The setting then changes to France where the story of Joan of Arc is told, of her leading the French troops to victory and her subsequent burning at the stake.

[5] The original plan for Joan the Woman was for it to be the first of two shorter, unrelated films starring Farrar and directed by DeMille.

This process is especially noticeable in the scene of Joan burning at the stake, the use of red and yellow gave this a heightened dramatic effect.

In his review of the film, Leonard Maltin said this was "DeMille's first historical epic is nicely mounted, spotlighting the heroism and sacrifice of Joan of Arc (a miscast Farrar) as she evolves from peasant girl to saint-like figure and becomes involved with Englishman Reid.

Fashioned as an accolade to France, with the story bookended by sequences set during WW1 involving a soldier who is inspired by Joan's bravery.

At that time there was an active criminal practice in making master negatives of American films for shipment to other countries for the production of new prints,[10] an early example of motion picture piracy.