Joan is a 1972 British historical drama film that treats the legendary story of a female pope as factual. Directed by Michael Anderson, it stars Liv Ullmann in the title role alongside Olivia de Havilland, Lesley-Anne Down, Franco Nero, and Maximilian Schell. The film underwent significant re-editing after its initial release, with a version restoring contemporary sequences later issued under the title She… Who Would Be Pope.
Background
The legend of Pope Joan, as summarized by Roger Greenspun, describes a woman born near Mainz, educated in Athens, who went to Rome disguised as a monk. Her pontificate ended when her sex was discovered and she was murdered outside the Lateran Palace. Though church historians have long discounted the story, it has inspired several fictional accounts.
Reception
Roger Greenspun of The New York Times noted that Joan's vocation is to serve God but her temptation is to satisfy men, who appear regularly at the convent where she spends her adolescent girlhood. He described the convent as outrageous despite Olivia de Havilland's efforts as Mother Superior, and remarked that Liv Ullmann's grave appeal survives even though the film makes her look like George Peppard's twin brother. Time Out magazine called the film a rough and clumsy costume epic with chauvinistic presumptions, but praised Ullmann's remarkable performance, suggesting the subject could have been a gem had a woman directed it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Pope Joan (1972 film) released?
Pope Joan was released on 16 August 1972.
Who composed the music for Pope Joan (1972 film)?
The music for Pope Joan was composed by Maurice Jarre.
Who wrote Pope Joan (1972 film)?
Pope Joan was written by John Briley.
Who distributed Pope Joan (1972 film)?
Pope Joan was distributed by Columbia-Warner Distributors (UK) Columbia Pictures (US).
Ranked in
More in Films Based on European Myths and Legends
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Pope Joan (1972 film) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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