MovieChat Forums > Jezebel (1938) Discussion > Thematic issues

Thematic issues

posted 16 years ago by omoo22
6 replies | jump to latest

I have become tired of the whole "redemption" take on this film; the commonly stated idea that the character of Julie learns to accept responsibility for her "transgressions" by accepting her "punishment", etc.

By blaming Julie for the tumultuous events, the other characters are absolving themselves of responsibility for their own silly, pig-headed, vindictive and cowardly actions.
Examples:
- everyone (including the spineless man who supposedly loves her!) condemning and shunning Julie for her harmlessly unusual social behaviour,
- cowardly men killing each other in duels over their own macho stupidity (and then blaming Julie),
- Amy absolving herself of responsibility to her husband by allowing Julie to go with him to plague island (reparation?).
The list goes on, to such an extent that Julie ends up feeling all the guilt and blame everyone is so selfishly and ungallantly heaping upon her, and then has to suffer the direct and immediate consequences of dying on plague island!

In reality Julie has nothing she should need to be "forgiven" or "redeemed" for, except a bit of passion and naivety in the face of ridiculous social conventions and vindictive, unintelligent people.
Her only "transgressions" are having a personality and being in love, two things that don't sit comfortably in the decayed and hypocritical society in which she finds herself.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ginmoses 16 years ago

Fabulous observations! I, like so many, forget to truly analyze things sometimes, and just "go along" mindlessly. It takes a little jarring--as you've done--to get me to use my head again.
And here you are so right on: she did nothing so horrible as to be expected to pay the ultimate price to atone. She was a scapegoat.

[–] omoo22 16 years ago

As I said, Julie is a "flawed" (ie, human) character (naive, etc.), but many of the other characters strike me as much more fatally flawed; cowardly, selfish, hyrocritical, vindictive, etc.
I wonder how the filmmakers (writers, director) saw the characters they were portraying? Were we meant to take the drama as "redemption" for Julie (as so many do), or was the film meant to give the option for broader interpretation, such as mine above?
I know the intentions of the artist are less important than the art itself, but I'm curious...

[–] cven73 14 years ago

It's a good question about the filmmakers' attitudes to the characters.

[–] archerhatesyou 16 years ago

Enlightening. I must say I've never thought of it that way.

* * *

"Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned. But I have many excellent excuses."

[–] kslcutter 11 years ago

Just finished watching this movie and what I got from the end was not Julie needing to make atonement for her supposed crimes, but one of true love. Love so strong that Julie was willing to risk death and seeing Preston with another woman then to see him dead.The bible story the end brought to my mind was the one of King Solomon who threatened to split the baby in two. Like in that story, Julie was willing to sacrifice all to see Preston happy & healthy.