Maps of Movies
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
Where The Life of Emile Zola says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A Paris story shot in Burbank: Hollywood built the Panthéon, Les Halles and Zola's attic on soundstages, and filmed Devil's Island on a Laguna Beach rock.
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Scenes and places
The Paris attic of Zola and Cézanne (1862)
In 1862 Paris, struggling writer Zola shares a drafty attic with his friend, the painter Cézanne. His fiancée gets him a desk job at a bookshop, but his provocative novel soon costs him the post.
Set in Zola and Cézanne's attic, Paris — A drafty Paris attic that the struggling writer shares with the painter.
A cramped garret where two artists live on hope and rent they cannot pay.
Filmed at Warner Bros. Studios soundstages, Burbank — AFI lists a built set of Zola's apartment; this is the studio, not a Paris address. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Les Halles, the central market
The film shows Zola meeting the injustices of French society that feed his writing. The plot summary does not say which scene is set at the market.
Set in Les Halles, Paris — Paris's central market district, one of the sets AFI says the studio built. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The old wholesale market of Paris, long since demolished.
Filmed at Warner Bros. Studios soundstages, Burbank — AFI lists a built Les Halles set; this is the studio, not Paris. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Zola's mansion
Zola grows rich and famous and settles into a comfortable life. His old friend Cézanne, still poor, visits before leaving the city and accuses him of having become complacent, ending their friendship.
Set in Zola's mansion — The comfortable house Zola settles into once he is rich and famous.
Where a successful writer wonders whether he has left his youth behind.
Dreyfus is stripped of his rank
After a letter for the German embassy shows a spy on the general staff, the army commanders settle on Captain Dreyfus, a Jew, as the traitor. He is court-martialed and publicly degraded.
Set in École Militaire, Paris — The Paris military academy, the setting for the public ceremony of degradation. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A ceremonial parade ground in front of the military academy.
Filmed at Warner Bros. Studios soundstages, Burbank — AFI lists a built École Militaire set; this is the studio, not the real parade ground. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Dreyfus on Devil's Island
Dreyfus is imprisoned on Devil's Island. Meanwhile Colonel Picquart finds evidence pointing to Major Walsin-Esterhazy, but is ordered to stay silent and is reassigned.
Set in Devil's Island, French Guiana — The penal island off French Guiana where Dreyfus is imprisoned. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A tiny tropical prison island off South America.
Filmed at Goff Island, Laguna Beach, California — AFI says the Devil's Island scenes were filmed on location here. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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"J'accuse" and the riots
Dreyfus's wife Lucie pleads with Zola to take up the cause. He publishes the open letter "J'accuse" in L'Aurore, causing a firestorm; he barely escapes an angry mob as riots erupt.
Set in L'Aurore newspaper and the Paris streets — The Paris newspaper that prints Zola's open letter, and the streets where riots follow.
A newspaper front page that became a rallying cry across France.
Zola on trial for libel
Zola is charged with libel. His lawyer Labori tries to bring in evidence of the Dreyfus affair, but the presiding judge refuses to allow it.
Set in Courtroom of Zola's libel trial — The court where Zola is tried for libel after his open letter.
A courtroom where the question is what may be said, not what is true.
Exile in London
Zola is found guilty, sentenced to a year in prison and a fine. He reluctantly accepts his friends' advice to flee to London to continue the campaign for Dreyfus.
Set in London — The city where Zola goes to continue his campaign.
A foreign capital as a safe place to keep writing.
The Panthéon
The film's final sequence is set at the Panthéon in Paris.
Set in Panthéon, Paris — The Paris mausoleum for France's great figures. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A neoclassical church turned national hall of fame.
Filmed at Warner Bros. Studios soundstages, Burbank — AFI lists a built Panthéon set; this is the studio, not the real monument. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Characters
- Émile Zola — A struggling writer who becomes rich and famous, then risks it all for Dreyfus.
- Paul Cézanne — Zola's painter friend, who shares his attic and later leaves him.
- Alfred Dreyfus — A French army captain, a Jew, accused of being the traitor.
- Lucie Dreyfus — Dreyfus's loyal wife, who asks Zola to take up his cause.
Questions answered on the map
- Where was Devil's Island really filmed?
- Was the Panthéon scene shot in Paris?