L'Assommoir

Directed by Albert Capellani

With Alexandre Arquillière, Jacques Grétillat, Jacques Varennes, Gabrielle Réjane and Eugénie Nau

Everyman Coupeau's attempts to stop drinking are routinely thwarted by the wicked and vengeful Virginie. Based on Zola's novel, Capellani's film is about the free fall of a group of working-class French folk into degradation and tragedy due to carelessness, jealousy, and alcohol abuse. At the time of its release, L'Assommoir was hugely successful.