Gervaise (DVD)

Gervaise is a 1956 french film directed by rené clément and based on the novel l'assommoir by Émile zola. gervaise macquart, (maria schell, le notti bianche) a young crippled laundress, is left alone with two young children when her lover, auguste lantier decides to leave. despite many struggles she works hard to turn her life around and marries henri coupeau, a roofer and fulfils her dream of buying her own laundry, however things takes a turn for the worse as her old lover returns and her husband starts drinking heavily.