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)

Also Known As:

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

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:

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: Don't stand there with your eyes bulging out like that!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Glass Menagerie (1950)

Soundtrack:

Waltz

Wonderfully directed, superbly acted by Davis and Bainter

Bette Davis is at her best in this 1800s Southern melodrama in which her attempts to snag a married ex-love (Henry Fonda) end in tragedy. Storywise this is nothing new, and there are way too many scenes were people talk endlessly about Southern manners. Also seeing all the black slaves so happy and singing is a bit hard to take. But the direction by William Wyler is excellent. He directs in a way that makes you part of the action (especially in the ball sequence and a duel at the end). Best of all is Davis. Her performance is superb--when she's on screen you can't take your eyes off her. She won a well-deserved Best Actress Oscar for this. Also Fay Bainter is excellent as her long-suffering aunt--she won Best Supporting Actress. All the acting is good except for Henry Fonda--he's so stiff and dull--what does Davis want with him? One last complaint--it's not in color. I know there are two reasons for this: 1) the expense and 2) they did tests and Davis looked horrible in color (think about it--how many color movies did she make?). Still, the non-stop compliments about the red dress at the beginning are annoying--the dress looks black! Still, this is worth seeing for Davis, Bainter and the direction.