Germinal

Genre: period drama 

With: Renaud (Étienne Lantier), Gérard Depardieu (Toussaint Maheu), Miou-Miou (la Maheude, Toussaint’s wife), Jean Carmet (Vincent Maheu, aka Bonnemort), Judith Henry (Catherine Maheu), Jean-Roger Milo (Chaval), Laurent Terzieff (Souvarine)

Director: Claude Berri

Screenplay: Claude Berri and Arlette Langmann (based on Émile Zola’s novel)

Release: 1993

Studio: Renn Productions, France 2 Cinéma et al.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.4/10





Rebelling Against the Industrial Revolution





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Story-line: when he is hired as a coal miner in Northern France, Étienne Lantier witnesses the deplorable fate of local workers and their families.  

Pluses: strong acting by protest singer Renaud (in a rare movie appearance), Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou and a seasoned cast, disciplined direction, a serious screenplay based on Zola’s classic novel, vivid cinematography, irreproachable production values.

Minuses: you may be shocked by one very heavy riot scene.

Comments: GERMINAL is a clear example of gritty, socially-conscious cinema and a gripping testimony about labour relations in the 1860s, when businessmen and bosses felt no social responsibility towards their workforce. It also illustrates how men (and women) can resort to unspeakable violence when driven to extremes. Required viewing for movie buffs.





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