Germinal

R

Released Sep 29, 1994

2h 38m

History

Drama

List

75%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

An ex-mechanic (Renaud) finds work in an 1870s French mine, then fuels a strike for better working conditions.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

For me, Germinal provided visual and dramatic images for 19th century history events that I only understood in an abstract way.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

As the 158-minute saga wears on, it is like spending too long in a reconstructed pioneer village. The film's didactic agenda undercuts the drama.

Oct 23, 2019

Full Review

Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

Though never boring, this tale of miners' lives is too frequently beset by cave-ins and clinkers.

May 22, 2018

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Jul 8, 2005

Full Review

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Audience Member

This movie was ABSOLUTELY terrible. Too long. I had to sit through this movie for several class periods during a French film course. I can truly say, without exaggeration, that the time I spent watching the movie was some of the most torturous moments of my life. However, the scenery in this movie was beautiful. The director dealt with colorful landscapes, and I found this artistic detail refreshing amidst an otherwise terrible movie. However, this was not enough to compensate for this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Legalz... mais c'est trop long! :-|

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Vividly grim and grimy adaptation of the Emile Zola novel about unionization of French coal miners in the late 1800s. So realistic I contracted black lung from watching it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Aside from the uneven acting, still a great movie! Excellent depiction of Marx's class conflict in a capatilist economy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ces prestations restent toujours aussi incroyable!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

don't know how I did it to the end

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Claude Berri

Director

Renaud

Étienne Lantier

Gérard Depardieu

Toussaint Maheu

Miou-Miou

Maheude

Jean Carmet

Vincent Maheu dit Bonnemort

Judith Henry

Catherine Maheu

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Synopsis

An ex-mechanic (Renaud) finds work in an 1870s French mine, then fuels a strike for better working conditions.

Director: Claude Berri
Creator: Emile Zola
Screenwriter: Claude Berri, Arlette Langmann
Production Co: France 2 Cinéma, DD Productions, Renn Productions
Rating: R
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 20, 2012
Runtime: 2h 38m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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