The Life of Emile Zola – Best Picture 1937 Oscars
This somewhat accurate Biographical account of French author Emile Zola won the best picture award at the 10th Oscars giving Warner Brothers their 1st best picture award.
Quick Plot
Struggling French writer Emile Zola who shares a flat with artist Cézanne finally gets his big break in writing thanks to an impromptu meeting with a prostitute, leading him to write his first major success “Nana”. Fame and fortune soon follow something which takes a lot longer for his onetime flat mate Paul Cézanne.
Around the same time a Spy intercepts a letter stating there is a spy in the French Military hierarchy and Captain Alfred Dreyfus ends up the innocent fall guy. Soon the military discover evidence that it was not Dreyfus but decide it is easier to let him rot on Devils Island that come clean.
Several years latter Dreyfus’s wife convinces Zola to take up his case and he publishes an open letter condemning the French Military for covering up the truth. He is charged with Libel and found guilty, forcing him to flee to England; where he continues his campaign for justice.
A change of administration leads the French Government to admit to the cover up and Dreyfus is finally freed. However with real life often being stranger than fiction Zola dies from Carbon Monoxide poisoning the night before Dreyfus is publicly exonerated.
The Life of Emile Zola Cast
Paul Muni as Émile Zola
Gloria Holden as Alexandrine Zola
Gale Sondergaard as Lucie Dreyfus
Joseph Schildkraut as Captain Alfred Dreyfus
Donald Crisp as Maitre Labori
Erin O’Brien-Moore as Nana
John Litel as Charpentier
Henry O’Neill as Colonel Picquart
Morris Carnovsky as Anatole France
Louis Calhern as Major Dort
Ralph Morgan as Commander of Paris
Robert Barrat as Major Walsin-Esterhazy
Vladimir Sokoloff as Paul Cézanne
Grant Mitchell as Georges Clemenceau
Harry Davenport as Chief of Staff
Robert Warwick as Major Henry
Charles Richman as M. Delagorgue
Gilbert Emery as Minister of War
Walter Kingsford as Colonel Sandherr
Paul Everton as Assistant Chief of Staff
Montagu Love as M. Cavaignac
Frank Sheridan as M. Van Cassell
Lumsden Hare as Mr. Richards
Marcia Mae Jones as Helen Richards
Florence Roberts as Madame Zola
Dickie Moore as Pierre Dreyfus
Rolla Gourvitch as Jeanne Dreyfus
To see complete movie, you just need to visit Movie Watcherus site!! enjoy!
i was named after this guy 🙂