2.5/4  There was a woman who did evil ...
... in the sight of the Lord and her name was Jezebel. Bette Davis is daring in this, and she actually was pregnant for part of the film (by director William Wyler) and had an abortion. You can see her with different weights during the fil... (read full)

4/5 Unexpectedly delightful
  by R. Swanson (New Mexico)
This is another gem that I pulled from the shelves of the public library. I'd never heard of it and didn't expect much, especially with the melodramatic title of Jezebel!

So I was happilly surprised at how good it was. The star is of course, Bette Davis, looking far more beautiful than I had ever seen her to be elsewhere. It's said that she fell in love with the director, William Wyler, during the shooting and that may explain her radiance, joyfulness and even moments of gentleness--qualities that seem to be lacking in most of her roles.

The story is a bit lackluster but the production certainly makes up for it. The costumes, sets and music are all first rate. Wyler is known to bring out good performances from his actors and here it is certainly true. Besides Davis' Oscar winning performance, Fay Bainter excells as Davis' aunt and she, too, won an Oscar. Henry Fonda is good as the traditional but forward thinking banker. Only George Brent lacks something as the scoundral.

I was disappointed at the ending which seemed horribly abrupt after a long build-up. I had grown to care about the characters and really wanted to know what happened next.

5/5 One of Bette's Best
  by Terrence L. Sellers (new jersey)
If you ever want to make someone understand why Bette Davis was the star she was, you have only to plop them down and have them watch this! As Julie Marsden, a headstrong,willful Southern Belle (is there any other kind?LOL)she upsets convention,indeed flouts it,in her way of doing things in her sphere,1852 New Orleans,where women had a place and,for the most part.stayed there. No so,Julie! From her entrance (a STAR entrance is there ever was one)Bette makes it clear and indelible,just who her character is and what drives her. She's always watchable and that holds true here.
The transfer of this dvd sparkles and Davis never looked better. The special featuresJezebel (Restored and Remastered Edition)s are great and informative as well.
SEE IT!

5/5 "I'll love her most when she's meanest, because I know that's when she's lovin' most"
  by Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service)
Jezebel is one of Bette Davis' best known films--and for a good reason! Davis turns out an incredible performance as Julie Marsden, a haughty, stubborn, selfish and rather spoiled young woman from a wealthy Southern family who takes her fiancé for granted and enjoys manipulating people. Indeed, Bette Davis acted so well that she won a Best Actress Oscar for this performance. While in some ways the film is a vehicle for Davis, we also get great acting from a very special cast. Henry Fonda plays Preston Dillard, Julie's love interest, flawlessly and George Brent does a superb job of playing Buck Cantrell, a man about town who is also a friend of the Dillard family and Julie's family. Look also for a wonderful performance by Fay Bainter who plays Julie's Aunt Belle; she won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The cinematography is excellent and of course the choreography shines particularly bright in the ballroom scene when Julie and Preston Dillard are dancing.

When the movie starts, we meet several principle characters. There's Julie, who thinks nothing of convention or being polite just so long as she gets her own way. Julie bursts in very late on a party in her honor in their New Orleans home wearing horseback riding clothes when all the other ladies are appropriately dressed for an evening party. Julie also makes a royal mess of things when she insists that her fiancé Preston Dillard accompany her to the Olympus Ball--where she deliberately offends people, bucking tradition and convention, by wearing a bright red dress instead of a white dress which is essentially the dress code for ladies at the ball. Eventually, Preston becomes so infuriated that he calls off his engagement to Julie; and Julie is crushed.

At the same time, we also meet the men of the old South who lived lives steeped in "death before dishonor." Insults were often resolved by duels and men had to "defend" their women who were perceived as "fragile." There are also the slaves who work for the Marsden family: we meet "Uncle Cato" (Lew Payton) and Theresa Harris does justice to the role of Zette. There's even a scene or two with Bette Davis and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson; Eddie plays a slave who goes by "Gros Bat."

The plot thickens when several things occur. After a year up North, Preston returns to New Orleans--with his new wife, Amy (Margaret Lindsay). Needless to say, this irks Julie to no end. There are dinnertime quarrels over abolitionism; and widespread panic ensues when the usually fatal yellow fever grips the city.

Of course, things can still go anywhere from here. Will Julie be able to force Preston to choose yet again between herself and Amy? What happens when Buck Cantrell and Ted Dillard (Richard Cromwell), two good friends, have an intense fight that is egged on by Julie? Will anyone of them catch yellow fever; and what might happen after that? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch and find out!

The DVD comes with the original theatrical trailer and a few other extras. How I wish there was a commentary or interview footage with some of the cast! However, the movie is so special that I can almost ignore this disappointment.

Jezebel remains one of the best films of the entire twentieth century; this is a "must-have" DVD for Bette Davis fans everywhere. Of course, people who love classic movies in general will also want to add this to their collections.


4/5 love old movies
  by Ellen D. Perreault (Canada and USA)
I love all old movies, I have been teaching school for the last 39 years, I am the oldest of my school but the youngest in spirit, energy

My favorite moments are the time spent watching all my old movies.

I am trying to get as many as I can, I do have quite a collection, of new old, drama, comedies, musicals, westerns, etc

There are still some movies that I can't get yet because they haven't been realised yet. But I am still hoping. Exanple The Blue Veil with Jane Wyman a 1951 movie.
A Certain Smile, with Joan Fontaine, ( in this movie Johnny Mattis sings a Certain Smile. I could mention so many that I would like to have.
Thanks Ellen Doucet Perreault

5/5 Must See
  by V. Ozenghar (Gulfport, MS)
If you loved Gone with the Wind, you will love this Bette Davis classic! Henry Fonda was wonderful as well. This is one of my top 10 movies.