IMDb > Germinal (1993)
Germinal
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Germinal (1993) -- It's mid 19th century in northern France. The story is about a coal miner's town. The workers are exploited by the mine's owner. One day, they decide to go on strike, and the authorities repress them.

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   1,634 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Claude Berri (writer)
Arlette Langmann (writer)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Germinal on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
March 1994 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
It's mid 19th century in northern France. The story is about a coal miner's town. The workers are exploited by the mine's owner. One day, they decide to go on strike, and the authorities repress them. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 wins & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
User Comments:
And you thought YOU had it bad? more (13 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Miou-Miou ... Maheude
Renaud ... Étienne Lantier
Jean Carmet ... Vincent Maheu dit Bonnemort
Judith Henry ... Catherine Maheu
Jean-Roger Milo ... Chaval

Gérard Depardieu ... Toussaint Maheu
Laurent Terzieff ... Souvarine
Bernard Fresson ... Victor Deneulin
Jean-Pierre Bisson ... Rasseneur
Jacques Dacqmine ... Philippe Hennebeau
Anny Duperey ... Madame Hennebeau
Gérard Croce ... Maigrat
Frédéric van den Driessche ... Paul Négrel
Annick Alane ... Madame Grégoire
Pierre Lafont ... Léon Grégoire
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Additional Details

Runtime:
160 min | South Korea:144 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Near the end of the film, when Etienne and Catherine are looking for the way out of the mine, we see the shadows of the lamps on the right wall of the tunnel. It's to be supposed that the only light inside the mine came from the lamps. more
Quotes:
Etienne Lantier: Who needs God and Heaven? We can change this lousy world. more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
And you thought YOU had it bad?, 17 July 2005
Author: (futures@exis.net) from Ronn Ives/FUTURES Antiques, Norfolk, VA.

"Germinal" (French, 1993): This EPIC story, adapted from Emile Zola's novel and put to film by Claude Berri (director of "Jean de Florette" and "Manon of the Spring"), is the gritty depiction of hard working coal miners in 1800's France, trying to eek out a living and better their lives by forming a labor union. Loaded with issues rising through the Industrial Age, Gerard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Judith Henry, and Jean-Roger Milo deservedly star in a frighteningly bleak setting, with ominous musical scoring, and the relentless, black dust of coal. Comparisons to the wealthy mine owners lives, opulent and very isolated from their industry's realities, are blatant and clear. Zola wanted some economic and moral balance – even just a little – and set about depicting a situation that could not be denied.

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