The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

A fictionalized account of famous French writer Émile Zola and his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair. After struggling to establish himself, Zola wins success documenting the unsavory side of Paris and settles into a comfortable upper-class life. However, his complacency is shaken when Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus is imprisoned for espionage. Realizing that Dreyfus is an innocent victim of anti-Semitism, Zola boldly pens an exposé, only to be charged with libel and now he must defend himself in a dramatic courtroom testimony.

Genres: Drama, History

What to watch after The Life of Emile Zola

• The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) — Donald Crisp appears in both
• Orphans of the Storm (1921)
• Passage to Marseille (1944) — Two steps away in the credits
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) — Donald Crisp appears in both
• Conflict (1945) — Two steps away in the credits