Pope Joan (1972)
August 16, 1972Release Date
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Liv Ullmann
Pope Joan
Olivia de Havilland
Mother Superior
Jeremy Kemp
Joan's Father
Franco Nero
Louis
Maximilian Schell
Adrian
Lesley-Anne Down
Cecilia
Trevor Howard
Pope Leo
Keir Dullea
Dr. Stevens
Natasa Nicolescu
Joan's Mother
Sharon Winter
Joan as a Child
Margareta Pogonat
Village Woman
Richard Bebb
Lord of Manor
Peter Arne
Richard
Patrick Magee
Elder Monk
George Innes
Monk
Nigel Havers
Young Monk
Susan Macready
Sister Nunciata
Shelagh Wilcocks
Sister Louise
André Morell
Emperor Louis
Martin Benson
Lothair
Lorain Bertorelli
A nun
Mary Healey
A nun
Kurt Christian
Prince Charles
Phillip Ross
Peasant
Duncan Lamont
First Wounded Soldier
Ion Grafini
Second Wounded Soldier
Robert Beatty
Dr. Corwin
Manning Wilson
Bishop
Katherine Schofield
Alma
Carl Bernard
Monk
John Abineri
Church Official
John Shrapnel
Father James
Richard Pearson
Friar Timothy
Terrence Hardiman
Cardinal Anastasius
Jack Byron
Cardinal Jerome
Derek Farr
Count Brisini
Neil Kennedy
Emissary
John Briley
Screenplay / Producer
Michael Anderson
Director
Kurt Unger
Producer
Daniel Unger
Producer
Maude Spector
Casting
Maurice Jarre
Original Music Composer
Bill Lenny
Editor
Leonard C. Lane
Executive Producer
Billy Williams
Director of Photography
Aureliu Ionescu
Production Design
Norman Dorme
Art Direction
Media.
Details.
Release DateAugust 16, 1972
StatusReleased
Running Time1h 50m
Content RatingPG
Genres
Last updated:
This Movie Is About.
Wiki.
Pope Joan is a 1972 British historical drama film based on the story of Pope Joan. Even though modern consensus generally considers Pope Joan to be legendary, in the film her existence is treated as fact.
It was directed by Michael Anderson and has a cast which includes Liv Ullmann (in the lead role), Olivia de Havilland, Lesley-Anne Down, Franco Nero and Maximilian Schell. The soundtrack was composed by Maurice Jarre with additional choral music provided by The Sistine Chapel Choir, directed by Domenico Bartolucci.
The film was released on DVD in 2003 on Region 1 format disc. It was also re-titled in some areas as The Devil's Imposter, with much material cut.
The version of the film released in 1972 differed significantly from the version that had originally been filmed. Anderson's original was made with flashbacks and flash-forward sequences about a modern-day Evangelical preacher who believes her life parallels that of Pope Joan. In this version psychiatrists try to send her back through her past lives to establish if she is the reincarnation of Pope Joan. However, the distributor decided to have all of the contemporary sequences removed and released the film as a straightforward historical drama. In 2009, the film was re-edited and the previously unreleased footage set in the 20th century was re-inserted. However, it also cut some of the footage of Joan being pope. It was re-released under the title She… Who Would Be Pope.