J'accuse (1919 film)

J'accuse is a 1919 French silent anti-war film directed by Abel Gance. It is a remake of Gance's own 1914 film of the same name, J'accuse! (also known in English as I Accuse!). The 1919 version is considerably longer and more elaborate than the original, incorporating footage shot during World War I and featuring thousands of French soldiers as extras, many of whom were veterans of the conflict.

The film's narrative centers on a love triangle that unfolds against the backdrop of World War I. The story follows Jean Diaz, a writer, who is in love with Edith, the wife of his friend François Laurin. When war breaks out, both men are mobilized. Edith commits adultery with Jean while her husband is away at the front. François eventually learns of the affair, leading to internal conflict and a moral crisis.

A key and iconic element of the film is its depiction of the horrors of war, featuring battle scenes, scenes of wounded soldiers, and the devastating impact of conflict on individuals and society. The film's most famous scene features a mass of ghostly soldiers, risen from their graves, marching towards the audience as if to accuse the living of forgetting the sacrifices made and the true cost of war. This scene is meant as a powerful condemnation of war and its destructive consequences.

J'accuse (1919) is considered an important work in the history of cinema for its innovative techniques, its unflinching depiction of the realities of war, and its powerful anti-war message. It solidified Abel Gance's reputation as a major filmmaker and helped to pave the way for his later, even more ambitious projects. The film also served as a poignant reminder of the trauma and loss experienced by a generation following the First World War.