"LIFE OF ZOLA"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 21

"LIFE OF ZOLA"

; vFilm for regent theatre / {i, . One of the most distinguished figures in French literature and politics is the subject of the brilliant film " The Life of Emile Zota." which is to be the Christmas attraction at the Hegent Theatre, having its first screenings on Friday. Its appeal to audiences will undoubtedly be enhanced by the fact that Paul Muni, one of the screen's most powerful actors, ..takes the leading role. Many critics believe that Muni's latest film is greater even than "The Story of Louis Pasteur," which won for him the Motion Picture Academy's award _;for the best acting performance of 1936. Not only does the same actor appear in both films, but there is the / same director. William Dieterle. and the. theme of " Zola " is worked out with an equally great honesty and power. The entire career of the great author is told in dramatic fashion. First he is seen as'a struggling young writer, sometimes obliged to pawn his clothes for bread. He meets " Nana," played - bv Frin O'Brien-Moore, whose life he depicts in a novel that earns him enormous sums and lifts him to international fame. The film rises t,o a climax in describing Zola's courageous defence of Captain Dreyfus, the army officer who was falsely accused of selling secrets to Gernianv, and whp was sent to a living grave on Devil's Island. The picture ;|i|. slmws Zola writing his bitter attack °n the army rulers, which finally resuited in the restoration of Dreyfus to II' his old post. At that time Zola was well into middle age. reaping the reward* of an arduous youth and honoured by all France. He faced nilPopularity without flinching, was tried for libel and banished from his country, but from exile in England he maintained his attack. Muni's characterisation of Zola has been called almost perfect. He shows-in convincing manner how the novelist was roused from the equanimity that wealth was giving him, and recaptured the fire of his youth in 'he defence of an innocent man. Captain Dreyfus is capably portrayed by . Joseph Schildkraut, and Gale SonderKard gives a elever performance as Dreyfus. " The Life of Zola " •. 18 a production of the Warner Brothers' p Undios.