| Other author/creator | Dieterle, William, 1893-1972 director. |
| Other author/creator | Raine, Norman Reilly, 1895-1971, screenwriter. |
| Other author/creator | Herald, Heinz, screenwriter, adapter. |
| Other author/creator | Herczeg, Géza, 1888-1954 screenwriter, adapter. |
| Other author/creator | Muni, Paul, 1895-1967, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Schildkraut, Joseph, 1895-1964 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Sondergaard, Gale, 1899-1985 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Crisp, Donald, 1880-1974 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Holden, Gloria, 1908-1991, actor. |
| Other author/creator | O'Brien-Moore, Erin, 1902-1979, actor. |
| Other author/creator | O'Neill, Henry, 1891-1961 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Carnovsky, Morris actor. |
| Other author/creator | Calhern, Louis, 1895-1956 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Litel, John, 1892-1972 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Morgan, Ralph, 1883-1956 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Barrat, Robert, 1889-1970 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Sokoloff, Vladimir, 1889-1962 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Davenport, Harry, 1866-1949 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Warwick, Robert, 1878-1964 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Richman, Charles, 1870-1940 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Emery, Gilbert, 1875-1945 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Kingsford, Walter, 1881-1958 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Everton, Paul, 1868-1948, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Love, Montagu, 1877-1943 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Sheridan, Frank, 1869-1943, actor. |
| Other author/creator | Hare, Lumsden, 1875-1964 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Jones, Marcia Mae actor. |
| Other author/creator | Roberts, Florence, 1861-1940 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Moore, Dick, 1925-2015 actor. |
| Other author/creator | Steiner, Max, 1888-1971 composer. |
| Other author/creator | Josephson, Matthew, 1899-1978. Zola and his time. |
| Other author/creator | Warner Bros. Pictures (1923-1967) |
| Other author/creator | Turner Entertainment Co. |
| Other author/creator | Warner Home Video (Firm) |
| Uniform title | Life of Emile Zola (Motion picture) |
| Series |
Best picture collection. Dramas
Best picture collection. Dramas. UNAUTHORIZED
|
| Contents |
Credits -- Job for Emile -- Official warning -- Injustice all around -- Nana's story -- "Nana's" profits -- "Downfall" -- Defying the censor -- Cezanne's goodbye -- Traitor in their midst -- Arrested for treason -- "I'm innocent!" -- You must survive -- Military maneuvers -- Lucie appeals to Zola -- I accuse -- Inflaming the mob -- On trial -- Picquart testifies -- Written and unspoken -- Intolerance all around -- Let truth conquer -- Another closed case -- Honor of the army -- Homecomings to France -- By force of ideas -- Moment of conscience -- Cast list. |
| Abstract |
In 1862 Paris, Emile Zola is barely scratching out a living writing muckraking articles about the poverty of the French people and the corruption of their leaders. Until "Nana," about the life of a prostitute, becomes a smash hit and turns Zola into a celebrity, champion of the people. As he churns out a string of similar books that make him quite rich, his old friend Paul Cezanne tells him "An artist should remain poor." His determined intervention in the Dreyfus Affair, at the request of Dreyfus's wife Lucie, results in "J'accuse!" his famous denunciation of the Army, and leads to a conviction for libel. He flees to England, where he remains until granted amnesty. Unfortunately, he dies before the news that Dreyfus was exonerated and reinstated to full rank can reach him. Indicative of the mores of its time, during the course of this clear story about institutionalized anti-Semitism, the word "Jew" is never mentioned. And while most Hollywood biographies must be taken with a grain--if not a handful--of salt, the film makes a reasonable effort at accuracy and completeness. |
| General note | Source material, Matthew Josephson's "Zola and his time." |
| General note | Special features: The littlest diplomat [featurette] (19 min.); Romance Road [featurette] (19 min.); Ain't we got fun [cartoon featurette] (8 min.); 5/8/39 Lux Radio Theater broadcast [audio feature] (59 min.); Theatrical trailer (4 min.). |
| Credits | Photography, Tony Gaudio ; film editor, Warren Low ; music, Max Steiner ; art director, Anton Grot ; costumes by Milo Anderson and Ali Hubert. |
| Cast |
Paul Muni (Emile Zola), Joseph Schildkraut (Capt. Alfred Dreyfus), Gale Sondergaard (Lucie Dreyfus), Donald Crisp (Maitre Labori), Gloria Holden (Alexandrine Zola), Erin O'Brien-Moore (Nana), Henry O'Neill (Colonel Picquart), Morris Carnovsky (Anatole France), Louis Calhern (Major Dort), John Litel (Charpentier), Ralph Morgan (Commander of Paris), Robert Barrat (Major Walsin-Esterhazy), Vladimir Sokoloff (Paul Cezanne), Harry Davenport (Chief of Staff), Robert Warwick (Major Henry), Charles Richman (M. Delagorgue), Gilbert Emery (Minister of War), Walter Kingsford (Colonel Sandherr), Paul Everton (Asst. Chief of Staff), Montagu Love (M. Cavalgnac), Frank Sheridan (M. Van Cassell), Lumsden Hare (Mr. Richards), Marcia Mae Jones (Helen Richards), Florence Roberts (Madame Zola), Dickie Moore (Pierre Dreyfus), Rolla Gourvitch (Jeanne Dreyfus). |
| Date/time/place of a event note | Originally produced as an American motion picture in 1937. |
| Audience |
MPAA Rating: Not rated; Canadian Home Video Rating: Rated G. |
| Technical details | DVD. |
| Language | In English with optional subtitles in English, French, or Spanish ; closed captioned. |
| Awards note | Winner, 1938 Academy Awards for Best Writing, Screenplay--Heinz Herald, Geza Herczeg, Norman Reilly Raine; Best Actor in a Supporting Role--Joseph Schildkraut; Best Picture--Warner Bros. |
| Genre/form | Films for the hearing impaired Videodiscs. |
| ISBN | 0790793075 |
| ISBN | 9780790793078 |
| UPC |
012569692527 |
| Publisher number | 66925 Warner Home Video |
