The Life of Emile Zola

This is a beta version of NNDB

The Life of Emile Zola (11-Aug-1937)

Director: William Dieterle

Writers: Norman Reilly Raine; Heinz Herald; Geza Herczeg

Based on a book: Zola and His Time by Matthew Josephson

Music by: Max Steiner

Keywords: Drama, Biography, Unjustly Accused, Libel

Fictionalized version of the life of writer Emile Zola, who rose to the defense of French Army Captain Alfred Dreyfus, falsely accused and convicted of treason. The story is one of the great scandals of France. Outstanding performance by Paul Muni, probably his best role. The film won three Academy Awards including Best Picture.

[watch trailer]

Name Occupation Birth Death Known for

Robert Barrat Actor 10-Jul-1889 7-Jan-1970 The Kennel Murder Case

Louis Calhern Actor 19-Feb-1895 12-May-1956 Duck Soup

Morris Carnovsky Actor 5-Sep-1897 1-Sep-1992 Dead Reckoning

Donald Crisp Actor 27-Jul-1880 25-May-1974 Silent film actor, survived into talkies

Harry Davenport Actor 19-Jan-1866 9-Aug-1949 Gone with the Wind

Gloria Holden Actor 5-Sep-1908 22-Mar-1991 Dracula's Daughter

Walter Kingsford Actor 20-Sep-1881 7-Feb-1958 British-American character actor

John Litel Actor 30-Dec-1892 3-Feb-1972 Two Dollar Bettor

Montagu Love Actor 15-Mar-1877 17-May-1943 British character actor

Grant Mitchell Actor 17-Jun-1874 1-May-1957 Father Is a Prince

Dickie Moore Actor 12-Sep-1925 7-Sep-2015 The Little Rascals

Ralph Morgan Actor 6-Jul-1883 11-Jun-1956 The Kennel Murder Case

Paul Muni Actor 22-Sep-1895 25-Aug-1967 The Life of Louis Pasteur

Henry O'Neill Actor 10-Aug-1891 18-May-1961 Anchors Aweigh

Joseph Schildkraut Actor 22-Mar-1896 21-Jan-1964 The Life of Emile Zola

Vladimir Sokoloff Actor 26-Dec-1889 15-Feb-1962 For Whom the Bell Tolls

Gale Sondergaard Actor 15-Feb-1899 14-Aug-1985 Anthony Adverse

Robert Warwick Actor 9-Oct-1878 6-Jun-1964 Alias Jimmy Valentine

CAST

Paul Muni ... �mile Zola
with
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 ... Col. Picquart
Morris Carnovsky ... Anatole France
Louis Calhern ... Maj. Dort
John Litel ... Charpentier
Ralph Morgan ... Commander of Paris
Robert Barrat ... Maj. Walsin-Esterhazy
Vladimir Sokoloff ... Paul Cezanne
Grant Mitchell ... Georges Clemenceau
Harry Davenport ... Chief of Staff
Robert Warwick ... Maj. Henry
Charles Richman ... M. Delagorgue
Gilbert Emery ... Minister of War
Walter Kingsford ... Col. 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

REVIEWS

Have you seen this film? We would love to see your review.
Submit your review for this film

Do you know something we don't?
Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile