 Oh, uh, waiter. Yes, sir? I'll have cold leg of lamb with mint jelly, baked potato, I think, and a bottle of cold papst blue ribbon. Yes, sir. Finest beer served anywhere. From Hollywood, Papst Blue Ribbon. Finest beer served anywhere. Proudly present. Directors Playhouse, Production, Jezebel, Director, William Weiler, Star, Betty Davis. Directors present a portrait in Scarlet. Jezebel, starring Betty Davis, and introducing the director of the film, William Weiler. In introducing our guest screen director tonight, we refer you to your own most vivid motion picture memories. There you'll find the films he has created, among them such award-winning dramas as The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver, and Wuthering Heights. Ladies and gentlemen, the director of tonight's story, Jezebel, Mr. William Weiler. Thank you. As a motion picture or as a radio play, Jezebel is a powerful portrait of a willful woman, woman vain and arrogant and desirable. For the director her character in her story opens some fascinating dramatic doors. And for the actress, she presents a challenge worthy of the talents of Betty Davis, who now recreates her Academy Award-winning role of Jezebel. Team cars. Railroads. Preposterous. But, gentlemen, it's 1850. And unless we're willing to compete with the energy and enterprise of the North, the South is doomed. We need railroads. What's the Southern gentleman keep a carriage for? What if Yellow Fever hits New Orleans again? Thank you, Dr. Livingston. Mr. Lacour, gentlemen, what indeed if we suffer another epidemic of Yellow Jack? Railroads fight disease, too, gentlemen. Railroads bring supplies, medical assistance, remove the strick and carry the... Preston. Julie. Press us in Cato for you. Yes, Julie, but I... Uh, gentlemen, will you excuse me for a moment? Of course. All right, go right ahead. Good day, gentlemen. Julie, why do you... why do you do these things? You know my work here at the bank is important. I suppose it isn't important that we're going to be married. Well, certainly it is, but I... I suppose it isn't important that for a month now I've been having a dress made for the limper's ball tomorrow night and that you promise to come today to see it fitted. I suppose it's even important to you what I wear at the limper's ball. Julie, right now I'm having the fight of my life trying to bring some progress to New Orleans. Right now I have a fit in Madame Poulard's. Mr. Dillard. Give me another half hour, darling, perhaps... You didn't trouble yourself. I'll go with Ampere. Women, Zell, you look so beautiful I could cry. Oh, Julie, it's perfectly lovely. I don't like the neckline, Ampere. But it's adorable, Julie, the dress is always lovely and white. Has it? Madame Poulard, let me see the dress on that phone there. La bar? Julie. Oh, no, no, it's red. Gorgeously red. If it fits me, I'm going to wear it to the limper's ball. Oh, no, ma'am, ma'am, no, absolutely no more. Why not? You must be mad. Why? No decent girl wears red. This is 1850, dumpling, 1850, not the dark ages. Girls don't have to simp around in white anymore just because they're not married. But... Well, think of press. That's just what I am thinking of, press. Good evening, Kato. Evening, Mr. Press. Is Julie ready for the ball? Yes, sir. She's waiting for you in the parlor. Julie, I... Good evening, Press. Isn't it lovely? You can't wear red to the limper's ball. And why not? Why not? What's the matter? Are you afraid I'll be taking those girls from Gallatin Street? Julie. Oh, I forgot. I'm not supposed to know about such things. I'm just supposed to simp around in white. For heaven's sake, be reasonable. Were you reasonable yesterday at the bank? So that's it. You're nursing your spite. I wouldn't say that. Well, I would, and I do. And for once you're going to do as I say, we're going to the ball, Julie. I'm ready. But not until you're properly dressed. I'm sure Buck Cantrell would take me in this dress. Julie, we're not going to the ball this way. You're afraid someone will insult me, and you'll find it necessary to defend me? If you're quite ready, Julie, we'll go to the ball. Wrap, my dear, before we go in and join the dancing. Press is a little cool. Yeah, I think you'll find it's much warmer inside. You'll wrap, Julie. Evening, Mr. Martin. Aren't you forgetting the lady? Good evening. Evening, Dr. Livingston. Evening. Evening, Buck. Pleasant evening, Buck. I don't find it cool. Do you, Julie? Well, no, I don't... We don't find it cool, Buck. No, I reckon not. Now you mention it, I reckon it's just right. Press, take me home. We haven't danced. Oh, press, everyone's staring at us. Isn't that what you wanted, despite me? But they won't play for us just one couple. They'll play. Orchestra? Press! Why don't you play? Play! Now, Julie, my beloved, dance. Press! I said dance. Take me home, press! Take me home! Goodbye, Julie. Is that all you've got to say to me? There's nothing to say. Even if I was wrong? You couldn't be wrong. You're Julie Marsden. Am I to get down on my knees to you? That would be interesting, but useless. Evidently, you've made up your mind. No, Julie. You've made up my mind. Well then, good night, press. Goodbye, Julie. Good night, press. Yes, Aunt Belle. What happened? I couldn't help overhearing something just now. I sent press away. Julie, don't let him go. Go after him. Me? After him? You love him, Julie. Don't be a fool. He'll come back. Oh, not him. Not Preston Dillard. He'll come back tonight, I think. Never. When he does say, I've retired. Tell him I'm sleeping late in the morning. No, Julie, you fool. Tell him not to come around until tomorrow afternoon. You fool. Tell him! Tell him! You are listening to Screen Directors Playhouse production of Jezebel, starring Betty Davis as Julie Marsden, with Gerald Moore as Preston Dillard, and introduced by the director of the film, William Weiler. Our in Pittsburgh. Steel mills are going full blast. You, muscles tired, and face scorched from the glare of those fiery furnaces, shuffle homework from your day's work. Right now, you'd give your wilted shirt for a... Say, wait a minute. What's that little blue sign in the tavern window? Oh, brother, perhaps blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Yes, during these hot August days, you're just one of millions of men all over America, to whom that perhaps blue ribbon sign means welcome relief. Or perhaps blue ribbon does something more than quench your thirst? It gives you taste. Blue ribbon taste. The kind of taste you can't get anywhere else in the world, except in that perhaps blue ribbon bottle. And, fortunately, you can get that perhaps blue ribbon bottle all over the world. Yes, you hear it everywhere, in Pittsburgh and Providence and Pawtucket and Pensacola. Perhaps blue ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Back to Screen Director's Playhouse Production of Jezebel, starring Betty Davis. A year has passed since Preston Dillard left New Orleans without again seeing Julie. A year in which Yellow Fever has come to New Orleans. A year of remorse in which Julie has withdrawn from the gay life of the city. Wonderful news. Julie? Yes, Aunt Belle? Oh, Julie, Prest has come and back to New Orleans. Prest back from the north. Dr. Livingston told me. Oh, he had to come back. It's the Yellow Fever, Dr. Livingston said. Prest always had his own ideas what to do about the fever, so he's come back. I knew he would. He had to come to me. He wouldn't know how to fight as hard as I have to keep from going to him. We'll be married. Oh, Julie, my dear. I beg his forgiveness. I'll humble myself before him. All that ever stood between us will be gone when he takes me in his arms. They're not sure. We will open up this house again to everybody. We'll have a party here at Halcyon. It'll be like old times. We'll have a party here. Preston, his brother Ted, Buck and Trell, everybody. Kato, Kato! Miss Julie? Here, Aunt Belle, carriage coming. It's Prest. Be calm, dear. I'd better go welcome him. Tell him I'll be in the drawing room waiting for him. Oh, Prest, I can't believe you're here. I've dreamed it so long. I put on this white dress to help me tell you how humbly I ask your forgiveness. Prest, I'm kneeling to you. Julie, don't. I want to. But you mustn't kneel to me, Julie. As I love you. As I've always loved you. Julie, let me help you up. Listen to me. Things have changed. Come in, Amy. Amy? Julie, this is Amy. My wife. Your wife? And you, may I say, are cousin Julie? Your wife? Pressure? Joking? No, Julie. My... My felicitations. Welcome to Helsen, Ms. Dillard. Thank you, Julie. I'll show you to your room, Mrs. Dillard. Yours and Press's. I'm so sorry, Julie. Don't be gentle with me now, Aunt Bill. I don't want to be wept over. I've got to think to plan. They're married, Julie. You can't fight them. Married to that little washed-out Yankee. Press is mine. No, dear. He loves me. Don't make him want me. Julie, you mustn't. You'll see. It's lovely out here on the veranda, isn't it, Press? I do wish you had involved me and Buck Cantrell in that pointless North-South discussion. I'm sorry, Press. It is beautiful out here. Press, why did you do it? I love Amy. But you had my love. And lost it. Oh, I ought to have come to you. But you came to me because you belong here, Press. Nothing can ever change that. Listen. Hear the night noises, Press. Do you see the moon in the cypresses? It's all part of you. The mockingbird in the magnolias, the blue haze on a spring morning when the air's so soft. It presses on you like a kiss. It's the land you love, Press. It's a red flower over a gray wall. It's the river rolling down and down through the country you were born to. The land you know and trust. Oh, Julie, listen. Oh, it is untame and easy like the North. It's quick and dangerous, but you trust it. Remember how the fever miss-smells in the bottom rank and rotten, but you trust that too because it's part of you, just as I'm part of you. Kiss me, Press. Julie. As I'm part of you and will never, never... Julie, darling. Never, never let you go. Julie, you. You? Nobody ever made me cry, but you. Nobody but you ever slept. Forgive me. Forgive me. Sorry, Press. Excuse me, Buck. What's bothering him, Julie? Nothing, Buck. It's something. Perhaps his stay up north made him forget his manners. If Press offered you any insults, Julie... Take me inside, Buck, to my guests. Isn't anybody going to play the piano? Amy. I'm not really very good, Julie. Well, I could sing. Heaven forbid I've heard you tell. I think your brother-in-law sings pretty good, Mr. Sammy. Sure. Serenade the girl's arm in arm, Buck and me. What's that? Cannon. Why? The army fires cannon in the city to fight the plague. What good can that do? Everybody knows in the south it starts air currents that carry away the fever. They do better to drain the swamps and clean up the city. Maybe they do that in Yankee land. Yes, Buck, they do. Understand Yankees eat horse beans, too. Everybody to his own taste, I say. I'll remind you, sir, that my wife is a northerner. And you act like the same. Mr. Cantrell, sir, I choose to resent your implac- Cut it out, Buck. Mr. Press. Mr. Press. Yes, Cato? Dr. Lemonson to see you, sir. I'm sorry to break things up like this, but, Preston, you better go with me back to New Orleans. What's the matter? La Cour is down with the yellow fever. He's dying. He's asking for you. Come on, doctor. Be careful, Press. Don't worry, dear. You'll look after Amy, won't you, Ted? Sure will. I do hope he'll be all right. It's a pity he had to leave you now, Amy. But I suppose his bank comes before his chivalry. What an unkind thing to say. Seems to me you'd know Press better than that, Julie. You take exception about Miss Marsden, says, boy. How Julie's been using you all evening. Ted, be quiet. I'd keep Miss Marsden's name out of your conversation, boy. All right, Buck. But you're a fool not to realize she's playing you off against Press. Ted! Very well, Mr. Dillard, sir. Happy to do you the honor, you young jackass. Ted, you'll apologize to Buck, of course. If he will to me. Young jackass. I'll apologize in the morning with lead. Good morning, Amy. It's a lovely morning, isn't it? Is it, Miss Marsden? Where are the gentlemen? You know very well where they are and what they're doing. Of course. I envy them, Amy, to face what you hate. To kill or be killed. We women can't do that, can we? You savage! Amy. Ted, Ted, are you... I'm all right. Buck's dead. Julie, I never saw a man die before. He was my best friend and now I've killed him. Julie, do you know what you are? What am I? I'm thinking of a woman called Jezebel. Ted! A woman called Jezebel. Who did evil in the sight of God. Get out. Evil. Ted, that's enough. Jezebel! Jezebel! Jezebel! Get out, both of you. Get out! Miss Julie? Miss Julie? In here, Kato. Miss Julie, I just read in from New Orleans. Dr. Livingston sent me back from Miss Amy. What's the matter? What's wrong? Oh, Mr. Pritz got the fever bad. The fever? Oh, no. Yes, I'm here at Miss Julie's house in the city. Y'all better get there quick before they take him to that leper place. Leper place? Elizabeth Island, where they send fever victims to die. Oh, no, they can't. I'll get the carry, Gina. I'll go with you. You better hurry. Kato. Miss Julie? You stay here at Halcyon. Saddle by a bear riding back to New Orleans to Mr. Press. Press. Ed. Hurts my head. It's pretty bad, Julie. Press, darling. White dress. For me. Red. Red flower over a gray wall. You shouldn't have come. Julie. The river. The river's rolling down. Press, press, darling, there. Doctor. Doctor, how can I help him? The river. Ice. Cold compressors. Doctor Livingston. Come in, Amy. Head. Julie, I rode ahead. How was he? Doctor. They're taking press away. Elizabeth Island? He reported the case. How would it look, Julie, if there was one law for the rich and another for the poor? That horrible place, he'll die there. They all do. I'm going with him. Oh, you can't. Arrange it for me, Doctor. The place is a charnel house. Please, Doctor. You're asking a mighty terrible thing, but since you want it. Thank you. Come with me, Ted. We'll need some stretcher bearers. Amy, you can't go with him to Lazarus. He's my husband. I love him. I know, but loving him isn't enough. You're a northerner. What do you know of the Creole words for fever, powder, for food, for water? Do you know how to make an overworked servant fear and help you? Press his life and yours will hang on those things and you'll both surely die. Then it must be that way. Amy, it's no longer you or I. What do you mean by that? It's press now and I'll make him live because I know how to fight better than you do. I'll fight. I'll fight to the death. I know you'll fight to the death, but I'll fight death itself. Amy, if you only knew the horror of that island, they'll put press in an open shed with a hundred others. You must watch him day and night, bathe him, give him drugs. He'll have to fight for his food and his water and put your body between him and live and death. I'm not afraid. No, I think you're the bravest woman I ever knew. I even think you have the courage to save press by letting me go in your place. Amy, help me. Let me make myself clean again. Does press still love you? It's his life that matters nothing else. Tell me. We both know that President Dillon loves his wife. Amy, thank you. God protect you both. Men, you have just heard the last act of Jezebel. In a moment, our star, Betty Davis, and screen director, William Weiler, will return to the microphone. Every so often, you see photographs and movie fan magazines of elaborate costume parties in Hollywood. What you may not know is that these glamorous affairs are staged for publicity purposes. The real Hollywood is a quiet, unassuming place where most of the stars lead normal, home-loving lives, just like you and me. Their entertaining is usually simple and unpretentious. A few good friends have a face supper of, well, perhaps sliced chicken, mixed green salad, and, you guessed it, tall welcome glasses of cold, perhaps blue-ribbon beer. Everything in perfect taste. Blue-ribbon taste. And it's that blue-ribbon taste that makes this internationally famous beer so popular here in Hollywood and all over America. Yes, you hear it everywhere, in New Jersey's beautiful shore resorts, in Kentucky's blue grass region, in Nevada's cool vacation spots. Perhaps blue-ribbon, finest beer served anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Next week on Screen Director's Playhouse, perhaps blue-ribbon presents Love Crazy, starring William Powell. Now here again is tonight's star, Betty Davis, and Screen Director, William Wiley. Willie, it's been a long time between performances of Jezebel. Yes, about 11 years, Betty. I think we made the picture back in 38. That was the first time we worked together. The first of three under your direction. I hope we'll be making it four soon. So do I, Betty. Maybe we'll create another deathless studio expression the way we did on Jezebel. Oh, you mean Carriage Common. Wasn't it amazing the way everyone picked that line out of the script and used it for everything they wanted to say? Yes. You never knew whether Carriage Common meant hello, goodbye, or let's shoot that scene again. Well, by the look of the clock, I think right now it means good night. Carriage Common, Willie. Carriage Common, Betty. Carriage Common, everybody. And Carriage Common to you, Betty Davis, and screen director William Weiler. Tonight, before you go to bed, peek inside your refrigerator. Check up on your supply of Papst Blue Ribbon beer. Remember, tomorrow is the beginning of another lazy weekend. Two whole days to relax and take life easy. Be good to yourself. Be good to your friends. Serve Papst Blue Ribbon. Finest beer served. Anywhere. Your taste will tell you why. Jezebel was presented through the courtesy of Warner Brothers Studios, producers of the Technicolor comedy. It's a great feeling that he, Davis, will soon be seen in a Warner Brothers picture beyond the forest. And William Weiler's forthcoming production for Paramount is The Heiress, starring Olivia DeHavilland, Montgomery Clift, and Sir Ralph Richardson. Included in tonight's cast were Gerald Moore, Paul Freeze, Ralph Moody, Jack Edwards, Eleanor Audley, Margaret Brayton, Jester Hairston, Betty Moran, and Dan Riss. Jezebel was adapted for radio by Milton Geiger, and original music was composed and conducted by Henry Russell. Screen Directors Playhouse was produced by Howard Wiley with dramatic direction by Bill Karn. Listen again next week when Papst Blue Ribbon presents Screen Directors Playhouse production Love Crazy director Jack Conway star William Powell Screen Directors Playhouse is brought to you by the Papst Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey, and Peoria, Illinois. And set your way with the best wishes of the Papst Blue Ribbon Dealers from coast to coast. James Wallington speaking. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.