Jezebel is a 1938 American drama film released in 1938 and directed by William Wyler. It stars Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, supported by 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.

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

Plot[link]

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. All of Julie's friends are shocked, but no one can convince her to give up her whim.

Fonda and Davis

At the Olympus ball, every woman on the floor is dressed in white. Pres and Julie's entrance is met with shock and disdain by 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 forces her to dance with him. All the other dancers leave the floor, finally leaving them alone. When the orchestra stops playing at the instruction of one of the ball's sponsors, Pres orders the conductor to continue. Pres and Julie finish the dance alone, with the assemblage looking on.

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 on business. Julie shuts herself up in her house and refuses to see visitors.

A year later, Pres finally returns, to help Dr. Livingstone (Donald Crisp) try to convince the city authorities to take measures against an outbreak of yellow fever. Before Pres can stop her, Julie humbles herself and begs for his forgiveness and a return of his love. Then Pres introduces her to his Northern wife Amy (Margaret Lindsay).

Dismayed, Julie eggs on her admirer, 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. As Dr. Livingstone had warned repeatedly, a deadly epidemic of yellow fever sweeps the city, as it had done 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, but Julie stops her. She tells the Northerner that she does not 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.

Background[link]

The Turner Classic Movies Database states that the film was offered as compensation for Bette Davis after she failed to win the part of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.^[1] Despite a radio poll showing Bette Davis the audience favorite for the role, Selznick did not consider her suitable for it. It should be noted that this film marked the beginning of super stardom for actress Davis and her performance is extraordinarily effective in capturing the complex motives that drive her character's actions.^[2]

Main cast and characters[link]

	Bette Davis as Julie Marsden		Henry Fonda as Preston Dillard
	George Brent as Buck Cantrell		Donald Crisp as Dr. Livingstone
	Fay Bainter as Aunt Belle Massey

• Margaret Lindsay as Amy Bradford Dillard
• Richard Cromwell as Ted Dillard
• Henry O'Neill as General Theopholus Bogardus
• Spring Byington as Mrs. Kendrick
• John Litel as Jean La Cour
• Gordon Oliver as Dick Allen
• Janet Shaw as Molly Allen
• Theresa Harris as Zette
• Margaret Early as Stephanie Kendrick
• Irving Pichel as Huger
• Eddie Anderson as Gros Bat

Awards[link]

In 2009, it was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant and will be preserved for all time.^[3]

Wins[link]

• Academy Award for Best Actress - Bette Davis
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress - Fay Bainter
• Venice Film Festival: Special Recommendation for its overall artistic contribution - William Wyler

Nominations[link]

• Academy Award for Best Picture - Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography - Ernest Haller
• Academy Award for Original Music Score - Max Steiner
• Venice Film Festival: Mussolini Cup for Best Film - William Wyler

Adaptations[link]

The movie was adapted into the March 30, 1946 episode of the 30 minute radio program Academy Award Theater, with Bette Davis in the title role. Bette Davis also reprised the role on the August 12, 1949 episode of Screen Director's Playhouse. On October 27, 1940 it was adapted to The Screen Guild Theater with Jean Arthur. On November 25, 1940 it was adapted to Lux Radio Theater with Loretta Young.

DVD commentary[link]

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. In Basinger's opinion, this was the performance at the height of Davis's career and that Jezebel is the quintessential American "woman's" film.

See also[link]

• List of American films of 1938

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

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

External links[link]

• Jezebel at the TCM Movie Database
• Jezebel at AllRovi
• Jezebel at the Internet Movie Database
• Jezebel review and information in cosmopolis.ch

Streaming audio

• Jezebel on Screen Guild Theater: October 27, 1940
• Jezebel on Lux Radio Theater: November 25, 1940
• Jezebel on Academy Award Theater: March 30, 1946
• Jezebel on Screen Directors Playhouse: August 12, 1949