is one way of thinking about this film, which is an adaption of a play. The first act must end at the bedroom scene where Ashley/Pres forgets he came up the steps to cane his lady. The second ends with the conclusion to the ball scene. The third concluding act is announced with the title "One Year Later."
Like many plays it begins slowly, almost too slowly, as Wyler gives the viewer exposition: Buck Cantrell and friends, including Pres' brother, talking at the bar, the end result being arrangements for a duel the next day, The story moves to a party at Julie's house, where the host is notably absent. When she does appear on a fractious colt, bantering lightly with Our Gang's Stymie, and then her guests, her character is drawn and limned deeper by a trip to Pres' bank, where she interrupts an important meeting. All of these scenes are more or less padding, allowing Wyler to ring up the curtain on the Ball and the red dress. From that point, melodrama breaks out, holding the viewer to the fitting climax where Julie/Scarlett and Amy/Melanie almost switch roles.
What is important to remember is that Wyler and Warners were not doing a send-up of the yet to be released GWTW, but rather using Owen Davis' 'old and often produced play.' And what a job they did, working in the customary Warners' Black and White style. Maybe Davis would be stronger and more southern had it been in color, but the ball scene, and the dinner scenes at Halcyon would not have the impact they do here. The credits scroll over moonlit moss-covered trees, and bear a similarity to those used two years later in the Wyler/Davis masterpiece, The Letter. Both films were scored by Max Steiner, but in Jezebel, Steiner uses an old ballad of the period to underplay Julie's preparations for her reunion with Pres, and it is pure genius, something years ahead of its time. It begins low and slow but as Julie gets more frenetic, it becomes louder and faster.
Watch too as Julie/Davis uses the same nervous mannerisms with the cut flowers as she did as Leslie Crosbie and her needle work in The Letter. In fact the two films make a perfect Bette Davis doubleheader.
Like many plays it begins slowly, almost too slowly, as Wyler gives the viewer exposition: Buck Cantrell and friends, including Pres' brother, talking at the bar, the end result being arrangements for a duel the next day, The story moves to a party at Julie's house, where the host is notably absent. When she does appear on a fractious colt, bantering lightly with Our Gang's Stymie, and then her guests, her character is drawn and limned deeper by a trip to Pres' bank, where she interrupts an important meeting. All of these scenes are more or less padding, allowing Wyler to ring up the curtain on the Ball and the red dress. From that point, melodrama breaks out, holding the viewer to the fitting climax where Julie/Scarlett and Amy/Melanie almost switch roles.
What is important to remember is that Wyler and Warners were not doing a send-up of the yet to be released GWTW, but rather using Owen Davis' 'old and often produced play.' And what a job they did, working in the customary Warners' Black and White style. Maybe Davis would be stronger and more southern had it been in color, but the ball scene, and the dinner scenes at Halcyon would not have the impact they do here. The credits scroll over moonlit moss-covered trees, and bear a similarity to those used two years later in the Wyler/Davis masterpiece, The Letter. Both films were scored by Max Steiner, but in Jezebel, Steiner uses an old ballad of the period to underplay Julie's preparations for her reunion with Pres, and it is pure genius, something years ahead of its time. It begins low and slow but as Julie gets more frenetic, it becomes louder and faster.
Watch too as Julie/Davis uses the same nervous mannerisms with the cut flowers as she did as Leslie Crosbie and her needle work in The Letter. In fact the two films make a perfect Bette Davis doubleheader.