Sunday, July 8, 2007

The Life of Emile Zola (1937): Shira's Take

First I have to state my jaded 21st century opinion: this film is to the modern biopic what the Broadway Melody (1929) is to the modern musical. By today's standards, it's just not really a biopic. Emile Zola is followed more consistently than Alfred Dreyfus, but hardly so. They could have just as easily taken out the first and last five minutes (Emile Zola getting published through to Emile Zola dying) and called it The Dreyfus Affair. And there was not one second in the movie in which I cared for the character of Emile Zola. Still, it was a good movie. The acting was really great (I absolutely loved Joseph Schildkraut as Dreyfus).

Another note--where was the anti-semitism? We were made aware that Dreyfus was Jewish by a quick glance at his military record. Then it was slightly referenced again when effigies of Zola and Dreyfus were burned, with Dreyfus portrayed in religious Jewish clothing. Still, this film basically ignored the prejudices of the military and treated the Affair as though it was nothing more than the military saving face. Notes to myself: I enjoyed the Nana bit so much. This movie was "fictionized" in such a cheesy way. 6/10

No comments: