The Life of Emile Zola

The Life of Emile Zola is the 10Th movie to win best picture. Took me a little longer then I thought it would but I finally made it to number 10. Also means I am almost done with movies from the 30's. While there are good movies that won Best Picture from the 30's a majority of the movies from the 30's specifically the early 30's were just bad. The Life of Emile Zola isn't one of the best but far from the worst. I watched the movie over two days. The first half hour was kind of boring so I stopped it before I fell asleep. But after that the movie picks up a bit and wasn't too bad. This movie is technically the second biopic to win best picture (although I read somewhere that it was the first) a bulk of the movie is about a court case so it really feels to me like the first court room drama to win Best Picture.

As you probably guessed the movie is about Emile Zola. And if you are like me you are probably asking who was Emile Zola and why does he have a movie made about his life. Well, that why we watch movies to learn new things. Emile Zola was a French writer who would write about the poor and lower class struggles. He became famous for his honesty and exposing problems that no one wanted to talk about. The first half hour shows how he got his start and move pretty quickly to him being older and rich and famous. That's when we get to the meat of the story. And I am kind of glad that I restarted at this point a different day. What happens is a French soldier is accused of treason and exiled. His wife try's to prove his innocence but fails. Then she finally makes a plea to Emile Zola to write about the case and gives him some evidence that conclusively proves her husbands innocence. Zola being older and enjoying his semi-retirement brushes her off at first but eventually his curiosity wins out and when he looks over the evidence realizes she is right and finally writes a book accusing the army of conspiracy and cover up. This obviously does not sit well with the army and they charge him with treason for writing the book. The rest of the movie is about the court case and the ramifications. After Zola is found guilty he leaves France for England before he can be sentenced and continues to write books while in hiding. After some years have passed a new French Minister of War takes over the army and the case is reopened and eventually the truth comes out and everything is set right.

Like a said the movie isn't as much about The Life of Emile Zola as it is about the one case he gets involved in. Which is why after a slow start it does get more interesting. I wish they just would have made the movie as a court room drama overall. But the acting is good and its always good to see the little guy prevail over a system that puts him down.

Other notes about the 1938 Academy Awards. While Paul Muni didn't win best actor he lost to Spencer Tracy for Captains Courageous which is the first of two wins in a row for Tracy. Also Louise Rainer won her second Best Actress in a row for the Good Earth. Making her the first Actor or Actress to win back to back years.