Introduction and details of Zola's biography

Plot summary

The young writer Zola (played by Paul Muni) and the impressionist painter Cézanne (played by Vladimir Sokoloff) live in the attic of a dilapidated house in Paris, living in poverty. He worked hard to create when he was down and out. Later, Zola met the Nazi Nana (played by Erin O'Brien-Moore) in a cafe, and wrote a novel "Nana" based on her tragic situation. It was a great success after publication, and the royalties income also increased. Let Zola get out of his embarrassing living condition. In 1871, the Franco-Prussian War broke out, the French army was defeated, and Sedan fell. Zola was extremely dissatisfied with the incompetence of the authorities who launched the war, and at the same time he had great sympathy for the miserable people in the war. Zola's "The Rout" based on this theme criticized the French Army and aroused strong dissatisfaction from the War Ministry, but he was not moved by power. Following the creative principle of in-depth understanding of society, Zola's works continued to pour out, such as "Hot", "Lady's Paradise", "Joy of Life", "His Masterpieces", "Land", "Dream", "Human Being". "***" and so on made Zola famous.

In Zola's comfortable room, he had dinner with his close friend Cézanne. After the meal, Cézanne gave a well-intentioned advice to his old friends who were intoxicated in a comfortable life - not to give up the ambitions set in youth and the pursuit of truth and justice. Zola then left Paris. Soon after, the Dreyfus case occurred that caused a sensation in France. Dreyfus (played by Joseph Hildekraut) was a Jewish military officer who was arrested and imprisoned on suspicion of espionage. He himself appealed for grievance but failed, was convicted of treason, and was exiled for life. Three years later, the truth came out and there was another traitor. However, the War Department was afraid that the incident would damage its honor and refused to disclose the facts, so the real traitor was acquitted.

When the French Academy accepted Zola as an academician because of his literary achievements, Dreyfus’s wife Lucy (played by Gael Sandga) came to see Zola and begged Zola to be her husband. Justice is served. After experiencing a fierce psychological struggle, Zola published the famous open letter to the president "I Accuse" in the Sinian newspaper, exposing the military's cover-up of the truth of the case. This move angered the War Ministry, who prosecuted Zola for "defamation." In 1898, Zola was tried in court, and after several fights, Zola was found guilty. Later, under the persuasion of his friends, he secretly fled to England. While living in seclusion in England, Zola still wrote sharp articles on the Dreyfus case, which caused great shock in France. People from all walks of life advocated a retrial of the Dreyfus case. In the end, justice was served: Dreyfus was vindicated and Zola returned to his country. Zola died in Paris due to gas poisoning in 1902 and was buried in the Panthéon in Paris six years later.

Credits Actors Actors Characters

Paul Muni

Zola

Joseph Schildkraut< /p>

Dreyfus

Gael Sandga

Lucy

Gloria Holden

Alexandrine Zola

Donald Crisp

Maitre Labori ?

Vladimir Sokoloff

Cezanne

Erin O' Brien-Moore

Nana

John Litel

Charpentier

Henry O'Neill

Col. Picquart ?

Maurice Karnovsky

Anatole France ?

Louis Calhun

Maj. Dort

Ralph Morgan

Commander of Paris

Robert Barrat

Maj. Walsin-Esterhaz

Grant Mitchell < /p>

Gees Clemenceau

Harry Davenport

Chief of Staff

Robert Warwick

Maj. Henry < /p>

Charles Richman

M. DeLague

Gilbert Emery

Secretary

Walter Kingsford

Col. Sandherr

Paul Everton?

Assistant to the Chief?

Montagu Love

Cavaignac

< p> Frank Sheridan

M. Van Cassell

Lumsden Hare

M. Richards

Marcia Mae Jones

Helen Richards

Florence Roberts

Madame Zola

Dickie Moore

Pierre Dreyfus

Rolla Gourvitch

p>

Jeanne Dreyfus

Clarence Wilson

Newspaper Editor

Arthur Aylesworth

Chief Prosecutor

Maurice Black

Minor Role

Stanley Blystone

uncredited

Egon Brecher

Brucker ?

Iphigenie Castiglioni

Madame Charpentier

Robert Cummings Sr.

Gen. Gillian

Frank Darien

< p> Albert

Franklin Farnham

uncredited

Holmes Herbert

Commander of Paris

Paul Irving

La Rue

Alexander Lefich ?

Maj. D

Frank Mayo

Mathieu Dreyfus

p>

Moloney Olson

Capt. Guig

Frank Reicher

M. Perrenx

Walter O . Stahl

Kestne

Wilhelm von Brincken

Swartzoppen

Pierre Watkin

Chief of Police

Harry Worth

Army Lieutenant Credits Producer Henry Blanc Director William Dieter Assistant Director (Assistant) Russell Saunders, Irving Rapper Screenwriter Matthew Josephson, Heinz Herald, Geza Herczeg, Norman Reilly Raine Photography Tony Gaudio Soundtrack Max Steiner Editing Warren Low Art Director Anton Grot Styling Design Perc Westmore Costume Design Milo Anderson, Ali Hubert Set Designer Albert C. Wilson