Director: William Wyler
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Top Billed Actors: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent
Won 2 Oscars:
Best Actress - Bette Davis
Best Supporting Actress - Fay Bainter
Nominated for 3 more:
Outstanding Production - Warner Bros.
Best Scoring - Max Steiner
Best Cinematography - Ernest Haller
Plot: A she-devil Southern belle does atrocious things like wearing a red dress while the ideals of the North and South are debated amidst a raging epidemic.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Top Billed Actors: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent
Won 2 Oscars:
Best Actress - Bette Davis
Best Supporting Actress - Fay Bainter
Nominated for 3 more:
Outstanding Production - Warner Bros.
Best Scoring - Max Steiner
Best Cinematography - Ernest Haller
Plot: A she-devil Southern belle does atrocious things like wearing a red dress while the ideals of the North and South are debated amidst a raging epidemic.
Where to begin with Jezebel (1938)? There is so much interesting trivia in terms of behind-the-camera shenanigans and tidbits specifically related to the Academy Awards. Let's get the spicy stuff out of the way. This is Bette Davis' first time working with William Wyler. Apparently, it was a good time due to their romantic affair and the film itself, which can be pinpointed as the solidifying leading lady work of hers. Wyler's relationship with the other lead, Henry Fonda, is that they both were married and divorced to actress Margaret Sullavan prior to working together here. Hollywood is a close knit community to say the least! In terms of the Oscars, this Wyler's second of seven consecutive years that he directs a Best Picture nominee (he eventually directs the winner at the end of this seven year run). This is Davis' first appearance in a Best Picture nominee, but this is the first of five consecutive Best Actress nominations and her second win. She currently ranks third in all time nominations so, suffice to say, she is a leading lady after all. This is also the first film to have two performances win when Davis and Fay Bainter took home statuettes.
On to the film itself, Jezebel is often described as a black-and-white Gone with the Wind (1939). The comparisons are valid as this focuses on a Southern belle, there are debates of North vs. South, and Max Steiner's score evokes that rose-tinted view of the old South; the white people are never mistreating their slaves and they look downright happy for serving them. Despite this troubling perspective, this is definitely a product of its time and there are numerous artistic qualities that pierce through it. First and foremost, Davis' performance is astonishingly masterful. There's this twinkle in her eye that foreshadows her propensity to cause mischief. I didn't think I would ever care which color dress a woman would wear to a ball, but Davis makes me invested in this moment leading up to the big dance. Then, her reactions to Fonda's character as he makes her dance despite her wishes to get out of dodge are way on the other side of her devilish spectrum. I never knew if I should be reveling in her conniving, getting satisfaction for her having to reap what she sowed, or feeling sorry for her eventual misfortunes. Her performance makes me believe every step of the way. Back to that dance sequence - its one of wonder and scale. Many extras dancing, long takes, and elaborate interior designs highlight what's great about most of the film. I am very surprised this wasn't nominated for Art Direction, especially given the fact that there were eleven nominees that year.
Davis' performance isn't enough to elevate the film completely, however. I'm not as high on Fonda, who plays opposite her. He just has a strange accent and way of speech that doesn't take me back to 1850s Louisiana. Davis outperforms him every step of the way. Coming out a year before Gone with the Wind hurts this film's reputation in hindsight. Its smaller than Gone with the Wind, so it feels like its not covering as much ground, thematically or cinematically. In the end, this story is about a young woman's love for a man that gets married to someone else and the only thing that hooked me was Davis. If I were to have just read the screenplay, this wouldn't be compelling in the slightest...except for the plot-line about the Yellow Fever pandemic. This becomes the focus of the final third and its endlessly interesting in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps this will allow the film to gain some more notoriety over the next few years if there was some way to advertise that there is a pandemic subplot. However, the way the Yellow Fever illness invades the lives of the main characters creates a tidy way for Davis' character to redeem herself. Its not entirely in line with her character but thankfully, she can pull it off. Its a really lame ending to a very watchable movie.
Overall, Jezebel walked so Gone with the Wind could run. Yes, they both deal with similar themes and settings, but Bette Davis' performance is one for the ages; it's what established her as a leading lady of Hollywood. The production design, Max Steiner score, and the pandemic subplot are also highlights.
My Score: 8/10
On to the film itself, Jezebel is often described as a black-and-white Gone with the Wind (1939). The comparisons are valid as this focuses on a Southern belle, there are debates of North vs. South, and Max Steiner's score evokes that rose-tinted view of the old South; the white people are never mistreating their slaves and they look downright happy for serving them. Despite this troubling perspective, this is definitely a product of its time and there are numerous artistic qualities that pierce through it. First and foremost, Davis' performance is astonishingly masterful. There's this twinkle in her eye that foreshadows her propensity to cause mischief. I didn't think I would ever care which color dress a woman would wear to a ball, but Davis makes me invested in this moment leading up to the big dance. Then, her reactions to Fonda's character as he makes her dance despite her wishes to get out of dodge are way on the other side of her devilish spectrum. I never knew if I should be reveling in her conniving, getting satisfaction for her having to reap what she sowed, or feeling sorry for her eventual misfortunes. Her performance makes me believe every step of the way. Back to that dance sequence - its one of wonder and scale. Many extras dancing, long takes, and elaborate interior designs highlight what's great about most of the film. I am very surprised this wasn't nominated for Art Direction, especially given the fact that there were eleven nominees that year.
Davis' performance isn't enough to elevate the film completely, however. I'm not as high on Fonda, who plays opposite her. He just has a strange accent and way of speech that doesn't take me back to 1850s Louisiana. Davis outperforms him every step of the way. Coming out a year before Gone with the Wind hurts this film's reputation in hindsight. Its smaller than Gone with the Wind, so it feels like its not covering as much ground, thematically or cinematically. In the end, this story is about a young woman's love for a man that gets married to someone else and the only thing that hooked me was Davis. If I were to have just read the screenplay, this wouldn't be compelling in the slightest...except for the plot-line about the Yellow Fever pandemic. This becomes the focus of the final third and its endlessly interesting in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps this will allow the film to gain some more notoriety over the next few years if there was some way to advertise that there is a pandemic subplot. However, the way the Yellow Fever illness invades the lives of the main characters creates a tidy way for Davis' character to redeem herself. Its not entirely in line with her character but thankfully, she can pull it off. Its a really lame ending to a very watchable movie.
Overall, Jezebel walked so Gone with the Wind could run. Yes, they both deal with similar themes and settings, but Bette Davis' performance is one for the ages; it's what established her as a leading lady of Hollywood. The production design, Max Steiner score, and the pandemic subplot are also highlights.
My Score: 8/10