Modern Joan of Arc story set for TV 11

Mark Pattison/CNS She wants to place "Joan of Arcadia" in WASHINGTON—It's one thing to the context of a father- see history brought to life. It's quite daughter story — another to see history brought into Joan's dad (Joe Man­ (Jason Ritter), now confined to a the present. tegna) is the new po­ wheelchair after an auto accident; a But that's what America's televi­ lice chief in Arcadia computer-geek kid brother, Luke ^T sion viewers will get come autumn — and also depict (Michael Welch); and being a new with "Joan of Arcadia," as the Joan "how much trouble kid in school. That, and God speaks of Arc story is brought into contem­ God would have in to her every day. porary times. talking to a 14-year- Not that Joan welcomes it or ex­ The drama, which will debut on old (St. Joan of Arc's pects it. "I was baptized Catholic," CBS this fall 8-9 p.m. Eastern time age at the time of her she explains in the opening episode on Fridays, features Amber Tam- first visions) now." to a young-looking form of the Deity, blyn as 16-year-old Joan Girardi, The teen would "have dubbed "Jukeboy God" by the writ­ who's moved to the fictional U.S. city to take the iPod off," ers. But her family doesn't attend of Arcadia with her parents and two she added, referring church. "My father has issues" with brothers. God selects Joan as the one to the device that the church," she tells the J^lond he wants to speak to — except that plays digitally down­ Almighty. God isn't always a he; in the initial loaded music. Might "Joan of Arcadia" be a nod episode God takes the shape of the Even though Joan's to CBS viewers who had tuned in to high school cafeteria lady. dad is the police chief, "Touched by an Angel" for nine sea­ Series creator and executive pro­ and Erik Palladino, sons? Despite its longevity, "I'm not ducer Barbara Hall, who worked the late of "ER," is a police -really familiar with that show," H^| last three years on the series "Judg­ detective — and the said, though she knows that ing Amy," said she and the writers initial episode deals "Touched" didn't have a teen pro­ talk "all the time" when preparing CBS/CNS with a series of mur­ tagonist like "Joan" does. But she scripts about God and how God man­ The stars of the new CBS show "Joan of Arcadia" ders of young women was happy to welcome viewers of all ifests himself. are pictured in a publicity shot. From left are Joe close to Joan's age — stripes to at least sample the new se­ "Every writer's (job) interview Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Ritter, Amber the series is not going ries. was an hour, and these things usual­ Tamblyn and Michael Welch. to be a crime-of-the- Hall said CBS has given "amaz­ ly take 20 minutes," Hall told week story, especially ingly few" suggestions to the show's Catholic News Service in a tele­ and would not possess." with God involved. "That's the last creators about God and how to treat phone interview from Hollywood, Hall was raised a Methodist — she thing we want to do," Hall told CNS. God dramatically and express God where they were working on the set. has a brother who is a Methodist Instead, she'll have to deal with visually. "We talk about rules of what God minister — yet "I've always been the typical travails of teenhood, en­ "We're certain to offend some­ can do in this particular universe — fascinated by Joan of Arc since hanced for TV: the unsettled mar­ one's image of God," she noted, but not the real universe," Hall said. "Is childhood" after reading a book on riage of her parents (with Mary "we are not putting limitations on Steenburgen as her mother, Helen); he angry? Is he patient? We're talk­ the teen-age French heroine, she God. We're having God exposing hu­ her sports-star older brother, Kevin ing about what qualities God would said. man limitations." 'Pancho Villa' film leaves much to be desired

Gerri Pare/CNS nephew, Frank Thayer (Eion Bailey), against him. fact is initially quite interesting but south of the border to seal the deal But this timeout Thayer sees Vil­ the film-within-a-film structure soon NEW YORK — How a fiery Mexi­ and film Villa's soldiers in action. la's darker side, as he orders ajn in­ rambles and takes on a disheveled can rebel leader found a creative so­ Upon arriving, crew in tow, Thay­ nocent Englishman shot and impul­ look. Adding nothing to the overall j, lution to finance his revolution is er is snatched, blindfolded and ush­ sively kills a widow for screaming mix is gratuitous cursing and Thay­ dramatized in the blustery "And ered before Villa, who is angry that after her husband's arbitrary exe­ er's affair with an ambitious actress Starring Pancho Villa as Himself," Griffith himself did not come. How­ cution. Thayer records the intense (Alexa Davalos), as well as brief bed­ airing Sunday, Sept. 7, 9:30-11:30 ever, the gleaming gold calms him battle of Torreon and departs disen­ room shots of Villa with prostitutes. p.m. EDT on the HBO cable channel. and soon Thayer is filming the larg­ chanted, having thrown Villa's Bailey fares better in conveying In 1914, Fort Lee, N.J. — not Hol­ er-than-life figure in the smoky medal back at him. Mutual Films, Thayer's transformation from ador­ lywood — was the movie capital of midst of cannon fire. Thayer is however, lionizes its subject in the ing to appalled by Villa, whose ideal­ the world. Director D.W. Griffith awestruck by the thunderous Villa, editing room, leaving Thayer cyni­ istic rhetoric never squnds convinc­ (Colm Feore) was immersed in film­ who . gives Thayer his personal cal about the power of film to ma­ ing. Alan Arkin, as an American ing "Birth of a Nation" when he re­ medal of Our Lady of Guadalupe. nipulate the truth. mercenary and translator for Thay­ ceived a unique movie offer from The finished one-reeler, however, Despite credible production val­ er, seems unenthused by his role, none other than revolutionary Fran­ shot without proper lighting and in ues, including on-location shooting turning in a mediocre performance cisco "Pancho" Villa (Antonio Ban- evening skirmishes, is nearly un- and handsome period detail, direc­ at best. Beresford doesn't get beyond deras). watchable, so Thayer convinces his tor Bruce Beresford's biographical routine battlefield scenes and one is For gold and 20 percent of the uncle that they need to make Villa's drama is a hollow affair. Banderas left with only a marginally better un­ profits, Griffith's Mutual Films life into a full-length movie, captur­ plays Villa as a bit of a vain buffoon, derstanding of the history and poli­ could record the first live battlefield ing what makes Villa tick and dou­ never letting us get inside -the man, tics behind Villa's revolution. action movie of his rebel army's bling the admission to a dime. Bad perhaps because Larry Gelbart's struggle against Mexican govern­ press from the Hearst publications script keeps characterizations at .a Pare is director of the Office for | ment soldiers. Intrigued, Griffith's convinces Villa to cooperate lest the superficial level. Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Con I partner (Jim Broadbent) sent his U.S. government actively turns The story's little-known basis in ference of Catholic Bishops.