Drama · History
The Life of Emile Zola
Avg rating 7.7 / My rating TBC
1937 · Directed by William Dieterle · With Paul Muni, Gale Sondergaard, Joseph Schildkraut
- Classical Hollywood
Film info
- Runtime
- 1h 56m · 116 min
- IMDb
- 7.1 / 10 (9,894 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 92% (critics)
- TMDB
- 6.7 / 10 (audience, 161 votes)
- Trailer
- ▶ Watch the trailer
Full cast and crew
- William DieterleDirector
- Paul MuniActoras Emile Zola
- Gale SondergaardActoras Lucie Dreyfus
- Joseph SchildkrautActoras Capt. Alfred Dreyfus
- Gloria HoldenActoras Alexandrine Zola
- Donald CrispActoras Maitre Labori
- Erin O'Brien-MooreActoras Nana
- John LitelActoras Charpentier
- Henry O'NeillActoras Colonel Picquart
- Max SteinerComposer
About this film
A fictionalized account of famous French writer Émile Zola and his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair. After struggling to establish himself, Zola wins success documenting the unsavory side of Paris and settles into a comfortable upper-class life. However, his complacency is shaken when Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus is imprisoned for espionage. Realizing that Dreyfus is an innocent victim of anti-Semitism, Zola boldly pens an exposé, only to be charged with libel and now he must defend himself in a dramatic courtroom testimony.
Synopsis from TMDB.
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