Saturday, June 10, 2006
J'ACCUSE
Civilization will not attain to its perfection until the last stone from the last church falls on the last priest." — Émile Zola
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Films was
It is a dumb title as the film is not about Zola's life so much as his role in uncovering the Dreyfus Affair in France.
A life long muckraker, Zola gets fat on his own profits and rediscovers himself by becoming a very very unpopular champion of the Jew Dreyfus.
To see this film as a propaganda piece just prior to WWII is a bit strong but the message is there nonetheless. Antisemitism. The drive for power by the establishment. The acquiescence to justice by those in power.
Actually, if you generalize about the anti-semitism and go with special interest bashing you have the bushies today.
The main thing about this somewhat over the top film is the performance of Paul Muni who is not remembered today but, at the time, was a great actor and star.
He inhabits the role in this story and the film comes alive when he is on the scene. He goes through emotions in seconds that are independent of the words. It is all in his face and body and voice.
It is a bit of a period piece but quite watchable and even if you know the end of the story (which is a matter of historical record) there is a lot of suspense to it.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.
