Synopsis
The Life of Emile Zola (1937) is William Dieterle's biographical drama, available to watch online on iFILM. Paul Muni stars as the French novelist who climbed from a freezing Paris garret to the best-selling pen in the country.
The first half tracks young Zola turning the city's poverty and corruption into books that make him rich and comfortable. Then a letter changes everything. Army officer Alfred Dreyfus (Joseph Schildkraut) is convicted of treason on forged evidence, and the aging, settled writer has to choose between his easy life and an innocent man rotting on Devil's Island. He picks up his pen.
This was the first biopic to take Best Picture, one of three Oscars it pulled in that year — Schildkraut landed Best Supporting Actor for his Dreyfus. The film belongs to Muni's closing courtroom speech, nearly nine minutes carried on performance alone. Stream The Life of Emile Zola (1937) online on iFILM.
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