Fictionalized account of the life of famed French author Emile Zola. As portrayed in the film, he was a penniless writer sharing an apartment in Paris with painter Paul Cezanne when he finally wrote a best-seller, Nana. He has always had difficulty holding onto a job as he is quite outspoken, being warned on several occasions by the public prosecutor that he risks charges if he does not temper his writings. The bulk of the film deals with his involvement in the case of Captai... (Full plot summary below)
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Fictionalized account of the life of famed French author Emile Zola. As portrayed in the film, he was a penniless writer sharing an apartment in Paris with painter Paul Cezanne when he finally wrote a best-seller, Nana. He has always had difficulty holding onto a job as he is quite outspoken, being warned on several occasions by the public prosecutor that he risks charges if he does not temper his writings. The bulk of the film deals with his involvement in the case of Captain Alfred Dreyfus who was falsely convicted of giving secret military information to the Germans and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devils Island. Antisemitism played an important role in the real-life case but is hardly mentioned in the film. Even after the military found definitive evidence that Dreyfus was innocent, the army decided to cover it up rather than face the scandal of having arbitrarily convicted the wrong man. Zola's famous letter, J'Accuse (I Accuse), led to his own trial for libel where he was found guilty and forced to flee to England. Dreyfus was eventually exonerated and restored to his military rank.
Leave your thoughts about The Life of Emile Zola.
| NerdistWitney SeiboldAs a courtroom drama, and as a depiction of government corruption, this film is pretty first rate. |
| culturevulture.netArthur LazereThe strong story line is enhanced by intelligent dialogue and first rate performances by a stellar cast. |
| Cinema SightWesley LovellA recurring theme among Oscar winners, Life of Emile Zola's anti-oppression topic rings loudly in the ears of all those who would use war as an excuse to abridge freedoms. |
| Empire MagazineDavid ParkinsonA moving evocation of an era and a heroic deed. |
| Nick's Flick PicksNick DavisThe patchy, overly earnest screenplay as well as the typically shapeless direction of William Dieterle keep calcifying the movie into an arid diorama. |
| VarietyJohn C. Flinn Sr.The film is destined to box office approval of the most substantial character. It is finely made and merits high rating as cinema art and significant recognition as major showmanship. |
| New York TimesFrank S. NugentA great and valuable and stirring film document. |
| Filmcritic.comChristopher NullThis look at how screwed up the French legal system is can be harrowing. |
| Radio TimesTony SlomanThis is one of a remarkable series of Warner Bros melodramatic biopics whose central performances were once considered prime examples of cinematic acting. |
| ReelTalk Movie ReviewsDonald J. LevitStacks up well against many a film biography of the subsequent three-quarters of a century. |
