The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

★ 6.7 1h 56m IMDb

A fictionalized account of famous French writer Emile Zola and his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair. After struggling to establish himself, Zola wins success writing about the unsavory side of Paris and settles into a comfortable upper-class life. However, Zola's complacency is shaken when Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus is imprisoned for being a spy. Realizing that Dreyfus is an innocent victim of anti-Semitism, Zola boldly pens a newspaper article exposing the truth, is charged with libel and must defend himself in a dramatic courtroom testimony.

The Life of Emile Zola

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Cast

Paul Muni
Paul Muni as Emile Zola Died 1967 · Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary [now Lviv, Ukraine] From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Paul Muni (born Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund, September 22, 1895 – August 25, 1967) was an Austro-Hungarian-born American stage and film actor. During the 1930s,...
Gale Sondergaard
Gale Sondergaard as Lucie Dreyfus Died 1985 · Litchfield, Minnesota, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Gale Sondergaard (February 15, 1899 – August 14, 1985) was an American actress. Sondergaard began her acting career in theatre, and progressed to films in 1936...
Joseph Schildkraut
Joseph Schildkraut as Capt. Alfred Dreyfus Died 1964 · Vienna, Austria Joseph Schildkraut was an Austrian born stage, screen, and television actor..
Gloria Holden
Gloria Holden as Alexandrine Zola Died 1991 · London, England, UK From Wikipedia Gloria Anna Holden (September 5, 1903 – March 22, 1991) was an English-born American film actress, best known for her 1936 role as Dracula's Daughter in the film of the same title..
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp as Maitre Labori Died 1974 · Bow, London, England, UK Donald Crisp was born George William Crisp at the family home in Bow, London. Donald's parents were James Crisp and Elizabeth Crisp, his birth was registered by his mother on 4th September 1882. Don...
Erin O'Brien-Moore
Erin O'Brien-Moore as Nana Died 1979 · Los Angeles, California From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Erin O'Brien-Moore (born May 2, 1902, Los Angeles, California - died May 3, 1979, Los Angeles, California) was an American actress. Moore's acting career began...

Audience Reviews

CinemaSerf 7/10 May 13, 2024
Emile Zola liked nothing better than an opportunity to cause a bit of scandal and over the years that made him a wealthy man, but earned him the enmity of pretty much all of the Establishment. France was still finding it's political feet with the second empire giving way to the third republic, the Germans were across the border heavily armed and the French military under considerable pressure to keep their country safe. It was this last point that led to the infamous "Dreyfus" affair. The High Command essentially framing a young officer (Joseph Schildkraut) for treason and banishing him to the aptly named Devil's Island. There's some disquiet about this process in Paris and Zola (Paul Muni) decides that only he has the profile (and the wit) to make some accusations that will see him in court defending a libel action whilst giving him a well publicised platform to criticise the army's behaviour. The busy courtroom drama that ensues serves well to illustrate the difficulties in fighting for the truth when the state and the generals have no interest in perpetuating this story. It's also at this stage that the film is at its most entertainingly combative. Donald Crisp is quite effective as his defence solicitor and the assemblage of familiar faces on the unformed side - notably Louis Calhern, show us just how devious and malevolent these people can be when they are turned upon. It's a bit verbose at times, but then it is about a writer, and the ending is all a bit rushed. It's not really a story about the life of this acclaimed author, it's more a critique on the trial and on the state of France justice. I could have done with a little more about what made him tick but William Dieterle chose the more dramatic and straightforward path. That's a pity, but Muni and the sparingly used Schildkraut both deliver well.

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