MovieChat Forums > Pope Joan (1972) Discussion > This was so rediculous

This was so rediculous

posted 18 years ago by itsmrbigtoyou
2 replies | jump to latest

The ending in which: ''Joan was torn to pieces'' is so laughable and untrue, it cannot be taken seriously. When she is supposedly ''torn to pieces'', all we see is her falling on the ground, people all around her, and what can only be, toilet roll dipped in tea, left to dry, and thrown over the crowd, the camera pulls back, and giant yellow subtitles asy she was torn to pieces in Rome. The true story is: she pulled over to the side of the road and gave birth to a child, after this, Joan was sent to a convent in Rome to repent her sins and beg forgiveness, her baby, which was apparently a boy, grew up to be Bishop of Ostia. I'm guessing she never got an answer when she begged for forgiveness.

[–] KrustyGeezer 17 years ago

"The true story is: ...blah, blah, blah"

More ridiculous is the fact that you're getting on your high horse and criticizing a fictional account of an urban legend. i.e. a story about a story.
It is commonly accepted by historians and religious experts alike, that the story of Pope Joan is nothing more than that; a story - more than likely a satirical attack on the Catholic Church and the Papacy. In some of the later (14th century) recountings of this fable even change the name and refer to her as Pope Agnes. In 1601 the Catholic Church and Pope Clement VIII officialy decreed that the story was nothing more than a fable.
As to how she supposedly died, well you can take your pick. She was torn to pieces on the spot; tied to a horse and dragged to death, or possibly the scenario that you propose; all have been featured in different versions of this story. So, not laughable and untrue at all. More laughable and untrue is the fact that someone's getting all in a tizz about the film ending not being 'bloody' enough, and then coming on all authoritrian, recycling total drivel as historical fact.
There are sooo many other 'historical' films purporting to be fact to get your knickers in a twist over. You could start with 90% of American made Westerns or war films - or the majority of Biopics for that matter.

[–] moonshooter1 17 years ago

Well said. Thank you.