Jezábel

There are some classics that simply have not aged well, and Jezebel is one of them. It has William Wyler in the director's chair, who at times turns it into an immeasurable epic, it has Bette Davis, who confirms her status as a legend when she can simply raise an eyebrow and still outperform even a great like Henry Fonda. And yet it also has an unpleasantly superficial veneer, a twist based on the color of the dresses, which doesn't work only partly due to the black and white palette of the material, but also due to its archaism – and first and foremost it has a main character who is supposed to atone for her sins, even though the statuesque men around her behave much worse than she does. This aspect feels physically unpleasant when watching, and because the parallels between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries do not resonate in the desired way today, I have to remain somewhat restrained in my rating. (2023.10.29)

I've known that Bette Davis is captivating for some time, but thanks to this movie, I was convinced of it again. Her acting performance is so great that she has no competition in the movie. She's not an actress whom the camera loves, there have been others for that, but she is an actress with incredible talent who was able to deliver uniquely. Her portrayal of Julie is exactly what requires an excellent performer. The screenplay itself is certainly not weak and has suitable twists. (2014.08.20)