 The House of Squibb presents the finest in motion-picture entertainment, Academy Award. The House of Squibb, manufacturing chemist of the medical profession since 1858, brings you Academy Award. The pictures, the players, the techniques and skills which have won or have been nominated for the Covenant Awards granted each year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to each and his field for outstanding achievement. Each week, Squibb on the air brings you only the finest in motion picture art. Squibb in your home brings you only the finest medicinal product, pure, effective, reliable. Squibb, a name you can trust. Tonight's picture is jazzable. Tonight's star is the distinguished Warner Brothers player who has been nominated seven times for awards, has won the prize Oscar twice, past president of the Academy, Miss Betty Davis. With Miss Davis tonight appears another Academy Award winner, Miss Anne Revere, who won this year's Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in National Velvet. And now, Miss Betty Davis. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Miss Revere and I feel very honored to be on this first presentation of Academy Award. Those awards, it means so very much to all of us in the motion picture industry. Jazzable was written for radio by Frank Wilson, with an original musical score composed and conducted by Lee Stevens, and our producer-director is D. Engelbach. Academy Award, starring Betty Davis in her 1938 award-winning role of Julie Marsden with Anne Revere as Aunt Belle in Jazzable. It seemed like the end of our world. As General Bogartis and I stood in the street of you all in that dawn of 1851, listening to the depressing sound of the cannon as it was fired to dispel the fever which hung like a plague over the city. It seemed like the end of Julie's world, too, as we watched her slowly walk beside poor Preston Billard as they carried him to the island of the dead. Come, my dear, you can't stay in this street. Dawn is breaking. The morning shield is penetrating. And in these dangerous days, Miss Belle, what are you thinking? I'm thinking of a woman called Jezebel, who did evil in the sight of God. And yet I wonder... I wonder, Charles, you're out of your mind. You know you can't wear a red dress at an Olympus ball? Can't I? This is 1850, Donaldson, 1850, not the Dark Ages. Girls don't have to sin around in white just because they're not married. Students don't have a woman on the floor. You can't be serious. Never more serious in my life. But think of Preston. That's just what I am thinking of. Mr. Preston Billard, who thinks that he can let his own assayers come before me, his future wife. That started it, Miss Belle. That damnable red dress. But that wasn't Julie's fault. Oh, if Preston Billard had only taken my advice the night he came to call. I remember. You said... Your generation doesn't understand women, sir. Well, maybe not, General Bogartis. Nowadays. No proper respect for our Southern womanhood. Think your father would have allowed the lady of his choice to have come surgeon to his place of business this morning? Miss Julie didn't know I was presiding at a meeting, sir. Of course not, Preston. But even if the lady upstairs is my ward, I feel you should know what your father would have done. What would father have done, sir? Your father, sir, would have cut him a hickory, sir. He would have flayed the living daylights out of her. And then helped her put lard on the welts and brought her a diamond brooch. That's what he would have done, sir. And she'd have loved it. Where is Miss Julie? Why, she asked me to please excuse her, Preston. Is she ill? Why, no, Preston. She's as sound as a nut. You will pardon me a moment, please. Take all the time you need, my boy. I do believe Mr. Billard is going up the stairs after Julie. He's taking his walk and came back. It's Preston. Open the door. I want to talk to you. Julie, why don't you answer? Look here, Julie. You and I got to straighten things out. Oh, there's no sense to all this. I'm here because I love you. And because you love me. But there are some things we've got to set straight. Darling, if you just open the door, I'm sure I could. Julie! Open up at once! Who is it? Open this door! Why, Preston. Bang into the ladies' bedroom door. I'm scandalized that. Well, did you come here just to stand there? I see you've brought a stick. I'm waiting. When does the chastisement begin? I came up here to... Oh, Julie, how long must we go on like this? Like what, Preston? Fussing like a couple of children. Why, do you treat me like a child then? Oh, Julie, I love you. Spoiled child or not. Preston, in a ladies' bedroom. Now you'll have to marry me. Oh, look at me, darling. When I come in, I was going to beat you. Really? Now would you like to see my new dress? That's what I wanted to do all day. Well, let me go then. There it is. Well, the Olympus Ball? Yes, isn't it lovely? But you can't wear red to the Olympus Ball. Why not? Well, you never saw an unmarried girl in anything but white. You know that. Preston, it has certain significance. Oh, you're afraid I'll be taking for one of those girls from Gallifant Street? Julie. Oh, of course, I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to know about things like Gallifant Street. I'm just supposed to simp around in white. So that's it. You're nursing your spite. Well, I'm not going to let you, for once you're going to do as I say, Julie, I'm calling for you tomorrow night at 10, and you're going to be properly dressed for the ball in white. Good night. Oh, Preston, you forgot your stick. She must have been getting scared over wearing that dress after what Preston said to her. Yes, but her pride. Confound her phoenix pride. You know that she tried to get Buck Cantrell to take her to the ball without telling Preston? Yes, I knew later. Poor drinking duel and easy-going Buck Cantrell. He loved her too. Thank heaven he refused her. He was a gentleman and an honorable man. I told you she'd be ready on time. Julie, we're ready to go. Julie, you promised me not to. So you wore it after all. Isn't it obvious? Shall we go, Preston? Not until you're properly dressed. Oh, why must everyone be so proper? Why don't you admit, Mr. Diller, that you're afraid? Afraid someone will insult me and you'll find it necessary to defend me. Julie. You're wrapped, Miss Marsden. May I? You ready, Aunt Belle? But, Preston, she can't. She will. We are ready, sir. Miss Belle, my arm. And yours, Mr. Diller? Thank you. My dear Miss Belle, have you noticed Preston's face? Looks more like his father than ever tonight. And I never saw Tom Diller look like that without somebody got killed. Theophilus, I'm just plain scared for her. May I take your wrap, my dear? Well, the ballroom seems a little cool. I think we'll find it much warmer inside. Come. Gentlemen, you all have the pleasure of Miss Marsden's acquaintance, I think. Gentlemen. I believe Miss Marsden. Yonder comes my partner. You'll excuse me. Of course, sir. You haven't a partner you have to meet Cantrell? Well, I know. Came alone. A pleasant evening, isn't it? Mighty pleasant. Nice and cool. Do you find it cool in here? I don't find it particularly cool, do you, Julie? Well, I know. I don't find it particularly cool. Miss Julie doesn't find it so. Perhaps it's something in the atmosphere that's peculiar to you. Why, no, I reckon not. Now you speak of it, it's just about right. It seems so to me. Preston, please take me out of here. My dear, we haven't danced yet, shall we? No. Oh, yes, we will. You've got to take me off this floor. Okay. It's my own brother dancing with her. Everyone is leaving the floor. No respectable girl will dance while she's dancing. That dress is an insult. Take me off this instant. Yes, I beg you. Take me away from here. I can't endure it. No, he came to dance. We should go on. We're alone on the floor. So much so better. What present go of me if you don't let go of me? It's a beautiful ball, don't you think so, Miss Marsden? Oh, take me away from here. Take me away. You're not coming in, Preston? No, ma'am. Good night. Good night. Where? Goodbye, Julie. Is that all you've got to say to me? There's nothing more to say. Even if I was wrong? You couldn't be wrong. You're Julie Marsden. I might have got down on my knees. It'd be interesting, but utterly useless. Evidently, you've made up your mind. No, Julie. You've made up my mind. Well, then, goodbye, Preston. Goodbye, Julie. Julie, don't let him go. Go after him. Me? After him? Yes, Julie, quickly. Don't, Julie, you're such a fool. He's not so big a fool. He'll come back. Not this time, he won't. Believe me. You see, he'll come back. Yet tonight, I think, if he does say I've retired and tell him I'm sleeping late in the morning, not to come round till tomorrow afternoon, Julie, tell him. Before we continue tonight's story of Jezebel starring Miss Betty Davis and Miss Anne Revere, I would like to tell you about a doctor who lived during the period of this picture, a doctor so devoted to the cause of human health that his zeal still inspires those who carry on his work. His name was Edward R. Squibb. He was appalled by the dangerously inferior quality of drugs then available. He set out to supply the medical profession with drugs that could be relied upon. That's how the company he founded in 1858, the House of Squibb, first came to be known for medicinal products of purity, reliability, efficacy. And through the years, every member of the great family of Squibb products, from penicillin to dental cream, has been the result of painstaking study and research of an endless quest for perfection. And that is why Squibb is a name you can trust. And now for part two of tonight's picture, Jezebel, starring the Academy Award winners Miss Betty Davis and Miss Anne Revere. Dawn brought heavy mists, the persistent melancholy of the booming fever cannon, a chill which sank deep into our souls. She lost it. She lost Preston Dillard through her own downright cussiness in haunting herself in that red dress at the Olympus ball. Theophilus, you must understand. She didn't know about Preston. After all, he was away for over a year. All during that time, she hardly went out of the house safe to ride that wild thoroughbred of hers. The quiet and moody. She wouldn't even try to escape the plague here in the city if she hadn't heard that Preston's coming back. If you could have heard what she'd told me, he had to come to the antebell. He couldn't help himself. You see, he wouldn't know how to fight as hard as I have to keep from going to him. We'll be married. I'm going to beg his forgiveness. I was vicious and mean and selfish enough. I'm going to tell him I hated myself for being like that. I'll humble myself before it. All that ever stood between us will be gone takes me in his arms. There, there. Perhaps we'd better go to the plantation now that Preston's coming. Of course, antebell is the place for our meeting. We'd better start packing. We'll give a party, a party to celebrate. And they came, all of them. The old, old friends. Buck Cantrell, Ted Dillard Preston's brother, Dr. Livingston. Everyone came to house him. Julie was walking on the clouds with herself in his white dress that she was to warn to the ball with Preston. And Preston. He came and when the carriage, when the carriage stopped, my heart stopped too. For Julie. Aunt Belle. Oh, it's wonderful to be back at Halcyon. I would have come even if I weren't invited. My dear, dear Preston. Aunt Belle, I have a surprise. This is Amy, my wife. His wife. I said, Mary. I tried to get away to warn Julie, but I had to stay with our guests and while I was upstairs, she found him as he was in the library of Halcyon. Are you remembering the time you wanted me to wear white? Are you? Well, until now I never have. Cat got your tone. Julie. Oh, press what fools we were. Please, that's over, Julie. Yes, of course. Press, I can't believe it's you here. I've dreamed it so long. A lifetime. No. Longer than that. What, Julia? No, don't say it yet. I put on this white dress for you to help me tell you how humbly I ask you to forgive me. See, press. I'm kneeling to you. Julie, don't. I want to press. I must make you forgive me and love me as I love you. Julie, get up. Please. Julie, this is Amy. My wife. Aunt Bella, I was just about to congratulate press on his marriage. I'm very happy, Mrs. Della, to welcome you to Halcyon. I'm so sorry. Oh, for heaven's sake, don't be gentle with me now. Do you think I want to be wept over? I've got to think to plan. Julie, you can't fight marriage. Marriage to that little washed out Yankee. Press's mind has always been mine and I'm going to have him. Why did you do it? We'd better join the others. Why? Because I love her. No, you're not such a fool not after you had my love. How much do you remember? Everything you ever said or did. But it's past now. It's finished. I ought to have come to you. I wanted to so terribly. So much that I couldn't. And you felt that way, too. That's what brought you back, Press. You had to come back to the country. You know so well. Press, listen. The night noises. The moon through the cypresses. Can you taste the night on your tongue? It's part of you, Press. The mockingbirds and the magnolias. The blue haze on a spring morning when the air is so soft it presses you like a kiss. It's the river rolling forever. The country you were born to. Julie, please don't do this. It's part of you, Press. Just as I'm part of you and will never let you go. Press, put your arms around me. Oh, Julie. This is your country, Press. Amy couldn't understand it. She thinks there'd be snakes. Yes. And she'd be right. You talk about belonging. Amy's put her life and happiness in my hands. And they're going to be safe there. I think we'd better go in now. She tried to win him back. And when she failed, she did the unforgivable thing. She set her eyes on him. She tried to win him back. And when she failed, she did the unforgivable thing. She set herself willfully to cause trouble. Yes, dear. She seemed possessed that night. I hear Press had to go into the city. Yes, they sent for him. I hope he'll be all right. I had grave reports of conditions there. The plague is sweeping on despite all effort to check it. They posted to Governor's Magistrate's regard through the parish. No one will be permitted to leave the city or to enter it now. But I suppose his bank comes first. Oh, Press is devoted to the bank. Rather, unfortunately so. You don't find that admirable, Miss Martin? Well, it just seems to me that there are other things more interesting. I imagine Buck finds it so too. That's right, Miss Julie. I never go into a bank if I can help it. Why, Buck? Because it seems to me they're mostly always steady in how they can get away something from somebody. Well, I'm sure Buck doesn't mean that the way it sounds. I'm sure Mr. Cantrell is capable of doing that. Why, Mr. Still, that I didn't mean to offend. I was just talking. Of course. Amy, he doesn't realize what he's saying. Doesn't even realize how Julie is using it. Why, Buck, am I using you? I'd be right happy if you'd explain that remark, sir. I'll explain it. You're fool enough to defend what you don't even understand. That Julie's been egging you on. First against Press and now against his wife. Well, that's pretty talk, isn't it, Buck? Yes, Miss Julie. That's very impolite talk, very. Well, all evening I thought you'd course and not a gentleman. Why, you win, so... That's your service, sir. What? You can't do this. I'm afraid, Mrs. Dillard, you don't understand our Southern customs. Gentlemen, will you please take your places? Remember, gentlemen, you turn and fire at the count of ten. Are you ready? Ready. Ready. Very well. Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Dead. Julie, she, devil. Come on, Amy, we're getting out of here. We're all going. How do you propose to get through the guards? And there's yellow fever in the city. Surely my hospitality is better than the plague. We'll get through. Good night, ma'am. I shall never speak to her again. Even though she returned one day from the dead. When she heard that he was struck and she had to come to him, don't you understand? She went through the swamp past the guards risked her life to get to him. His wife was at his side. She belonged there. You leave alone there, too. Amy understands that now. She stole him away from Amy as he lay dying. Piafna, you must not judge. Believe me, Mrs. Dillard, it's unthinkable that you go within there. Armed guards are coming to take him to the Lepper Island. It's the law. All who catch the fever must go. When they come for him, I'm going with him. No, you can't go, Amy. It is your right to go. You're his wife, but are you fit to go? Loving him isn't enough. If you gave him all your strength, would it be enough? I'll make him live. I'll die with him. Do you know the Creole word for fever powder? For food, for water? Can you talk to a sullen, overworked black boy and make him fear you and help you? Press his life and yours will hang on words you can't say and you'll both surely die. I must go with him. Listen, Amy, they're coming. Coming for him. Oh, Amy, it isn't a question of proving your love by laying down your life for press. Nothing so easy. Have you the knowledge and the strength to fight for his wife and your own? You or I? What do you mean? I'll make him live. I will. You see, I know how to fight better than you. I'll fight to the death itself. Where is he? Upstairs. Amy, you're the bravest woman I ever saw. I believe you even have the courage to save him by giving me the right to go in your place. Or you're not afraid to die. I know that. I boldly ask for greater sacrifice in press's name, his life. More than I believe within your power. Oh, let me prove myself worthy of the love I bear him. Julie, tell me. Something which only you can tell me. Does press still love you? He himself might know, but you would. Tell me. Amy, what does it matter who press loves? It is life that matters. Tell me. We both know press loves his wife. Whom else could press love? Not me, surely. I've done so much against him. Had there been any love in his heart for me, I'd have taken him away from you. I tried and failed because he loves only you. I'm grateful for you telling me in your own way what I had to know. Take care of them, Julie. I believe you've earned whatever right is mine. God protect you and press. Go with him. Amy, thank you. All right, let's get started. We've got to get him to the island. Press. Press, I'm here. I'll always be here, press. Press, darling. I'm here. Miss Bell, they've gone and there's no turning back. Come, you. You cannot stay here in the street. Miss Bell, what are you thinking? I'm thinking of a woman called Jezebel who did evil in the sight of God. Honored ladies and gentlemen on this first presentation of Academy Award to introduce a distinguished artist known and loved by you on the air as Dr. Christian, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Mr. Jean Herschelt. Good evening. Miss Davis and Miss Revere, your performances were superb. Also, thank you, Miss Revere, for so brilliantly playing the role of Ann Bell in place of Miss Faye Bainter, who is ill. And to you, Miss Bainter, our best wishes for a speedy recovery. The Academy appreciates the significance of this series of broadcasts. We are grateful to E.R. Scripps and Sons for their vision and support in sponsoring these programs. The Academy is dedicated to lifting the standards of motion pictures even higher. It values this platform of expression and views with deep satisfaction the determination to make this radio program through a broad variety of great weekly broadcasts and institution in the life of America. Next week, another great picture. The House of Square will present Academy Award starring the beautiful and talented Miss Ginger Rogers in her Oscar-winning performance of Kitty Foil. Next week, it is Academy Award starring Ginger Rogers in Kitty Foil. Miss Betty Davis will soon be seen in a stolen life produced by Warner Brothers also producers of devotion. Miss Ann Revere will soon be seen in the 20th Century Fox production, Dragon Week. This is Hugh Brandage bidding you goodnight until next week at the same time when the House of Square invites you to join us for Academy Award. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.