Gervaise_(film) Knowpia

Gervaise
Gervaise
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	René Clément
Screenplay by	Jean Aurenche; Pierre Bost
Based on	L'Assommoir; by Émile Zola
Produced by	Agnès Delahaie
Starring	Maria Schell; François Périer; Jany Holt
Cinematography	Robert Juillard
Edited by	Henri Rust
Music by	Georges Auric
Distributed by	Les Films Corona
Release dates	3 August 1956 (West Germany); 5 September 1956 (France);
Running time	120 minutes
Country	France
Language	French

Gervaise [ʒɛʁ.vɛz] is a 1956 French film directed by René Clément based on the 1877 novel L'Assommoir by Émile Zola. It depicts a working-class woman in the mid-nineteenth century (played by Maria Schell) trying to cope with the descent of her husband (played by François Périer) into alcoholism.

The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 29th Academy Awards.^[1] Schell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 1956 Venice Film Festival for her performance; Périer won the 1957 BAFTA Best Actor for his performance; and the film itself won the 1957 BAFTA Best Film award.

Plot edit

Paris, from 1852 onward. The story follows the struggles of Gervaise, a forsaken washerwoman left alone with her young sons Étienne and Claude by her lover Lantier. She marries Coupeau, a skilled roofer whose life takes a downward spiral due to an accident, leading to idleness, alcoholism, and illness. Together, they have a daughter named Nana. Despite Gervaise's courage and the support of her friend, the blacksmith Goujet, she finds herself unable to prevent Coupeau's decline, as he destroys the laundry business that was her livelihood. Virginie, driven by old grudges and the social challenges of the time, adds to Gervaise's troubles, pushing her further into alcoholism. Meanwhile, their daughter Nana is left to fend for herself on the unforgiving streets of Paris.

Cast edit

Maria Schell: Gervaise Macquart Coupeau, a patient and courageous laundrywoman
François Périer: Coupeau, Gervaise's husband, a roofer
Suzy Delair: Virginie Poisson, an old rival who hates Gervaise
Armand Mestral: Lantier, Gervaise's former lover
Jany Holt: Mme Lorilleux, Coupeau's ill-tempered sister
Mathilde Casadesus: Mme Boche, the concierge
Florelle: Maman Coupeau, Coupeau's aged mother
Micheline Luccioni: Clémence, a laundrywoman who works with Gervaise
Lucien Hubert: Monsieur Poisson, a policeman and Virginie's husband
Jacques Harden: Goujet, a smith, a friend of Coupeau and Gervaise's
Jacques Hilling: Monsieur Boche, the concierge's husband
Hélène Tossy: Mme Bijard
Amédée: Mes Bottes, Coupeau's drinking buddy
Hubert de Lapparent (as Hubert Lapparent): Monsieur Lorilleux, a chainmaker, Mme Lorilleux' long-suffering husband
Rachel Devirys: Mme Fauconnier
Jacqueline Morane: Mme Gaudron
Yvonne Claudie: Mme Putois
Georges Paulais: Father Bru
Gérard Darrieu: Charles, laundry worker
Pierre Duverger: Monsieur Gaudron
Marcelle Féry: Laundry owner
Denise Péronne: a laundrywoman
Simone Duhart: a fishmonger
André Wasley: Father Colombe
Ariane Lancell: Adèle
Aram Stéphan: the mayor
Georges Peignot: Monsieur Madinier
Max Elbèze: Zidore
Jean Relet: Sergent de ville (policeman)
Roger Dalphin: worker
Armand Lurville: presiding officer at hearing
Jean Gautrat: Bec Salé
Christian Denhez: Étienne, Gervaise and Lantier's younger son, at the age of 8
Christian Férez: Étienne at the age of 13
Patrice Catineaud: Claude, Gervaise and Lantier's elder son, at the age of 6
Chantal Gozzi: Nana, Gervaise and Coupeau's daughter, at the age of 5
Michèle Caillaud: Lalie
Gilbert Sanjakian: the Boches' son at the age of 6
Yvette Cuvelier: Augustine, apprentice at the laundry, at the age of 13
Paul Préboist: member of the audience at the cabaret
Jacques Bertrand: factory foreman