Joan of the Angels?
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Lucyna Winnicka
Mieczyslaw Voit
Anna Ciepielewska
Maria Chwalibóg
Kazimierz Fabisiak
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Joan of the Angels, the Mother Superior of a convent of Ursuline nuns in 17th-century Poland, is reportedly possessed by demons. The parish priest has already been burned at the stake for fathering her two children, four other priests have tried in vain to exorcise the evil spirits, and the other convent nuns (except Sister Margaret) have followed their superior's example by allowing minor demons to enter into their own bodies and souls. Now it is up to Father Jozef Suryn, a devout and humble priest, to restore Mother Joan to her former saintliness. He too fails, despite prayers, self-flagellation, and all known methods of exorcism. Frightened, he goes for advice to an elderly rabbi, who warns him that what he is combating in the convent may be only human nature. Gradually Father Suryn realizes that Mother Joan's physical needs are becoming his own, and he finds himself more and more emotionally drawn to the tormented woman. Late one night, in a desperate attempt to save her, he slays two innocent stable grooms, thereby offering his own soul to the demons that possess Mother Joan. Later he meets Sister Margaret, who has spent the night with, and then been abandoned by, a lustful nobleman. Father Suryn orders the sobbing young woman to return to the convent and tell Mother Joan of the sacrifice he has made on her behalf.
Director
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Cast
Lucyna Winnicka
Mieczyslaw Voit
Anna Ciepielewska
Maria Chwalibóg
Kazimierz Fabisiak
Stanislaw Jasiukiewicz
Zygmunt Zintel
Franciszek Pieczka
Jerzy Kaczmarek
Jaroslaw Kuszewski
Lech Wojciechowski
Marian Nosek
Jerzy Walden
Marian Nowak
Zygmunt Malawski
Stanislaw Szymczyk
Crew
Józef Bartczak
Tadeusz Borowczyk
Ludwik Hager
Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Jozef Kensikowski
Tadeusz Konwicki
Roman Mann
Zygmunt Nowak
Urszula Orczykowska
Wieslawa Otocka
Felicja Ragowska
Maria Starzenska
Adam Walacinski
Jerzy Wójcik
Marian Zietkiewicz
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Released in Poland in 1961 as Matka Joanna od Aniolów; original running time: 125 min and 105 min. Also known as: Mother Joan of the Angels?
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1962
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.
Released in United States 1962
Released in United States November 1972
Released in United States July 2000
Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival July 5-15, 2000.
Based on actual events at Loudon, Poland.
Released in United States July 2000 (Shown at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival July 5-15, 2000.)
Released in United States November 1972 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (Special Programs) November 9-19, 1972.)
