The Life of Emile Zola

William Dieterle
1937-09-09

He'll hold you in silence as deep as your emotions!
6.7
116 min

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.

Cast

Name Character Team
Paul Muni Emile Zola Unowned
Gale Sondergaard Lucie Dreyfus Unowned
Joseph Schildkraut Capt. Alfred Dreyfus Unowned
Gloria Holden Alexandrine Zola Unowned
Donald Crisp Maitre Labori Unowned
Erin O'Brien-Moore Nana Unowned
John Litel Charpentier Unowned
Henry O'Neill Colonel Picquart Unowned
Morris Carnovsky Anatole France Unowned
Louis Calhern Major Dort Unowned
Ralph Morgan Commander of Paris Unowned
Robert Barrat Major Walsin-Esterhazy Unowned
Vladimir Sokoloff Paul Cezanne Unowned
Grant Mitchell Georges Clemenceau Unowned
Harry Davenport Chief of Staff Unowned
Robert Warwick Colonel Henry Unowned
Charles Richman M. Delagorgue Unowned
Gilbert Emery Minister of War Unowned
Walter Kingsford Colonel Sandherr Unowned
Paul Everton Assistant Chief of Staff Unowned
Montagu Love M. Cavaignac Unowned
Frank Sheridan M. Van Cassell Unowned
Lumsden Hare Mr. Richards Unowned
Marcia Mae Jones Helen Richards Unowned
Florence Roberts Madame Zola Unowned
Dickie Moore Pierre Dreyfus Unowned
Rolla Gourvitch Jeanne Dreyfus Unowned
Franklyn Farnum (uncredited) Unowned