Germinal (1993 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Germinal

| image = Germinal93.jpg

| caption = Film poster

| director = Claude Berri

| producer = Claude Berri
Pierre Grunstein
Bodo Scriba

| screenplay = Claude Berri
Arlette Langmann

| based_on = Germinal
by Émile Zola

| starring = Renaud
Miou-Miou
Jean Carmet
Judith Henry
Jean-Roger Milo
Gérard Depardieu

| music = Jean-Louis Roques

| cinematography = Yves Angelo

| editing = Hervé de Luze

| distributor = AMLF

| released = {{Film date|df=y|1993|9|29|France}}

| runtime = 160 minutes

| country = France

| language = French

| budget = €27.4 million{{cite web|url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=4525|title=Germinal (1993)- JPBox-Office|access-date=2 October 2014}}

| gross = $36.1 million{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|page=M-56|date=October 17, 1994|title=Top 100 grossers worldwide, '93-94}}

}}

Germinal is a 1993 French-Belgian epic film based on the 1885 novel by Émile Zola. It was directed by Claude Berri, and stars Renaud, Miou-Miou and Gérard Depardieu. At the time it was the most expensive movie ever produced in France.{{cite magazine|magazine=Screen International|title=Into the black|page=20|date=19 November 1993}} It was the fourth most attended film of the year in France.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/germinal-am18367 |title=Germinal (1993) - Claude Berri {{!}} Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related {{!}} AllMovie |language=en |access-date=2024-12-02 |via=www.allmovie.com}}

It won the César Award for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design, and was nominated for Best Film, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best director, Best Writing, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Music and Best Production Design. The film was selected as the French entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 66th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences{{cite journal | last = Frook | first = John Evan | title = Acad inks Cates, unveils foreign-language entries | journal = Variety | date=30 November 1993| url = https://variety.com/1993/film/news/acad-inks-cates-unveils-foreign-language-entries-116185/ | access-date =25 August 2008}}

The film, set in the nineteenth century, closely follows the plot of the novel, which is a realistic story of a coalminers' strike in northern France in the 1860s.

Synopsis

The film takes place in Northern France in a coal mining town during the mid-nineteenth century. The film begins with Étienne Lantier, an unemployed engineer, arrives at a coal mine named "Le Voreux" seeking work. He is ignored by each over-worked, tired miner until Maheu learns that one of his team members has died and must find a replacement. Maheu is the father of eight children some of whom work in the mines. Catherine is on her father's mining team and becomes interested in Étienne Lantier when he begins working with them. Later, he moves in with them because the Maheu family needs the rent money he provides after their eldest son, Toussaint, marries the girl he impregnated.

The main action of the film occurs after a cave-in in the mines due to insufficient timbering. The director of Voreux, Philippe Hennebeau, lowered the price of each coal cart to encourage the miners to spend more time timbering after the costly accident. Étienne who arrived at "Le Voreux" after punching his former boss and getting fired, had already been encouraging workers to go on strike. His lively conversations with Rassneur (who possesses socialist views) and Souvarine (who possesses anarchist views) about going on strike and earning better working conditions for the miners occur throughout the film. The workers go on strike led by Maheu and Étienne; however, Catherine, influenced by her possessive lover, Chaval, goes to work at Jean Bart, another mine in the area. Maheude, Catherine's mother and Maheu's wife, kicks her out of the house, and she is forced to live with the emotionally abusive Chaval, while Etienne pines for her.

As the strike progresses, soldiers are sent to Voreux to protect the mine and keep the town in check. Maheu and Etienne host a rally one night and Chaval appears, claiming allegiance to the cause. The next day, he arrives at Jean Bart to stop work. However, he is unsuccessful; even Catherine is against him, and the miners return to work after a minor interruption until Maheu and Étienne arrive at Jean Barts.

At the height of the strike, the workers of Voreux march on the factory, which is protected by soldiers, and demand they stand down. The workers who brought women and children, including Maheude and her infant, were emboldened to destroy the mine. After a brief standoff, Maheu is shot and killed and the strike comes to a halt.

The following day, the workers return to Voreux, but Souvarine, the anarchist, sabotages the mine so that it would flood. The workers return as Souvarine leaves, and Étienne, Chaval, and Catherine are trapped in the mine when it fills with water and the mine shaft collapses. Chaval tries to attack Catherine after accusing her of cheating on him with Étienne, so Étienne defends her by killing Chaval. The two lovers are finally together for a brief moment before Catherine dies in the mine. Zacharie and several other miners enter the mine at another point to save Catherine and Étienne but is killed by an explosion from his lantern. Étienne makes it out of the mine alive and leaves Voreux for good in the final scene after saying goodbye to Maheude, who is seen descending into the mine with the other workers.{{Cite web |title=Kanopy - Stream Classic Cinema, Indie Film and Top Documentaries |url=https://www.kanopy.com/en/mtsu/video/533002 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=www.kanopy.com}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107002/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st#cast |title=Germinal (1993) |work=IMDb |access-date=2024-12-03 |via=www.imdb.com}}{{Cite web |last=Maslin |first=Janet |date=March 11, 1994 |title=Review/Film: Germinal; From Claude Berri, A Zola Classic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/11/movies/review-film-germinal-from-claude-berri-a-zola-classic.html |website=The New York Times }}{{Cite web |title=Germinal - {{!}} Movie Synopsis and Plot |url=https://www.showtimes.com/movies/germinal-25767/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=showtimes.com |language=en-US}}

While the strike occurs, the audience receives glimpses into the lives of the Director (Hennebeau) of mines and his family. Hennebeau's nephew, Paul Négel, is the engineer at Voreux. He is engaged to Cécile Gregoire, the daughter of, Voreux's owner Léon Gregoire. However, Paul is having an affair with this aunt, Madame Hennebeau.

Historical Context

Émile Zola wrote Germinal as the thirteenth novel of part of a twenty-part series titled Les Rougon-Macquart, which focuses on themes of Naturalism which Zola heavily endorsed throughout his life.{{Cite web |title=Germinal Summary and Study Guide |url=https://www.supersummary.com/germinal/summary/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=SuperSummary |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-01-08 |title=The Naturalism of Émile Zola |url=https://literariness.org/2018/01/08/the-naturalism-of-emile-zola/ |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Literary Theory and Criticism |language=en-US}} The novel deals with themes of family, Marxism, labor relations, class relations, and poverty.{{Cite web |title=Émile Zola - French Novelist, Naturalism, Les Rougon-Macquart {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emile-Zola/Les-Rougon-Macquart#ref202534 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} Zola wrote the novel after spending about a week with miners on strike in northeastern France. He took a thousand of pages of notes and released the novel in 1884. Zola named the novel after the spring month of the French Republican Calendar as a metaphor for the growth or rebirth of people as they realize they no longer have to face exploitation. In fact, at the time of its publishing, the French population was mostly unaware of the poor working conditions of miners and horrified by this revelation as well as shocked by the idea that they might unite. The themes in Germinal were very fitting for the time, during which labor relations were strained and the proletariat workforce was heavily exploited as a result of the Industrial Revolution in France. In 1892 alone French workers went on strike 261 times and working conditions did not improve for most.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-29 |title=History of Europe - Organized Labour, Mass Protests {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/The-rise-of-organized-labour-and-mass-protests |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}

Cast

{{castlist|

Renaud : Étienne Lantier
Miou-Miou : La Maheude
Gérard Depardieu : Toussaint Maheu
Jean Carmet : Vincent Maheu dit Bonnemort
Judith Henry : Catherine Maheu
Jean-Roger Milo : Antoine Chaval (Called Chaval in the novel, the name Antoine is from the files of Emile Zola)
Laurent Terzieff : Souvarine
Bernard Fresson : Victor Deneulin
Jean-Pierre Bisson : Rasseneur
Gérard Croce : Maigrat
Jacques Dacqmine : Philippe Hennebeau
Anny Duperey : Madame Hennebeau
Frédéric van den Driessche : Paul Négrel
Annick Alane : Madame Grégoire
Pierre Lafont : Léon Grégoire
Yolande Moreau : La Levaque
Thierry Levaret : Zacharie Maheu
Albano Guaetta : Jeanlin Maheu
Séverine Huon : Alzire Maheu
Jessica Sueur : Léonore Maheu
Mathieu Mathez : Henri Maheu
Alexandre Lekieffre : Maxime Maheu (Estelle Maheu in the novel)
Georges Staquet : Levaque
Sabrina Deladerière : Philomène Levaque
Maximilien Reggiani : Pierron
Joël Petit : Bébert
Anne-Marie Pisani : La Mouquette
{{ill|André Julien (actor)|lt=André Julien|fr|André Julien}} : Mouque
Yvette Petit : La veuve Désir
Solenn Jarniou : Madame Rasseneur
Fred Personne : Pluchart
Cécile Bois : Cécile Grégoire
Delphine Quentin : Lucie Deneulin
Alexandrine Loeb : Jeanne Deneulin
Fred Ulysse : Dansaert
Frédérique Ruchaud : Honorine
Maryse Moutier : Mélanie
Jenny Clève : Rose
Nathalie Hequet : Amélie
Bruno Tuchszer : Captain of the Guards
Fernand Kindt : Company Secretary
André Chaumeau : Company Cashier
Philippe Desboeuf : The Doctor

}}

Reception

=Critical reception=

The movie was well received by the critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 75% of 12 critics gave the film a positive review, for an average rating of 6.9/10.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/germinal/?search=Germinal|title = Germinal|website = Rotten Tomatoes}}

=Box office=

The film opened at number one at the French box office with a gross of 29.6 million French francs ($5.2 million) from 314 theatres in its opening week.{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|page=14|date=18 October 1993|title=International Box Office|quote=$5,201,736; $1=5.7FF}} It expanded to 456 theatres in its second week and remained at number one with a gross of 36.8 million francs ($6.5 million){{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|page=40|date=25 October 1993|title=International Box Office|quote=$6,452,430; $1=5.7FF}} and stayed there for a third week.{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|page=14|date=1 November 1993|title=International Box Office}} The film had 6,161,776 admissions in France making it the fourth most attended film of the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=4525&view=2|title=Germinal (1993)- Resultats France|website=JPBox-Office|access-date=7 February 2021}} The film grossed $36.1 million worldwide.