History Main / Jaccuse

Once upon a time in France, a renowned writer named Émile Zola penned a [[StronglyWordedLetter scathing open letter to the President]] (published in liberal publisher Georges Clemenceau's newspaper ''L'Aurore'' on January 13, 1898 -- that's it to the right) that accused the government of France's Third Republic of anti-Semitism and corruption in its handling of the Dreyfus Affair of 1894 -- in which an innocent French Army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who just happened to be Jewish, was used as a scapegoat in a German espionage case (France had recently lost a war to Germany and despised them), when it was quite clear to everyone that the only thing that Dreyfus was guilty of was being Jewish and from the region of Alsace (that was currently under German control). The letter pointed out the weakness of the evidence and several clear occurrences of judicial error and prejudice during Dreyfus's trial, and formally named and accused scores of people of everything from incompetence to crimes against justice and humanity; for someone so prominent and respected as Zola to write something so harsh was a big deal, and for that Clemenceau (who loved picking political fights) set the sensationalist headline, in giant, bold letters: "'''''J'Accuse...!'''''".

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_20131023.png]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[caption-width-right:350:"Or, as they would say it in Spain, ''yo acuso''"!]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[up]"Or, as they would say it in Spain, ''yo acuso''!]]

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jaccuse_9158.jpg]]

%%%
%%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct alphabetical order.
%%%

* There's also a 1958 film about Dreyfus, fittingly entitled ''I Accuse!'', directed by and starring Jose Ferrer, along with Anton Walbrook and Viveca Lindfors.

* ''Film/TheLifeOfEmileZola'': Award-winning 1937 film about the TropeNamer and Zola's crusade on behalf of Alfred Dreyfus. (The TranslationConvention is in full effect here, so Zola's letter is printed as "I Accuse!")

Once upon a time in France, a renowned writer named Emile Zola penned a [[StronglyWordedLetter scathing open letter to the President]] (published in liberal publisher Georges Clemenceau's newspaper ''L'Aurore'' on January 13, 1898 — that's it to the right) that accused the government of France's Third Republic of anti-Semitism and corruption in its handling of the Dreyfus Affair of 1894 — in which an innocent French Army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who just happened to be Jewish, was used as a scapegoat in a German espionage case (France had recently lost a war to Germany and despised them), when it was quite clear to everyone that the only thing that Dreyfus was guilty of was being Jewish and from the region of Alsace (that was currently under German control). The letter pointed out the weakness of the evidence and several clear occurrences of judicial error and prejudice during Dreyfus' trial, and formally named and accused scores of people of everything from incompetence to crimes against justice and humanity; for someone so prominent and respected as Zola to write something so harsh was a big deal, and for that Clemenceau (who loved picking political fights) set the sensationalist headline, in giant, bold letters: "'''''J'Accuse...!'''''".

[[folder:Film]]

* ''J'Accuse'': A French zombie movie released in the 1920s filled with as much political weight as can be. The ZombieApocalypse is the sudden uprising of the French dead of WWI, coming back to condemn the guilty living who sent them to die. The whole film is an anti-war polemic, which the director convinced the army was going to be a propaganda flick, so they gave him real soldiers for actors - 80% of whom died once they went back to the front.
* ''Film/TheLifeOfEmileZola'': Award-winning 1937 film about the TropeNamer and Zola's crusade on behalf of Alfred Dreyfus. (The TranslationConvention is in full effect here, so Zola's letter is printed as "I Accuse!".)

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'' once had a drug sniffing dog point at Zonker and say "J'accuse!".
* ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' had a panel where a live lobster bursts into a kitchen, points his claw at a chef cooking lobster, and shouts, "J'accuse!"
* And ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' got in on it.
-->'''Churchy [=LaFemme=]:''' J'accuse!\\
'''Howland:''' Don't you call me no j'accuse!
[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/BadMachinery'': An UnsoundEffect. Don't you wish your arm could do [[http://www.scarygoround.com/index.php?date=20100915 that?]]

* ''Webcomic/PlanetOfHats'': Said by Spock in [[http://www.mezzacotta.net/planetofhats/episodes/0022.html Space Seed.]]

Once upon a time in France, a renowned writer named Emile Zola penned a [[StronglyWordedLetter scathing open letter to the President]] (published in liberal publisher Georges Clemenceau's newspaper ''L'Aurore'' on January 13, 1898 -- that's it to the right) that accused the government of France's Third Republic of anti-Semitism and corruption in its handling of the Dreyfus Affair of 1894--in which an innocent French Army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who just happened to be Jewish, was used as a scapegoat in a German espionage case (France had recently lost a war to Germany and despised them), when it was quite clear to everyone that the only thing that Dreyfus was guilty of was being Jewish and from the region of Alsace (that was currently under German control). The letter pointed out the weakness of the evidence and several clear occurrences of judicial error and prejudice during Dreyfus' trial, and formally named and accused scores of people of everything from incompetence to crimes against justice and humanity; for someone so prominent and respected as Zola to write something so harsh was a big deal, and for that Clemenceau (who loved picking political fights) set the sensationalist headline, in giant, bold letters: "'''''J'Accuse...!'''''".

[[folder:ComicBooks]]
* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'': "[[CaptainObvious It's french]]. [[NoteFromEd - ed.]]"

[[folder:FanWorks]]

[[folder:{{Film}}]]

* There's also a 1958 film about Dreyfus, fittingly entitled ''I Accuse!'', directed by and starring Jose Ferrer, along with Anton Walbrook and Viveca Lindfors.

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]

* In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'' the hero Moist von Lipwig uses a technically complicated plot to replace a message used in a bet with his enemy Reacher Gilt to do a wonderful reveal of Reacher's entire plot and bring him and his minions down using this trope.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

* On ''Series/ThirtyRock'', Liz Lemon utters this phrase when some of Frank's cigarettes go missing, implying that he hasn't quit smoking. Turns out she ate them in her sleep.
* Dick once said it on ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''.
* The cat in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''.
* On ''Series/DoctorWho'', Lady Cassandra does this when the Ninth Doctor seemingly discovers the culprit that was attempting to kill them all - because she's hoping he won't realize that she's the real culprit. He does.

* Robert says this to Raymond in an episode of ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond''. Marie, who's taking French classes, says "[[CaptainObvious Ooh! Ray! He's accusing you!]]"
* In ''Series/{{Glee}}'' Stoner Brett yells this during a Brittany Spears performance by the New Directions.
* Lester lets one fly in a final season episode of ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' after discovering he and Jeff have been LockedOutOfTheLoop regarding Chuck's double life.
* ''Series/ModernFamily'' had Cam say this after he discovered his husband was keeping his larger clothes in case his diet fails, specifically because it was more dramatic than other ways.

[[folder:{{Music}}]]

[[folder:NewspaperComics]]

* Guybrush lets out the line at one point in the fourth chapter of ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland''.

* In ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'', this is the name of one of the attacks of Fugue, one of the BigBad Count Waltz's minions. Since CallingYourAttacks is fully in effect, you get to hear it its full glory.
--> '''Fugue''': You peasants can never appreciate beauty of this kind. '''J'accuse'''!

[[folder:WebComics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ShadowRaiders'': An episode title. The episode deals with the trial of a military officer that threatens society itself, no less.

* On one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Lisa complained about her French teacher not actually speaking French. "J'accuse!" "...What the hell is this broad talkin' about?"

* ''ShadowRaiders'': An episode title. The episode deals with the trial of a military officer that threatens society itself, no less.

This is a half-storied work of public journalism, half MemeticMutation. It goes like this:

* The first ''OddThomas'' book contains a gag about how, while Odd is towing a dead body out of an apartment, he's trying to be quiet, except that he has to dump it over the railing. As he comes down the stairs, he guesses that no one heard him because no one runs at him yelling ''J'accuse!''

* The cat in ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''

-->'''Jed Bartlet:''' ''J'accuse!''
-->'''Abbey Bartlet:''' Oh, brother!''
-->'''Jed Bartlet:''' ''J'accuse, [[GratuitousFrench mon petit fromage!]]''
-->'''Abbey Bartlet:''' You speak four languages. How come none of them is French?
-->'''Jed:''' Nothing's wrong with my French.
-->'''Abbey:''' You just called me "your little cheese"!
-->'''Jed:''' (beat) [[IMeantToDoThat That's right!]]

-->Churchy LaFemme: ''J'accuse!''
-->Howland: ''Don't you call me no j'accuse!''

-->'''Homer Simpson:''' "C. Montgomery Burns! I know you're guilty! J'accuse! (Main/{{Beat}}) Sir."
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' "Fine, I'll admit it. I had UsefulNotes/AmeliaEarhart's plane shot down. That hussy was getting too big for her jodhpurs.

---> '''Fugue''': You peasants can never appreciate beauty of this kind. '''J'accuse'''!

* ''Webcomic/BadMachinery'': An UnsoundEffect. Don't you wish your arm could do [[http://www.scarygoround.com/index.php?date=20100915 that]]?
** And [[http://www.scarygoround.com/index.php?date=20150618 here]], Lottie even uses it as an [[CallingYourAttacks called out attack]], like in an manga...
* ''Webcomic/PlanetOfHats'': Said by Spock in [[http://www.mezzacotta.net/planetofhats/episodes/0022.html Space Seed]].
** Used as an UnsoundEffect when Kirk accuses Lazarus in "[[http://www.mezzacotta.net/planetofhats/episodes/0027.html The Alternative Factor]]".

Once upon a time in France, a renowned writer named Emile Zola penned a [[StronglyWordedLetter scathing open letter to the President]] (published in liberal publisher Georges Clemenceau's newspaper ''L'Aurore'' on January 13, 1898 -- that's it to the right) that accused the government of France's Third Republic of anti-Semitism and corruption in its handling of the Dreyfus Affair of 1894--in which an innocent French Army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who just happened to be Jewish, was used as a scapegoat in an German espionage case (France had recently lost a war to Germany and despised them), when it was quite clear to everyone that the only thing that Dreyfus was guilty of was being Jewish and from the region of Alsace (that was currently under German control). The letter pointed out the weakness of the evidence and several clear occurrences of judicial error and prejudice during Dreyfus' trial, and formally named and accused scores of people of everything from incompetence to crimes against justice and humanity; for someone so prominent and respected as Zola to write something so harsh was a big deal, and for that Clemenceau (who loved picking political fights) set the sensationalist headline, in giant, bold letters: "'''''J'Accuse...!'''''".

* In ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'', this is the name one of the attacks of Fugue, one of the BigBad Count Waltz's minions. Since CallingYourAttacks is fully in effect, you get to hear it its full glory.

* ''J'Accuse'': A French zombie movie released in the 1920s filled with as much political weight as can be. The ZombieApocalypse is the sudden uprising of the French dead of WWI, coming back to condemn the guilty living who sent them to die. The whole film is an anti-war polemic, which the director convinced the army was going to be a propaganda flick, so they gave him real soldiers for actors - 80% of which died once they went back to the front.

* ''Series/ModernFamily'' has this exchange after Cam finds out Mitchell was keeping his (Cam's) larger clothing in the event of his ([[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Cam's]]) diet failing:
-->'''Cam:''' J'accuse!
-->'''Mitchell:''' That's one way of putting it.
-->'''Cam:''' How dare you!
-->'''Mitchell:''' That's another way.

Once upon a time in France, a renowned writer named Emile Zola penned a [[StronglyWordedLetter scathing open letter to the President]] (published in liberal publisher Georges Clemenceau's newspaper ''L'Aurore'' on January 13, 1898 -- that's it to the right) that accused the government of France's Third Republic of Antisemitism and corruption in its handling of the Dreyfus Affair of 1894--in which an innocent French Army officer, Alfred Dreyfus, who just happened to be Jewish, was used as a scapegoat in an German espionage case (France had recently lost a war to Germany and despised them), when it was quite clear to everyone that the only thing that Dreyfus was guilty of was being Jewish and from the region of Alsace (that was currently under German control). The letter pointed out the weakness of the evidence and several clear occurrences of judicial error and prejudice during Dreyfus' trial, and formally named and accused scores of people of everything from incompetence to crimes against justice and humanity; for someone so prominent and respected as Zola to write something so harsh was a big deal, and for that Clemenceau (who loved picking political fights) set the sensationalist headline, in giant, bold letters: "'''''J'Accuse...!'''''".

* In ''TheWestWing'' episode "The Indians in the Lobby", President Bartlet attempted to use this on his wife Abbey when he finds out it's her fault they were going to celebrate Thanksgiving in Camp David rather than their family farm in New Hampshire. It didn't work out so well, though:

* Robert says this to Raymond in an episode of ''EverybodyLovesRaymond''. Marie, who's taking French classes, says "[[CaptainObvious Ooh! Ray! He's accusing you!]]"

[[folder:FanWorks]]
* In Creator/AAPessimal's Hogswatchtime story ''Il se Passait au Nuit de Pere Porcher'', DEATH is detained by the Klatchian Foreign Legion, who, whatever ''else'' they may forget, always remember a deserter. [[note]] See ''Discworld/SoulMusic'' by Creator/TerryPratchett[[/note]]. DEATH is arrested with the formula of ''"J'accuse!"'' and is court-martialled. But Discworld literal-mindedness takes over and the court goes off at a tangent concerning a soldier called Corporal Jack Hughes, Hughes the Booze from Third Batallion...

[[AC:ComicBooks]]

[[AC:FanWorks]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* ''[[Series/AlloAllo 'Allo 'Allo]]'': In an unusual subversion of the show's trope of using JustAStupidAccent as a TranslationConvention for whatever language is actually being spoken. Lt. Gruber relates a dream he had of Rene saying "J'accuse! J'accuse!" and responds "Who is this "Jack Hughes"?" (Gruber believes he killed Rene with a firing squad and the Rene currently in the show is Rene posing as his own twin brother also called Rene). At the end of the episode Rene gets stuck on a [[RubeGoldbergDevice giant aerial]] rising out of a grave (they'd hidden a transmitter in Rene's crypt since it was empty) and Gruber sees this figure of Rene rising out of the grave (looking sheepish) and faints. Helga then says "Well at least he didn't mention this "Jack Hughes". Roll credits.
* On ''[[Series/ThirtyRock 30 Rock]]'', Liz Lemon utters this phrase when some of Frank's cigarettes go missing, implying that he hasn't quit smoking. Turns out she ate them in her sleep.
* Dick once said it on ''ThirdRockFromTheSun''.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' music album "Arthur's Really Rockin' Music Mix" has the song "Fern's Detective Tango, which is based on the events of the episode "Binky Rules." In the song, Fern sings about the various reasons why certain characters couldn't have been responsible for the graffiti reading "BINKY RULES," before finally declaring, "Binky, j'accuse!"

-->'''Jed Bartlet:''' ''"J'accuse!"''
-->'''Abbey Bartlet:''' "Oh, brother!"''
-->'''Jed Bartlet:''' ''"J'accuse, mon petit fromage!"''
-->'''Abbey Bartlet:''' "You speak four languages. How come none of them is French?"
-->'''Jed:''' "Nothing's wrong with my French."
-->'''Abbey:''' You just called me "your little cheese."
-->'''Jed:''' (beat) "That's right!"