Gervaise (film)
Gervaise is a 1956 French film directed by René Clément based on the 1877 novel L'Assommoir by Émile Zola. It depicts a working-class woman in the mid-nineteenth century trying to cope with the descent of her husband into alcoholism. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 29th Academy Awards. Schell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 1956 Venice Film Festival for her performance.Cast
- Maria Schell: Gervaise Macquart Coupeau, a patient and courageous laundrywoman
- François Périer: Henri Coupeau, Gervaise's husband, a roofer
- Suzy Delair: Virginie Poisson, an old rival who hates Gervaise
- Armand Mestral: Lantier, Gervaise's former lover
- Jany Holt: Mme Lorilleux, Henri's ill-tempered sister
- Mathilde Casadesus: Mme Boche, the concierge
- Florelle: Maman Coupeau, Henri's aged mother
- Micheline Luccioni: Clémence, a laundrywoman who works with Gervaise
- Lucien Hubert: Monsieur Poisson, a policeman and Virginie's husband
- Jacques Harden: Goujet, a smith, a friend of Henri and Gervaise
- Jacques Hilling: Monsieur Boche, the concierge's husband
- Hélène Tossy: Mme Bijard
- Amédée: Mes Bottes, Henri's drinking buddy
- Hubert de Lapparent : Monsieur Lorilleux, a chainmaker, Mme Lorilleux' long-suffering husband
- Rachel Devirys: Mme Fauconnier
- Jacqueline Morane: Mme Gaudron
- Yvonne Claudie: Mme Putois
- Georges Paulais: Father Bru
- Gérard Darrieu: Charles, laundry worker
- Pierre Duverger: Monsieur Gaudron
- Marcelle Féry: Laundry owner
- Denise Péronne: Laundrywoman
- Simone Duhart: Fishmonger
- André Wasley: Father Colombe
- Ariane Lancell: Adèle
- Aram Stéphan: the mayor
- Georges Peignot: Monsieur Madinier
- Max Elbèze: Zidore
- Jean Relet: sergent de ville
- Roger Dalphin: worker
- Armand Lurville: presiding officer at hearing
- Jean Gautrat: Bec Salé
- Christian Denhez: Étienne, Gervaise and Lantier's younger son, at the age of 8
- Christian Férez: Étienne at the age of 13
- Patrice Catineaud: Claude, Gervaise and Lantier's elder son, at the age of 6
- Chantal Gozzi: Nana, Gervaise and Henri's daughter, at the age of 5
- Michèle Caillaud: Lalie
- Gilbert Sanjakian: the Boches' son at the age of 6
- Yvette Cuvelier: Augustine, apprentice at the laundry, at the age of 13
- Paul Préboist: member of the audience at the cabaret
- Jacques Bertrand: factory foreman
