Jezebel (1938)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Owen Davis (play)
Clements Ripley (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 March 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Fearless Feminine Creature with a heart full of love !

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Southern Belle | 1850s | Pride | Louisiana | Vanity

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Gros Bat (as Eddie Anderson)
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Ti Bat (as Stymie Beard)
Lew Payton	...	Uncle Cato (as Lou Payton)
Georges Renavent	...	De Lautruc (as George Renevant)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trevor Bardette	...	Sheriff at Plantation (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	New Orleans Sheriff (uncredited)
Maurice Brierre	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Daisy Bufford	...	Flower Girl (uncredited)
Frederick Burton	...	First Director (uncredited)
Georgia Caine	...	Mrs. Petion (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Madame Poulard (uncredited)
Frank Darien	...	Bookkeeper (uncredited)
Suzanne Dulier	...	Midinette (uncredited)
Jack George	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Servant (uncredited)
George Guhl	...	Fugitive Planter (uncredited)
John Harron	...	Jenkins (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Doctor at Duel (uncredited)
Dolores Hurlic	...	Errata (uncredited)
Philip Hurlic	...	Erronens (uncredited)
Fred Lawrence	...	Bob (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel	...	Driver (uncredited)
Edward McWade	...	Second Director (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Bar Companion (uncredited)
Charles Middleton	...	Officer (uncredited)
Jack Norton	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Tony Paton	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Ball Assistant Director (uncredited)
George Sorel	...	Bar Companion (uncredited)
Jacques Vanaire	...	Durette (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim	...	Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
Owen Davis		(play "Jezebel") (as Owen Davis Sr.)
Clements Ripley		(screenplay) &
Abem Finkel		(screenplay) and
John Huston		(screenplay)
Robert Buckner		contributor to screenplay construction (uncredited)
Louis F. Edelman		contributor to treatment (uncredited)

Produced by
William Wyler	....	producer
Henry Blanke	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Ernest Haller		(photography)

Film Editing by
Warren Low

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly

Makeup Department
Carl Axzelle	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Margaret Donovan	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Karl Herlinger	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Hal Lierley	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Bert Sutch	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Fellows	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Huston	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Arthur Lueker	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Bob Ross	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Fred M. MacLean	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Pat Patterson	....	props (uncredited)
George Sweeney	....	assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound
B. Berry	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
J. Jensen	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Frank Weixel	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Audrey Scott	....	stunt double: Bette Davis (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cecil Craig	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Mack Elliott	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bob Galbraith	....	best boy (uncredited)
Al Roberts	....	second camera operator (uncredited)
B. Weiler	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Stanley Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ida Greenfield	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Bert Soter	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Dalton S. Reymond	....	technical advisor
Freda Rosenblatt	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Sally Sage	....	stand-in: Bette Davis (uncredited)
Robert S. Taplinger	....	publicity director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (A William Wyler Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1938) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Dominant Pictures Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1938) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1938) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Emerald (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1960) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 (1938) | USA:Approved (PCA #3915) | Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Sweden:15 | Australia:G (TV rating) | Finland:K-11 (2006) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Jeffrey Lynn originally was cast in the Pres role, but the producers of the play he was appearing in refused to release him. Fonda was a last minute replacement.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Aunt Belle:Julie, child, I'm so sorry.
Julie:For heaven's sakes, don't be gentle with me now. Do you think I wanna be wept over? I've gotta think, to plan, to fight.
Aunt Belle:But you can't fight marriage.
Julie:Marriage, is it. To that washed-out little Yankee. Pres is mine. He's always been mine. And if I can't have him...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Glass Menagerie (1950)

Soundtrack:

Etude in E Op.10 No.3

Warner Bros. to MGM's and #1 picture, Gone with the Wind

After winning the Oscar for best actress in 1936 for "Dangerous", Bette Davis began to complain that Warner Brothers was not giving her scripts that were worthy of her talent. In 1936, Warner suspended her without pay for turning down a role. She then went to England, in violation of her contract, with the intention of starring in a movie without Warner Brothers' approval. The studio stopped her, telling her that if she didn't work for them she wouldn't work anywhere. In defiance, she sued to break her contract. Although she lost the lawsuit, Warner Brothers began to take her more seriously and even paid her legal expenses. The part in "Jezebel" was thought to be an olive leaf offered by the studio to mollify her.

About that time, Davis made it known that she wanted the lead in David O. Selznick's upcoming production of "Gone With the Wind". She was actually considered for the role, but Warner told Selznick that they wouldn't agree to loan her out unless he also took Errol Flynn for the part of Rhett Butler. Davis refused to work with Flynn and angrily turned down the part, although Selznick did not intend to agree to Flynn regardless. Many believed that Warner Brothers purposely created an impossible deal to punish Davis for the lawsuit while making it appear they were trying to help her. It isn't clear whether "Jezebel" was offered to her before or after the negotiations for GWTW. Clearly, it didn't matter, because Bette Davis went out and gave one of the best performances of her career and won her second Oscar for best actress.

This film is GWTW without Yankees. Instead, the enemy is yellow fever. The story takes place in New Orleans in the 1850's. Although there are references to the abolitionists and the prospect of war, the entire story takes place prewar. This story focuses on the southern lifestyle of the period, and in this way it is very similar to its more famous counterpart. It also follows the life and times of one very spirited woman named Julie Marsden (Bette Davis), who could have been Scarlet O'Hara's soul mate.

Julie shocks New Orleans society when she insolently comes to a ball wearing a red dress when it is the custom for all proper southern girls to wear white. (A production note of interest: The famous "red" dress was actually black satin, which was used because red didn't produce enough contrast in the black and white film, causing it not to stand out enough.) As a result, her beau Preston Dillard (a youthful Henry Fonda) is mortified and he breaks off their engagement. Included in the story are a couple of duels over points of honor, a stark depiction of the yellow fever epidemic, and the noble resurrection of a contrite Julie Marsden upon Preston's return.

As always, director William Wyler (with whom Bette Davis was romantically linked) does a fantastic job at direction, giving the film a genuine southern flavor and period feel. The black and white cinematography in this film is tremendous and procured the film one of its five Oscar nominations.

The acting is superb all around. This is certainly one of Bette Davis' best and most memorable performances and it helped secure her place in movie history as one of Hollywood's greatest stars. Though she never won another Oscar, she went on to be nominated eight more times with five straight nominations between 1939 and 1943. Ironically, in 1940 she lost to the beautiful, and exceptional Vivien Leigh, who won in the role Davis turned down.

Fay Bainter is marvelous as Aunt Belle Bogardus garnering a best supporting actress Oscar. Henry Fonda shows a hint of his future greatness in a fabulous portrayal of Julie's no-nonsense beau. George Brent (with whom Davis also was rumored to have had an affair) also turns in a strong performance as Buck, the honorable gentleman who duels his best friend to defend Julie's honor.

This is a wonderful film with great acting and directing. Though not the epic that GWTW became, it contains certain elements that Selznick undoubtedly incorporated at Tara, since the similarities between the films are striking at times. I rated this film a 10/10. For anyone interested in seeing why Bette Davis is considered one of the great actresses of the Studio era, this film is a must.

10/10

1938 138 minutes CC.