An adaptation of Émile Zola’s 1877 masterpiece L’assommoir, the film is an uncompromising depiction of a lowly laundress’s struggles to deal with an alcoholic husband while running her own business.
Acting
Maria Schell's face holds ten thousand micro-defeats.
Production
Recreated Belle Époque slums so authentic you can smell them.
Director
René Clément
Maria Schell
Gervaise Macquart Coupeau, une blanchisseuse douce et courageuse
François Périer
Henri Coupeau - le second compagnon de Gervaise, un ouvrier zingueur
Jany Holt
Mme Lorilleux - la soeur revêche de Coupeau
Mathilde Casadesus
Mme Boche - la concierge curieuse
Suzy Delair
Virginie Poisson, une rivale de Gervaise
Armand Mestral
Lantier, l'amant de Gervaise
Florelle
Maman Coupeau
Micheline Luccioni
Clémence
Lucien Hubert
Mr Poisson
Jacques Harden
Goujet, le forgeron amoureux de Gervaise
Jacques Hilling
Hélène Tossy
Hubert de Lapparent
Rachel Devirys
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Zola's novel was so scandalous it was banned in Britain; Clément fought censors to keep the unflinching alcoholism depiction.
This launched the 'poetic realism' wave that would shape film noir—every puddle here reflects a broken dream.
FR
