L'Assommoir (English: The Drinking Den) is a 1909 French drama film directed by Albert Capellani, adapting the eponymous 1879 play by William Busnach et Octave Gastineau, itself based on the 1877 novel by Emile Zola.

It is the first French feature-length film and the second produced by the Société cinématographique des auteurs et gens de lettres (SCAGL) [fr] (English: Cinematographic Society of Authors and Writers).

Lantier packs his things, puts his trunk on a cab and leaves after having given a note to a young boy.

Soon the boy arrives at the laundry and gives Gervaise Lantier's note that reads: "I have had enough of your jealous outbursts, and have decided to leave you.

As Coupeau climbs the ladder to return to work he stops for a moment to wave goodbye to his dear ones, when suddenly the planks give way under his feet and he is precipitated to the ground below.

Part Two Coupeau, now cured meets his friends, including Goujet and Virginie at a café, all carrying flowers.

Finally Coupeau is attacked with delirium tremens and after a difficult struggle with his companions, is carried a raving maniac to the hospital.

Burning with the desire for liquor, he drains the bottle of its contents and is immediately seized with delirium tremens.

Although the opening credits only refer to Emile Zola's novel, the film is actually an adaptation of the eponymous play by William Busnach et Octave Gastineau.

The play reduces the plot to its simplest expression, a drama of jealousy, highlighting a secondary character in the novel, Virginia, who, becoming here one of the main protagonists, brings about a change in the meaning of the original work.

[3] The film was shot at the end of 1908 in the streets of Paris and in the new studios built by Pathé next to its plant in Vincennes for its prestige productions.

[3] The film premièred during a Gala evening at the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris, together with The Assassination of the Duke of Guise on 21 December 1908.

[1] According to spectators at the time of the release, a narrator (similar to the Japanese benshi) commented and explained the story.

It combines cleverly staged studio sequences with location shots set in the streets of Paris and a guinguette.