According to a legend of the ninth century, a nun called Joan disguised herself as a monk to escape the ravishing attentions of the Saxon marauders. She hung on to her mannish habits, was elected Pope and presided over her flock with compassion and intelligence.
Her deception was discovered when walking in the streets of Rome, she gave birth to a baby. The angry crowd tore Joan limb from limb.
In Pope Joan, producer Kurt Unger and director Michael Anderson took obvious care not to offend the Vatican by a sensational treatment of the tall tale of lust and Church intrigue.
Liv Ullmann is splendid and dignified as Joan, but far more believable are Maximilian Schell as her jolly monk boyfriend; Franco Nero as a crafty emperor detecting the girl-Pope’s sex, and Trevor Howard as the very ripe and muscular pope who Joan succeeds.
The film was made at Bray Studios in the UK.
Pope Joan
Liv Ullmann
Joan’s Father
Jeremy Kemp
Joan’s Mother
Natasa Nicolescu
Joan as a child
Sharon Winter
Lord of Manor
Richard Bebb
Richard
Peter Arne
Elder monk
Patrick Magee
Young monk
Nigel Havers
Cecilia
Lesley-Anne Down
Sister Nunciata
Susan Macready
Sister Louise
Shelagh Wilcocks
Mother Superior
Olivia de Havilland
Emperor Louis
André Morell
Lothair
Martin Benson
Louis
Franco Nero
Prince Charles
Kurt Christian
Father Adrian
Maximilian Schell
Dr Corwin
Robert Beatty
Alma
Katherine Schofield
Pope Leo IV
Trevor Howard
Father James
John Shrapnel
Friar Timothy
Richard Pearson
Cardinal Anastasius
Terrence Hardiman
Cardinal Jerome
John Byron
Count Brisini
Derek Farr
Dr Stevens
Keir Dullea
Director
Michael Anderson