Jezebel (1938)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

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

Release Date:

10 March 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | 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:

Mosquito Bite | Mosquito | Duel | Antebellum South | 19th Century

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)
Georges Renavent	...	De Lautruc (as George Renavent)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lew Payton	...	Uncle Cato
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	...	Midinelte (uncredited)
Jack George	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Jesse Graves	...	Servant (uncredited)
George Guhl	...	Fugitive Planter (uncredited)
John Harron	...	Jenkins (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		(writer) &
Abem Finkel		(writer) &
John Huston		(writer) and
Robert Buckner		(writer)

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

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

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

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director

Other crew
Dalton S. Reymond	....	technical advisor
Robert S. Taplinger	....	publicity director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros.-First National Pictures Inc.)

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 Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Insoumise, L' (France) (Switzerland: French title) [fr]
Figlia del vento (Italy) [it]
Jezabel (Spain) [es]
Jezabel la tempestuosa (Argentina) [es]
Jezebel (Brazil) [pt]
Jezebel (Austria) [de]
Jezebel (Finland) [fi]
Jezebel (Greece) [el]
Jezebel (Denmark) [da]
Jezebel - Die boshafte Lady (West Germany) [de]
Jezebel - die boshafte Lady (Germany) [de]
Jezebel, a Insubmissa (Portugal) [pt]
Skandalen kring Julie (Sweden) [sv]

Runtime:

103 min | 104 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Vitaphone

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Australia: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:

Edmund Goulding was originally slated to direct and Anita Louise was originally cast in the Margaret Lindsay role.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Mrs. Kendrick and Stephanie go up the steps to the porch of Julie's house, we see a diagnal ray of light shine across the front door. Just before Cato opens the door, the light is gone.

Quotes:

Julie Marsden: Why do you treat me like a child?
Preston Dillard: Because you act like one. A spoiled one.
Julie Marsden: You used to say you liked me like that once. You never wanted me to change. Remember?

Movie Connections:

Featured in For Your Consideration (2006)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Dreamer

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.