This is a very strange movie in very strange ways. It tells an interesting story of an interesting character in a way that makes sense, has good drama, displays directorial prowess, employs creativity, and is overall reasonably enjoyable, but it is still very odd. It’s a silent film that’s based entirely on a record of dialogue, making it a very strange choice for the subject of a silent film (especially since sound cinema was pre-heating and could have easily been foreseen in 1928) as the text seems to get about as much screen-time as the people. It’s also bizarre because of the acting, which was hailed at its time, but today seems somewhat over-the-top. I’m not sure that I like either of these things, but I do like the movie overall. It’s not my favorite, but I am rather fond of movies that explore what terrible things can happen when religious authorities are given too much power, and it’s an interesting courtroom drama. When its contributions to cinema on a technical level are brought into account, it is easy to see why the film is considered a classic.
