Review of Jezebel

Jezebel (1938)
10/10
Better than GWTW?
20 August 2004
Actually, I believe that "Jezebel" is a very different film "animal" from "Gone with the Wind". GWTW is a mega-epic, with the whole Civil War and Reconstruction period as backdrops. "Jezebel", on the other hand, plays out over a much shorter period of time, historically. I'm not even a big Bette Davis fan, but I'll say that if "Jezebel" doesn't convert you, you can't be impressed. All of the performances are excellently crafted and satisfyingly deep, as would be expected from a stage play taken to the big screen. I love GWTW, but "Jezebel" works as well or better at capturing the same basic period in US history, while also keeping you waiting expectantly for the heroine's next outlandish maneuver. William Wyler was one of the great directors, and his gift shines through in every scene. I give "Jezebel" 10/10 stars, and Davis more than deserved her Oscar.
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