"Jezebel" is constantly said to be the great Bette Davis's so-called consolation prize for not getting the role of Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind". This is actually one of Hollywood's biggest myths, considering "Jezebel" was released a year before "GWTW", and even before it began shooting. But even it were true, I'd hardly call "Jezebel" a consolation prize, with its slow pace, unlikeable characters, and unimpressive story. The movie's chain of events is started by a ludicrous plot device: a red dress.
I think it's criminal that Ms. Davis won only two Oscars in her career, and for movies that were beneath her talent: the outdated melodrama "Dangerous" and this clunker. If life were fair, Ms. Davis would have won the Osacar for "Now, Voyager", and, of course, "All About Eve". She wouldn't have made that great Scarlett O'Hara anyway; Vivien Leigh had a naturally haughty, blue-blooded air about her that was crucial for the character. But I digress.
"Jezebel" takes place in 1852 New Orleans, and Julie Marsden (Davis) is engaged to the effete banker Preston Dullard...er, Dillard (Henry Fonda, horrendously miscast). When he chooses to go to a meeting instead of accompanying her to a dress fitting for the Olympus Ball, Julie decides to get even by wearing a "saucy" red dress instead of the required white for unmarried ladies. Her plan works too well: Pres leaves her and heads North. After a whole year of moping and pining for Pres, Julie is thrilled to hear that he's coming back, but is shocked when she finds out that he's up and married a New Yorker named Amy (Margaret Lindsay, in a thankless part that did nothing to help her career). Julie, vindictive brat that she is, provokes her former beau Buck Cantrell (George Brent) to have a duel with Pres's brother, and Buck is killed as a result, his blood on Julie's conscience. When Pres is suddenly infected with the deadly Yellow Fever, he's sentenced to a leper colony... well, to die, I guess. Amy wants to go with him, but Julie convinces her that she can make Pres live. So poor dumb Amy lets Julie go in her place, so Julie can redeem herself to the man she loves. Never mind the fact that he's barely conscious and wasting away, and that Julie doesn't have the necessary skills to help him, and that she will probably outlive the man who no longer loves her and she'll be surrounded by sick and dying lepers for who knows how long. Makes perfect sense to me.
What bothers me most is how plot summaries wax poetic on how "strong-willed" Julie is. Give me a break! She has nothing on Scarlett O'Hara. After her grand entrance in her red dress at the ball, Julie suddenly chickens out and has to be forced by Pres to dance. Scarlett, on the other hand, danced with renowned scoundrel Rhett Butler at a charity bazaar in her widow's weeds without giving a damn what other people thought. And even though Scarlett pined foolishly for Ashley Wilkes, she was at least able to live her life and be a functional human being, whereas Julie wastes a year of her life waiting for a man who broke their engagement, not even considering he might have married someone else. I was also put off at "Jezebel"'s negative portrayal of women. According to the movie, they're either spoiled, selfish, immature harpies (Julie), or uninteresting housewives (Amy). The only female character I liked and rooted for was Julie's Aunt Belle (Fay Bainter). She loves Julie, but refuses to tolerate Julie's behavior (she's the one who calls Julie a "Jezebel"), and she's the only one who's truly nice and hospitable towards Amy, who is ridiculed by others for being a "Yankee". "Jezebel" may be significantly shorter than "GWTW", but four hours of "GWTW" is definitely more worth your time than an hour and forty five minutes of this pale imitation.
I think it's criminal that Ms. Davis won only two Oscars in her career, and for movies that were beneath her talent: the outdated melodrama "Dangerous" and this clunker. If life were fair, Ms. Davis would have won the Osacar for "Now, Voyager", and, of course, "All About Eve". She wouldn't have made that great Scarlett O'Hara anyway; Vivien Leigh had a naturally haughty, blue-blooded air about her that was crucial for the character. But I digress.
"Jezebel" takes place in 1852 New Orleans, and Julie Marsden (Davis) is engaged to the effete banker Preston Dullard...er, Dillard (Henry Fonda, horrendously miscast). When he chooses to go to a meeting instead of accompanying her to a dress fitting for the Olympus Ball, Julie decides to get even by wearing a "saucy" red dress instead of the required white for unmarried ladies. Her plan works too well: Pres leaves her and heads North. After a whole year of moping and pining for Pres, Julie is thrilled to hear that he's coming back, but is shocked when she finds out that he's up and married a New Yorker named Amy (Margaret Lindsay, in a thankless part that did nothing to help her career). Julie, vindictive brat that she is, provokes her former beau Buck Cantrell (George Brent) to have a duel with Pres's brother, and Buck is killed as a result, his blood on Julie's conscience. When Pres is suddenly infected with the deadly Yellow Fever, he's sentenced to a leper colony... well, to die, I guess. Amy wants to go with him, but Julie convinces her that she can make Pres live. So poor dumb Amy lets Julie go in her place, so Julie can redeem herself to the man she loves. Never mind the fact that he's barely conscious and wasting away, and that Julie doesn't have the necessary skills to help him, and that she will probably outlive the man who no longer loves her and she'll be surrounded by sick and dying lepers for who knows how long. Makes perfect sense to me.
What bothers me most is how plot summaries wax poetic on how "strong-willed" Julie is. Give me a break! She has nothing on Scarlett O'Hara. After her grand entrance in her red dress at the ball, Julie suddenly chickens out and has to be forced by Pres to dance. Scarlett, on the other hand, danced with renowned scoundrel Rhett Butler at a charity bazaar in her widow's weeds without giving a damn what other people thought. And even though Scarlett pined foolishly for Ashley Wilkes, she was at least able to live her life and be a functional human being, whereas Julie wastes a year of her life waiting for a man who broke their engagement, not even considering he might have married someone else. I was also put off at "Jezebel"'s negative portrayal of women. According to the movie, they're either spoiled, selfish, immature harpies (Julie), or uninteresting housewives (Amy). The only female character I liked and rooted for was Julie's Aunt Belle (Fay Bainter). She loves Julie, but refuses to tolerate Julie's behavior (she's the one who calls Julie a "Jezebel"), and she's the only one who's truly nice and hospitable towards Amy, who is ridiculed by others for being a "Yankee". "Jezebel" may be significantly shorter than "GWTW", but four hours of "GWTW" is definitely more worth your time than an hour and forty five minutes of this pale imitation.