Jezebel (film)

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Jezebel

Theatrical Poster
Directed by William Wyler
Produced by Executive Producer:
Hal B. Wallis
Producer:
William Wyler
Written by Clements Ripley
Abem Finkel
John Huston
Robert Buckner
Story:
Owen Davis
Starring Bette Davis
Henry Fonda
George Brent
Music by Max Steiner
Cinematography Ernest Haller
Editing by Warren Low
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) March 10, 1938
Running time 103 minutes
Country United States
Language English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Jezebel is an American film drama released in 1938 and directed by William Wyler.[1]

The picture tells the story of a headstrong young Southern woman during the Antebellum period, and how her actions cost her the love of the man she loves.

The movie stars Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Richard Cromwell, and Fay Bainter.

The film was adapted by Clements Ripley, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Robert Buckner, from the play by Owen Davis, Sr.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Spoiled, strong-willed New Orleans belle Julie Marsden (Bette Davis) is engaged to banker Preston 'Pres' Dillard (Henry Fonda).

In retaliation for Pres refusing to drop his work and accompany her while she shops for a dress, she orders a brazen red one for the most important ball of the year, one where white dresses for unmarried women are expected. Everyone is shocked, but no one can convince her to give up her ill-judged whim.

Pres escorts Julie to the Olympus Ball, where their entrance is met by the disdainful stares of all present. She finally realizes the magnitude of her social blunder and begs Pres to take her away, but by this time, he is implacable. He makes her dance with him. All the other couples gradually leave the floor, finally leaving them alone and isolated. When the orchestra conductor stops playing, Pres orders him to continue and they finish the dance.

Afterwards, Pres takes his leave of Julie, implicitly breaking their engagement. In a final bit of spite, Julie slaps him in the face by way of farewell. Aunt Belle Massey (Fay Bainter) urges her to go after Pres and beg his forgiveness, but she refuses, arrogantly confident that he will return to her. Instead, he goes north for a prolonged period of time on business.

When Pres finally returns, Julie is more than eager to make up, but he has an unpleasant surprise for her, introducing her to his Northern bride, Amy (Margaret Lindsay). Julie eggs on her former suitor, skilled duellist Buck Cantrell (George Brent), to quarrel with Pres, but the scheme goes awry. Pres's inexperienced brother Ted (Richard Cromwell) is the one who is goaded into challenging Buck. In an unexpected twist, Ted emerges victorious; Buck is fatally shot.

Then something happens that overshadows everything else. A deadly epidemic of yellow fever sweeps the city, as it had numerous times before. Pres comes down with it and, like all other victims, is to be quarantined on an island. Amy prepares to go along to care for him, risking her own life and that of their unborn child, but Julie stops her. She tells the Northerner that she doesn't know how to deal with the slaves and Southerners on the island. She begs to go in her place, as an act of redemption. Amy agrees.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Background

Some argue the film was developed as a vehicle for Bette Davis after she failed to win the part of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.

However, the movie was filmed and released before the part of Scarlett was even cast in 1939. In fact, the character of a Civil War debutante that Davis played harmed her chances of landing the Gone With the Wind role, because it was felt she had already played the Scarlett character the year before.

[edit] Cast

Henry Fonda as Preston Dillard and Bette Davis as Julie Marsden.
Henry Fonda as Preston Dillard and Bette Davis as Julie Marsden.

[edit] Adaptations

The movie was adapted into an episode of the 60 minute radio program Academy Award, with Bette Davis in the title role.

[edit] Releases

In 2006, Film historian Jeanine Basinger recorded a comprehensive scene by scene commentary as part of the re-issued DVD of the film.

In her commentary about Davis, Basinger relates that this film is distinctive in the realm of women's pictures because of Orry-Kelly's brilliant costume designs for the actress.

Basinger states that the viewer is compelled to watch Davis in four stylings in particular: the riding crop/outfit in the beginning of the film, the scandalous scarlet red dress at the Olympus Ball, the virginal white dress she wears when she attempts to woo back Henry Fonda, and finally the cape at the end of the film she dons when she must go to help care for Fonda.

Basinger states that this was the performance at the height of Davis's career and that Jezebel is the quitessential American "woman's" film.

[edit] Awards

Wins:

Nominations:

[edit] References

  • Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507678-8. .

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Jezebel at the Internet Movie Database.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../j/e/z/Jezebel_%28film%29.html"