Jezebel (1938)

I was very surprised that I liked this movie as much as I did. Bette Davis stars as Julie Marsden, a young woman living in 1852 New Orleans. She is a woman who loves to push boundaries and limits of high society. She is engaged to Preston Dillard, a young banker played by a very handsome Henry Fonda. However, their relationship ends when she decides to wear a red dress to the Olympus Ball instead of a white dress like all unmarried women are expected to wear. Preston is embarrassed and decides to dump Julie and move to New York for business. When he returns the next year Julie thinks she will have a second chance to win his love but he has a surprise for everyone - a wife named Amy. Now that Pres is married and yellow fever is spreading through the city Julie must find a way to atone for her sins before it's to late.

The acting in this movie is wonderful. Bette Davis expertly sheds her New England speech for a southern accent. She plays this character down a lot more than most of her characters. I feel that a lot of time she is overacting and over the top but she was very subtle in this film. Fonda is also great as Julie's frustrated betrothed. This is a terrific southern epic and if you love Gone with the Wind like I do this should be on your must view list.