Jezebel (1938 film)

Jezebel (Jezebel in Spain; Jezebel the Stormy in Argentina) is a 1938 American film directed by William Wyler and starring Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Richard Cromwell and Fay Bainter. The script adapts the homonymous novel written in 1933 by Owen Davis Sr. (1874 - 1956).

The film was the winner of two Oscars in 1939: those for Best Leading Actress (Bette Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Fay Bainter), and was nominated for to three others.

William Wyler received an award from the Venice International Film Festival for his extensive artistic contribution.

Plot

George Brent and Bette Davis in Jezebel

During the Antebellum period, beautiful, impulsive, and temperamental Southerner Julie Marsden (Bette Davis) makes a memorable entrance at the Olympus Grand Debutante Ball. In an age when unmarried girls were expected to wear pure white, she stubbornly insists on wearing an inappropriate, sinful, and incendiary red dress. Her purpose is to arouse the jealousy of her fiancé, the banker Preston Dillard (Henry Fonda), but she only succeeds in destroying her chances with him. Her aunt, Belle Bogardus (Fay Bainter), tells her she's crazy, to which she confidently retorts, "Not so crazy." He will return." But Preston goes North and finally decides to marry another, without her knowledge.

Three years later, Preston returns, and a determined and remorseful Julie humbly apologizes to Preston, on her knees, begging for his forgiveness, this time wearing a white dress, asking him to love her as she loves him. Amy (Margaret Lindsay), Preston's wife, enters the room to be introduced. Preston turns her down.

A jilted Julie provokes a duel between Buck Cantrell (George Brent), a former admirer of hers, and Preston's younger brother Ted (Richard Cromwell), who ends up killing Buck. This causes everyone she knows to ignore her and despise her.

She redeems herself by serving heroically during a yellow fever epidemic, convincing Amy to allow her to care for her husband Preston, who has contracted the disease and has been confined to an island, where all the sick are quarantined. and left to their fate.

Cast

• Bette Davis... Julie Marsden
• Henry Fonda... Preston Dillard
• George Brent... Buck Cantrell
• Donald Crisp... Dr. Livingstone
• Fay Bainter... Aunt Belle Massey
• Margaret Lindsay... Amy Bradford Dillard
• 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

Awards and nominations

National Board of Review