The Life of Emile Zola
Synopsis
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 (1937) is a 1h 56min drama feature film by William Dieterle. A fictionalized account of famous French writer Emile Zola and his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair.
Key facts
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Festival History
- National Film Preservation Board 2000 generic
- Academy Awards 1938 academy_award
- National Board of Review 1937 generic
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards 1937 generic
Titles
| Original title | The Life of Emile Zola | |
| Alternate title | La Vie d'Émile Zola |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | United States | September 9, 1937 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | September 21, 1937 |
| Theatrical | United States | October 2, 1937 |
| Theatrical | Denmark | November 3, 1937 |
| Theatrical | Sweden | November 5, 1937 |
| Theatrical | Finland | November 21, 1937 |
| Theatrical | Brazil | January 1, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Mexico | January 1, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | January 2, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Argentina | January 12, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | January 14, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Australia | February 3, 1938 |
| Theatrical | France | March 2, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Belgium | March 18, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Ireland | March 18, 1938 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | March 21, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Hong Kong | September 16, 1938 |
| Theatrical | Turkey | January 8, 1941 |
| Theatrical | Italy | February 15, 1945 |
| Theatrical | Hungary | March 9, 1945 |
| Theatrical | Czechoslovakia | August 22, 1947 |
| Theatrical | Japan | June 8, 1948 |
| Theatrical | Soviet Union | October 12, 1948 |
| Television | United States | February 6, 1957 |
| Television | Germany | January 11, 1964 |
| Television | Spain | March 31, 1979 |
| Classification | United States | G |
Full credits
| Director | William Dieterle |
| Cast | Paul Muni (Emile Zola), Gale Sondergaard (Lucie Dreyfus), Joseph Schildkraut (Capt. Alfred Dreyfus), Gloria Holden (Alexandrine Zola), Donald Crisp (Maitre Labori), Erin O'Brien-Moore (Nana), John Litel (Charpentier), Henry O'Neill (Colonel Picquart), Morris Carnovsky (Anatole France), Louis Calhern (Major Dort), Ralph Morgan (Commander of Paris), Robert Barrat (Major Walsin-Esterhazy), Vladimir Sokoloff (Paul Cezanne), Grant Mitchell (Georges Clemenceau), Harry Davenport (Chief of Staff), Robert Warwick (Colonel Henry), Charles Richman (M. Delagorgue), Gilbert Emery (Minister of War), Walter Kingsford (Colonel Sandherr), Paul Everton (Assistant Chief of Staff), Montagu Love (M. Cavaignac), 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), Franklyn Farnum ((uncredited)) |
| Screenplay | Geza Herczeg, Heinz Herald, Norman Reilly Raine |
| Story | Geza Herczeg, Heinz Herald |
| Producer | Henry Blanke |
| Cinematography | Tony Gaudio |
| Editing | Warren Low |
| Music | Max Steiner |
| Costumes | Ali Hubert, Milo Anderson |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
