Jezebel (1938)

In 1850s Louisiana, a free-spirited Southern belle loses her fiancé due to her stubborn vanity and pride, and vows to win 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 Marsden
Henry Fonda	...	Preston Dillard
George Brent	...	Buck Cantrell
Margaret Lindsay	...	Amy Bradford Dillard
Donald Crisp	...	Dr. Livingstone
Fay Bainter	...	Aunt Belle Massey
Richard Cromwell	...	Ted Dillard
Henry O'Neill	...	General Theopholus 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

In one of her most renowned roles, Bette Davis portrays Julie Marsden, a spoiled Southern belle who risks losing her suitor with her impetuous behavior. Engaged to successful banker Preston Dillard, Julie pushes him away with her arrogant and contrary ways, leading to a scandalous scene at a major social event and his subsequent departure. When Preston eventually returns and Julie attempts to win him back, she discovers that it may be too late.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

You can almost hear the beat of her strange wild heart...as the screen's greatest actress, in her greatest role, thrillingly portrays this dangerous daughter of Dixie...half angel, half siren-all woman!

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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:

Jezabel

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

William Wyler was torn between a contractual need to finish Henry Fonda's scenes by December and his knowledge that Bette Davis would give her best performance if he shot her role in sequence. As the film fell behind schedule, Wallis and Warner fumed that the director had spent two days on a scene with only Davis and co-star George Brent.

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Goofs

Preston Dillard is seen entering a street level door, then going downstairs to the gentlemen's bar. New Orleans has a notoriously high water table, so buildings would not have had basements or lower levels.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Buck Cantrell: [to cabby] Boy, stop here.
[to Dick]
Buck Cantrell: Might as well get us a bottle.
Dick Allen: Julie'll have plenty to drink at the ball.
Buck Cantrell: Yes, pardon Dick - always messed up with cherries n' such. Come on.
[to cabby]
Buck Cantrell: Wait right here.
Driver: Yes sir, Mr. Cantrell sir.
[Buck and Dick enter the St. Louis Hotel]

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Crazy Credits

The credits are blurred across the screen

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in P.S. I Love You (2007)

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Soundtracks

Beautiful Dreamer
(1862) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Foster
Sung and hummed by Bette Davis

User Reviews

Excellent Davis

Bette Davis dominates the whole movie with a mesmerizing performance,which earned her a second Oscar. As the love of her life we find a young and handsome Henry Fonda.Davis,who sometimes overacted gloriously, is kept more subdued by master director William Wyler. Her performance is the better for it.George Brent,playing the other male lead, has rarely been better.As the southerner unable to change his obsolete ways,he's a marvel.The musical score by Max Steiner is one of his best and adds to the brilliant depiction of a bygone era. Depiction of African-Americans in movies from this era are often very racist, but I found some scenes were they were portrayed more sympathetic than in other movies of the thirties. Jezebel is one of the best movies I have seen with Bette Davis.