Jezebel (1938)

A haughty headstrong Southern Belle in Antebellum Louisiana loses her fiance due to her stubborn vanity and pride and vows to get him back.

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Clements Ripley (screen play), Abem Finkel (screen play)

Stars:

Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Davis	...	Julie
Henry Fonda	...	Preston Dillard
George Brent	...	Buck Cantrell
Margaret Lindsay	...	Amy
Donald Crisp	...	Dr. Livingstone
Fay Bainter	...	Aunt Belle
Richard Cromwell	...	Ted
Henry O'Neill	...	General Bogardus
Spring Byington	...	Mrs. Kendrick
John Litel	...	Jean La Cour
Gordon Oliver	...	Dick Allen
Janet Shaw	...	Molly Allen
Theresa Harris	...	Zette
Margaret Early	...	Stephanie Kendrick
Irving Pichel	...	Huger

Storyline

Set in antebellum New Orleans during the early 1850's, this film follows Julie Marsden through her quest for social redemption on her own terms. Julie is a beautiful and free spirited, rapacious Southern belle who is sure of herself and controlling of her fiancé Preston Dillard, a successful young banker. Julie's sensitive but domineering personality--she does not want so much to hurt as to assert her independence--forces a wedge between Preston and herself. To win him back, she plays North against South amid a deadly epidemic of yellow fever which claims a surprising victim.

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Plot Keywords:

southern belle | 1850s | 19th century | civil war | based on play | 

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Taglines:

A Fearless Feminine Creature with a heart full of love !

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

26 March 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

L'insoumise

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director William Wyler was known for working with the script of the films he was directing, but was unable to do so here to the degree he wanted because shooting started on the first part of the script before the rest was finished. Because he was too busy to contribute to the writing, Wyler asked that John Huston be brought in to act as the middleman between him and the writers, and the studio agreed.

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Goofs

When Zette admires Julie's dress, the apron on her uniform is pinned to the uniform in some shots and unpinned in other shots.

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Quotes

Gros Bat: But, Miss Julie! Miss Julie, Miss Julie, ma'am! It's too risky for a white lady, Miss Julie. Me, I kind of mix in with the night. But them sheriff folks ain't fooling. They're shooting first and asking afterwards!
Julie: Bat, you hear me? We're going!

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Crazy Credits

The credits are blurred across the screen

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Connections

Referenced in Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot (2013)

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Soundtracks

An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), Op. 314
(1867) (uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauss

User Reviews

Southern Discomfort

The American South has always had an aura of sadness around it. I don't know why exactly. This film tends to reinforce that perception. Characters start off with high hopes for the future, only to succumb to some unfortunate fate, as a direct result of their Southern roots.

In pre-Civil War New Orleans, Julie Marsden (Bette Davis) is a wealthy young woman, engaged to respected banker Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda). But Julie is strong-willed, independent, and impetuous, traits considered unwomanly by that era's Southern aristocracy. Against Preston's wishes, Julie wears a red dress, instead of the customary white, to a gala ball. This event sets up the rest of the story.

While the support cast in "Jezebel" is fine, especially Fay Bainter, the film would not be the same without Bette Davis. I just can't see anyone else in the role of Julie. Davis' performance and the film's setting are what make this film so memorable. The costumes, the production design, the cinematography, and the music combine to convey a genuine sense of the antebellum South, with its stately manners that conceal narrow-mindedness and barbaric "chivalry".

Normally, I don't care for films whose subject matter is long ago history. But "Jezebel" is an exception, because it is so well made. I guess it is the tone of the film that really got my attention. The stately beauty of that time and place masks an underlying sadness, as a prelude to tragedy. Some might call it melodrama. But to me, that's just good drama.