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The Life of Emile Zola

Oscar™ Best Picture - Winning Movies

1937

William Dieterle

Paul Muni, Henry O'Neill, Joseph Schildkraut, Gale Sondergaard ...

7.1

1,089

Drama The biopic of the famous French muckraking writer and his involvement in fighting the injustice of the Dreyfuss Affair. Paul Cezanne and Émile Zola were friends when both were starting their careers. Through ups and downs Zola became financially successful long before Cezanne. He was married and had a successful career as an author. Paul Cezanne then decided to live in the country far away from the city, and told Zola not to be part of ... [+]

	Author	Review
United States	John C. Flinn Sr. Variety	"A vibrant, tense and emotional story about the man who fought a nation with his pen (...) The picture is Muni’s all the way, even when he is off screen."	POS
United States	Kate Cameron New York Daily News	"The most distinguished and most important contribution to the screen this year (...) A magnificent picture."	POS
United States	Dave Kehr Chicago Reader	"It isn't so much bad as utterly, magisterially bland."	NEU
United Kingdom	David Parkinson Empire	"Perhaps not a completely reliable historical document this is however a moving evocation of an era and a heroic deed (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Frank S. Nugent The New York Times	"Rich, dignified, honest and strong, it is at once the finest historical film ever made and the greatest screen biography"	POS
United Kingdom	Tony Sloman Radio Times	"The great strength of the film is the re-creation of the Dreyfus case and the marvellous moment as Muni begins 'J'accuse...' (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	James Berardinelli ReelViews	"It offers little more than a simple story told well, with a skillful blend of narrative and universal themes (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Time	"A movie which is probably the outstanding prestige picture of the season. It is also one of the best shows."	POS

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