Émile Zola

Writer · Died September 28, 1902, aged 62 · Paris, France

Émile Zola, in full Émile-Édouard-Charles-Antoine Zola, was a French novelist, critic, and political activist who was the most prominent French writer of the late 19th century. He was noted for his theories of naturalism, which underlie his monumental novel series Les Rougon-Macquart, and for his intervention in the Dreyfus Affair through his famous open letter, J'Accuse…!

Biography from TMDB.

Born: April 2, 1840
Died: September 28, 1902 (aged 62)
From: Paris, France
Works as: Writer
Titles: 21 on MovieCove · 85 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 56% in 30 days

What are Émile Zola's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Bonds.

Genres

Drama14 titles69^th

Crime3 titles46^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Power

34%

Bonds

20%

Morality

16%

Survival

15%

Self

Society

Ideas

Romantic love8 Class8 Survival4 Guilt3 Obsession3 Greed3 Power2 Corruption2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 17

Dark

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 16

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 6

Intense

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 5 · Intense 12

Shifting

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

Heavy

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 15

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic

Tense

Dread

Romantic

Bittersweet

Other

How their films linger

Haunting12 Devastating10 Bittersweet6 Unsettling5 Thought-provoking2 Infuriating2

How their films end

Bittersweet4
Tragic16

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Émile Zola's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Lionsgate+1 title, show their title on Lionsgate+
MHz Choice1 title, show their title on MHz Choice
ViX1 title, show their title on ViX

Subscription and free streaming for Émile Zola's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

85 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)
Novel
Close Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Show 12 episodes · Novel
Un Mariage d'amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Original Story
My Coffin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Original Story
Germinal(2021)
Show 6 episodes · Writer
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
Linhas Cruzadas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Show 1 episode · Writer
Mike Wallace Is Here(2019)
as (archive footage)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Areno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Novel
In Secret(2013)
Novel
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
The Paradise(2012)
Show 16 episodes · Novel
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
La Joie de vivre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Novel
Thirst(2009)
Novel
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Nadia Coupeau, dite Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Novel
This Filthy Earth(2001)
Writer
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Na koniec świata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Novel
Cruel Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Novel
Germinal(1993)
Novel
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
L'Argent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Show 3 episodes · Novel
Manifesto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Novel
Naná (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Novel
Nana(1983)
Novel
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Radosť žiť (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Novel
Therese Raquin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Show 3 episodes · Novel
The Beasts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Novel
Madame Sourdis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Short Story
Kořist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Novel
The Criminal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Novel
La petición (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Short Story
Germinal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Novel
The Trap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
Author
Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Novel
The Demise of Father Mouret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Novel
Alta comedia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Show 1 episode · Novel
Germinal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Show 5 episodes · Novel
Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Show 5 episodes · Novel
The Game Is Over(1966)
Novel
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Germinal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
Novel
Agony of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)
Novel
Wedding Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
Short Story
Lovers of Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)
Novel
La bestia humana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)
Novel
Gervaise(1956)
Novel
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)
Novel
Human Desire(1954)
Novel
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Thérèse Raquin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)
Novel
Lak Yom Ya Zalem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)
Novel
Passionnelle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)
Novel
Naïs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)
Short Story
Naná (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)
Novel
Shop Girls of Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)
Novel
The Human Beast(1938)
Novel
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Nana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
Novel
The Struggle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Novel
Le rêve(1931)
Novel
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Au Bonheur des Dames (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Novel
L'Argent(1928)
Novel
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Thérèse Raquin(1928)
Novel
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Nana(1926)
Novel
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Nantas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Short Story
Zum Paradies der Damen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)
Novel
L'assommoir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)
Novel
Maddalena Ferat(1920)
Novel
La terre(1921)
Novel
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
Le rêve(1921)
Novel
Die Bestie im Menschen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)
Novel
Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
Novel
Thérèse Raquin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)
Book
The Beast in Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
Novel
Nanà (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
Novel
La cuccagna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
Novel
The Marble Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)
Novel
Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)
Novel
Destruction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)
Novel
Seelen, die sich nachts begegnen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)
Short Story
The Miracle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)
Novel
Brother Against Brother(1913)
Novel
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Germinal; or, The Toll of Labor(1913)
Novel
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The City Hyena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)
Novel
In the Land of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)
Novel
Una pagina d'amore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)
Novel
The Attack on the Mill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1910)
Story
Faldgruben (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1909)
Novel
L'Assommoir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1908)
Novel
Down in the Coal Mines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1905)
Novel
Alcohol and Its Victims (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1902)
Novel

Career shape

A full career of 84 titles, 83 of them dated from 1902 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Thirst (2009)

$13M worldwide

Highest rated

The Human Beast (1938)

Midcredits 92^nd

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting1 of 84Writing83 of 84 · 68^th

By decade

1900s4 · crew1910s15 · crew1920s11 · crew1930s5 · crew1940s4 · crew1950s8 · crew1960s4 · crew1970s10 · crew1980s7 · crew1990s3 · crew2000s2 · crew2010s5 · 1 acting · 4 crew2020s5 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Émile Zola's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68^th percentile, the median of the 17 of 19 with a score; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

64^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

51^stpercentile

Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

75^th and up8
50^th to 74^th3
25^th to 49^th6
Below 25^th2

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved1
Divisive1
Cult Classic1
Crowd Pleaser10
Broadly Agreed1
Mixed5

Most divisive · writer

Thérèse Raquin (1928)

94^th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

The Human Beast (1938)

Midcredits 92^nd · 82% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 42/100 and the plot and story 50/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Émile Zola's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Sex & Nudity6 titles29–79 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most films

Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 47 · moderate

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Émile Zola work with?

People who share at least 2 of Émile Zola's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jean Renoir shares the most, 2.

Directors

Jean Renoir2 titles See all 2 shared titles with Jean Renoir
Jacques de Baroncelli2 titles See all 2 shared titles with Jacques de Baroncelli

Writers

Denise Leblond2 titles See all 2 shared titles with Denise Leblond