1938 - The Life of Émile Zola

Director: William Dieterle
Production Company: Warner Brothers
Leads: Paul Muni, Gale Sondergaard, Joseph Schildkraut

"What does it matter if an individual is shattered - if only justice is resurrected?" - Emile Zola

Setting
Paris, 19th Century

The Plot

This biopic follows the life of Émile Zola (thank you, Captain Obvious) from his starting out as a freelance writer sharing a drafty flat with celebrated artist Paul Cézanne through to his role in the one-time infamous Dreyfus Affair. The film is divided into two sub-plots: the rags-to-riches story of Émile Zola himself, then the Dreyfus Affair and how he came to be so involved.

They were quick to point out at the start that much of the film had been fictionalised though based on fact, this information is normally buried in the credits at the end so snaps for honesty!

The Review
Émile is like the Julian Assange of 19th Century France, though certainly less dramatic. He comes under intense criticism as his books gain popularity and the censors are under pressure from the government and the French Army to stop them. One amusing example of the controversy surrounding his first book, Nana, is that of a gentleman buying a copy and tucking it inside his jacket only to later deny his wife's request for a copy as it's not something that should be read (I am SO finding a copy to read myself).
The Dreyfus Affair was still well-known at the time of the film's release, but as a person watching for the first time 75 years later I got a little lost. I failed to see the connection between Captain Dreyfus being framed and the ensuing period where there was little to no appearance of the film's namesake. This was eventually cleared up for me as Zola became involved, but the reliance on assumed knowledge was not very forward-thinking.
One quibble is that the women did not seem to age, I had a similar complaint watching Cimarron; throughout the decades covered by the film Zola got older and cuddlier, Dreyfus aged even more in prison...yet their wives hardly aged a day. I wish I knew their secret.

Snaps for Joseph Schildkraut whose portrayal of Captain Alfred Dreyfus scored him an Oscar® for Best Supporting Actor.
It was a good film and certainly highlighted the level of corruption in France at that time, as well as rooting for the underdog. I must procure one of Zola's books and check him out.

The Slap
The Chief of Staff [Harry Davenport], deliberately silencing evidence to avoid embarrassment to the Army.