Jezebel - 1938 ***

Bette Davis was certainly known for her quick temper and this film seems to prove that. I can't imagine she was a particularly pleasant woman to work with but she still delivers a good performance in this movie about a feisty young woman in mid 19th century Louisiana who defies rule and doesn't listen to anybody. Her headstrong manner doesn't do her any good however and after one memorable scene involving a red dress, her fiance Pres (played somewhat weakly by Henry Fonda) decides enough is enough and leaves her. Her arrogance from that day forward is shattered and she tries to come to terms with what has happened.

The story itself isn't one of the more interesting that I have seen but it's always good to see Miss Davis in a film where she really gets to throw herself into the part. You could look at this film as a pre Gone With the Wind experience. But I can't say I found this as good as the latter.