Bette Davis gives one of the all time GREAT performances as Julie Marsden in Jezebel (1938). She’s mesmerizing in every single scene and even a few she isn’t. The extraordinary movie was directed by the wonderful William Wyler and also stars (among others) Henry Fonda, Bette Davis, Theresa Harris, Spring Byington, Fay Bainter, Richard Cromwell, and Margaret Lindsay.
Superb director, superb cast, superb movie.
This film is one of the ones I often recommend when someone either says they’ve never seen a Bette Davis movie or (even more difficult to comprehend) when someone tells me they don’t like Bette Davis.
Whether someone is new to the great Bette Davis or simply hasn’t seen her in roles they will appreciate, these are the films I automatically recommend:
- Jezebel
- In This Our Life
- Dark Victory
- The Bride Came C.O.D.
Now, Voyager, All About Eve, and Dark Victory are also (of course) excellent but the four above often draw people to Bette faster. I can only assume it has to do with the characters she plays in the ones above?
Bette Davis, Jezebel
If you’ve never seen Jezebel, I hope you’ll find it really soon. You can find Jezebel on dvd (Amazon link) or you can watch Jezebel on Prime Video (link to the movie).