Jezebel (1938)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

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 | South | Epidemic | Yellow Fever | Louisiana

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 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
Georges Renavent	...	De Lautruc (as George Renavent)
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)
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 by)

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)
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)
Robert S. Taplinger	....	publicity director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (A William Wyler Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1938) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1947) (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)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

104 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:TV-PG | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #3915)

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Because of excessive takes for each scene by director William Wyler, Jezebel (1938) allegedly ran 28 days behind schedule.

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:

Buck Cantrell: Look here, Miss Julie. You were out here a mighty long time with Pres Dillard.
Julie: Oh please, Buck. Pres had just been polishin' the brandy and...
Buck Cantrell: My back teeth. Did he lose his capacity to drink like a gentleman in the North too? What does he think a lady's house is - a riverboat bar? What did he do?
Julie: Oh Buck. I wouldn't have some silly thing I said be the cause of anything.
Buck Cantrell: Miss Julie, you won't be the cause of anything. Depend on me.
Julie: Thank you, Buck.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Nancy Drew (2007)

Soundtrack:

Waltz

It should have been filmed in color.

"Jezebel" was filmed at a time when color films were still rare.And it's really a pity ,because the scene of the red dress ,lavishly filmed by William Wyler,deserved it.No one films the ball scenes like Wyler used to do (think of that in "Wuthering Heights")Even if they did a remake in color anyway,it would be hard to find another Bette Davis.She gives a first-class performance .Take for instance the scene when Pres (Fonda) introduces Amy to Julie.Davis's attitude is remarkable in its suppressed anger and hatred.I cannot think of another actress playing like this.Davis also shines during the dinner when Buck speaks of the traitor Garrison,and she makes veiled hints at another treason.Mad jealousy emerges again when she regrets that women are not allowed to fight a duel.

Outside the ball scene,which is worth the price of admission alone,the scene when Davis sings with the children is still impressive today.But the yellow fever (jack) epidemic ,with its wagons full of bodies en route to the leprosaria (the Lazaret)can also still grab today's audience.