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Rating: 5 out of 5
I was trying to think of what a jezebel is. I was having a hard time because I was thinking of those old classic women in the south. I looked in Webster’s dictionary, and their definition of jezebel was an impudent, shameless, or morally unrestrained woman. As I sat back and thought about this definition while looking at the film Jezebel, I saw that this definition is spot on. This was expertly done by the outstanding performance of the legendary Bette Davis.
Jezebel is directed by William Wyler. Set in antebellum New Orleans during the early 1850s, the film follows Julie Marsden (Davis). Julie is a gorgeous, free-spirited ravenous Southern belle who has extreme confidence in herself and is very controlling of the ones around her. Julie is engaged to banker Preston “Pres” Dillard (Fonda). During an important meeting, Pres tries to convince the bank’s board to invest in railroads, as Northerners are doing, and set up measures to prevent another outbreak of yellow fever. Julie interrupts the meeting by making an outlandish request, only for Pres to rebuff her. Upset and wanting retaliation, Julie buys a brazen red satin dress for the Olympus Ball. This ball is the most important social event of the year, and unmarried women are expected to wear virginal white. As Pres and Julie’s family look on in horror, Julie is not affected until they arrive at the ball. Julie’s dress is met with disgust, and while feeling uncomfortable, she begs Pres to take her away. Pres forces her to dance until the very end. Back at home, Pres having enough of Julie’s attitude and shit, decides to end the relationship and move up north. Heartbroken, Julie lives in silence for a year until she gets word that Pres is coming back. When Pres arrives, Julie dresses in an all-white dress but, to her dismay, learns that Pres is now married to his Northern wife, Amy (Lindsay). Julie is now determined to get back the man she loves as New Orleans falls into the epidemic of yellow fever.
First off, this film is all about the performance of Bette Davis. Davis’ performance was fantastic, outstanding, excellent, amazing, and all the other accolades she deserves. Once again, I haven’t seen many of Davis’ films, but as Julie, she was strong-minded, sassy, and did things her way. She was extremely manipulative and trifling in her quest to get what she wanted. Davis looks like she isn’t a woman to be trifled with. I have to give major props to Davis for this role.
Now for the actual story. Some say it’s a redemption story, but I don’t see it like that. I felt like, in the end, Julie was still trying her best to get with Pres. When Pres came back, she thought she had a chance. First, she wears an all-white gown as she sits on the ground like an innocent child. She begs for forgiveness and a return of his love but doesn’t know he was married until she sees Amy. She was like, aww hell no! What does this trifling woman do? Julie eggs on her longtime admirer, skilled duelist Buck Cantrell, to quarrel with Pres, but this action becomes a MAJOR disaster. Pres’ inexperienced brother, Ted, steps up and challenges Buck. In a shocking upset, Ted kills Bud. Julie is shocked that it happened. In another scene, Julie asks black slaves to come and sing to the unamused look of everyone. Homegirl is trying HARD!
The “redemption” part comes when the deadly yellow fever spreads through New Orleans. A quarantine is in place, and Pres goes off to help only to catch Yellow Fever. Also, New Orleans becomes a ghost city with the disease as everyone fights and shoots each other. As the family gets a pass from the governor, a wagon comes and picks up Pres. Amy begs to go, but Julie states that she is not equipped as she doesn’t know the creole language or how to deal with the creole people. Amy gives her blessing, but it seems like this was another ploy to get Pres back. She is a high-class woman, and she will speak to black people? Give me a break. Amy, my dear, she is going to take your man. Are you telling me that she learned her lesson in 24 hours? Give me a break.
As far as the rest of the cast, Henry Fonda was pretty good. In the role of Pres, he showed some serious disappointment in Julie. He made no bones about leaving Julie after her fiasco. On the other side, Fay Bainter as Aunt Belle Massey was also really good. She was that caring aunt that wanted the best for Julie.
Overall, Jezebel is a fantastic film. If you want to see some drama, this movie has it. People getting shot and a deadly disease spreading through the heart of New Orleans. Bette Davis is spectacular as she is a spoiled, sassy woman trying to get her man back after he said deuces to her. Watch this film and see some fantastic acting.
