Les Péchés de Jézabel

This was to be Lippert Pictures' biblical opus. Even the talents of a George Nader and Paulette Goddard cannot save this one from the flimsy sets and poor direction. Even considering when this was made, the dialogue is stiff. Pass on it.

I was just a little kid when Frankie Laine's hit record of Jezebel came out paying tribute in song to the evil Phoenician Queen of Israel. It may very well have inspire Lippert Pictures to think like DeMille and make what passed for a biblical epic at that small studio with a cast of dozens.

In fact DeMille veteran Paulette Goddard plays the title role in Sins Of Jezebel. Paulette who ran afoul of C.B. DeMille during the filming of her third and last DeMille epic Unconquered probably missed the lead in Samson And Delilah because of it.

Samson And Delilah had the usual big budget and effects that a major studio can bring to bear. Sins Of Jezebel has none of that kind of opulence, but in Paulette Goddard's performance I think you can see what she might have brought to the part of Delilah another biblical bad girl.

The film is narrated by John Hoyt who plays a modern day rabbi and the prophet Elijah. Had this been a major studio production we would have seen Elijah via Paramount's special effects swept up in the fiery chariot as the Bible says he was. All that happens here is he goes off in the sunset after handing off the prophet's job to Elisha.

The luckless and feckless Ahab is played by Eduard Franz. He's just a fool for lust who passes off that he's marrying the slinky and sexy Jezebel because of reasons of state. Like anyone really believes him. But when she starts bringing in priests of her God Baal and sets up temples to same, it all unravels for Franz and Goddard.

One thing C.B. DeMille would not have done is cast Joe Besser in any kind of role in one of his epics. Besser is one of those guys who should stay in what he does best. I half expected some of his shtick from burlesque in the film. He plays Yonkel the chariot repair guy.

Given the microscopic budgets of Lippert Pictures as compared to Paramount, Sins Of Jezebel passes for an epic in that studio. Maybe the only one they ever did. But how Paulette must have missed Paramount and C.B. DeMille.

Paulette Goddard, a beautiful star of the 1940s, was given her first big break by immortal comedian Charlie Chaplin. He starred her opposite himself in his classic film "Modern Times" in which she played his young companion. She also became his wife (though they would eventually divorce). Nevertheless, she and Claire Bloom were the only Chaplin leading ladies to go on to prestigious careers of their own. Vivacious Paulette made such classics as "The Cat And The Canary", "So Proudly We Hail (Oscar nomination), "The Great Dictator" (again opposite Chaplin) and "Kitty". She also made a few films with Cecil B. DeMille--most notably, "Northwest Mounted Police". By the 1950s, however, her box office appeal had faded, and her age (she claimed to have been born in 1911, but the true date was 1905) had finally caught up with her. After "Bride Of Vengeance", her last film at Paramount (where she was under contract) flopped, she and the studio parted ways, and she was on her own. For the next four years, she made a handful of low-budget quickies, none of which revived her fading career. "Sins Of Jezebel" is one of the more interesting ones, though. Made on an unbelievable $100,000 budget,it was reportedly completed in all of three days),but, that's probably just the length of time Paulette filmed her scenes. (She worked on 'Vice Squad'' (1952) for just three days as well. Paulette starred as the infamous Biblical queen, who attempts to replace God with her own Pagan idol, Baal. Opposite her (eventually) is a young George Nader, playing a servant of King Ahab (Eduard Franz), who quickly falls for her after she marries the weak willed King. As might be expected, production values are extremely low, though in an attempt to cash in on the then-popular Biblical epics ("The Robe", "Demitrius and the Gladiators" among others), it was filmed in color and wide screen. The script is serviceable, the photography is above average, and Goddard, Nader, and Franz give good performances. Paulette still boasted a trim figure, though at 48 years old, she was obviously past her prime. Nevertheless, this film, as a fairly straightforward retelling of the Bible story remains watchable and entertaining. Rarely seen on TV these days, VCI Communications has just released it on a DVD double bill with "Queen of the Amazons" (about which the less said, the better). There is minor print damage, and the sound is poor, but it's presented in Anamorphic Widescreen and the color is still attractive. All things considered, it's a welcome release of an obscure film.

The box-office success of Cecil B. De Mille's SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949) spawned a series of movies that were inspired from Biblical tales in The Old Testament. None of them, however, quite overtook in popularity their prototype or De Mille's later remake of his own THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956); for the most part, in fact, they turned out to be low-budget, second-rate programmers tailored for the needs of past-their-prime Hollywood sirens – so much for the would-be moral values the stories ostensibly highlighted! Needless to say, this is one of them: shot for a mere $100,000 in just 3 days (if we are to believe the IMDb's claims!), it featured 43-year old Paulette Goddard as the Phoenician beauty for which Israelite King Ahab (Eduard Franz) loses both his head and his faith.

It goes without saying that the Queen's romantic attentions lie elsewhere – her new Captain of the Guards (George Nader) – and that resident prophet Elijah (John Hoyt) is none too pleased that his weakling monarch has acceded to his wife's request of erecting a temple in honor of her god, Baal! Two more notable actors who put in subpar appearances here are Ludwig Donath (as the one adviser of King Ahab's that resists the practice of pagan worship and gets framed – and stoned to death – for his troubles!) and future member of The Three Stooges, Joe Besser (as a chubby charioteer purportedly providing the requisite comic relief); just as predictable – and even more implacable – is the inclusion of a dance routine performed here by one Carmen D'Antonio.

Although the film is atypically short (74 minutes) for such exotic fare, it still features a lengthy prologue (clearly modeled on SAMSON AND DELILAH itself - as is the music score!) and epilogue, plus intermittent interpolations from Hoyt in a second(!) role – dressed up as a modern-day University rector but eventually leaving the room carrying Elijah's own walking cane! – a cheapskate ploy intended to fill in the obvious narrative gaps. Events come to a head when a drought befalls the Israelites for having abandoned God and we are witness to a battle of wills between Elijah on one side and Goddard and her High Priests on the other over whose deity will grant their animated prayers for rain! Unfortunately (if unsurprisingly) not even Goddard's prophetic end – being eaten by dogs! – provides the goods here...but, truth be told, this proved a mercifully trim time-waster that fits the bill harmlessly for this time of the year.

Incidentally, Goddard would only go on to make just 4 more films after this, including William Castle's CHARGE OF THE LANCERS (1954) that I also have in my collection; speaking of Castle, he too made his fair share of cut-rate spectacles before he struck a gold mine with exploitative horror, including SERPENT OF THE NILE: THE LOVES OF CLEOPATRA, SLAVES OF BABYLON (both 1953) and THE SARACEN BLADE (1954) – all 3 of which I also have a copy of and might get to watch before this month is out...

Sins of Jezebel is a 1953 production financed by Sigmund Neufeld and directed by Reginald Le Borg , the film was shot in Ansco Color for widescreen projection . Set in 9th century BC Israel, the prophet Elijah (John Hoyt) advises king Ahab (Edward Franz) not to marry Jezebel (Paulette Goddard) , an idolatrous princess of Phoenicia. Ahab sends for Jezebel, however, and commands Jehu (George Nader) , his captain, to escort her caravan safely to Jezreel. Once Jehu meets Jezebel, he immediately becomes attracted to her and she confuses him for Ahab . Jezebel finally arrives at Jezreel and is greeted by Ahab who , stunned by her beauty, provides her with an individual chamber until they marry. The aging Ahab, king of Israel, comes under the influence of a young and beautiful but scheming pagan woman . Against the advice of his advisers and the prophet Elijah, Ahab falls for her . On her wedding night, Jezebel evades Ahab and pursues Jehu , whom she seduces. Jezebel establishes the cult of Baal, her idol, in Israel and builds a temple. Her plan to introduce her pagan idols to Israel angers God, who decides to wreak vengeance on Israel. Jehovah, the God of the Israelites, delivers drought upon Israel because of the idolatry and sends his prophet Elijah to reprimand the people. Elijah prays to Jehovah and the drought ends.

Paulette Goddard was signed to star this Biblical film along with Edward Franz as Ahab , George Nader as Jehu and Margia Dean was cast as Deborah . The film began shooting on May 13 , 1953 , interior scenes were shot at KTTV Studios and exterior scenes were shot at Corriganville Ranch. Sins of Jezebel received mixed reviews from critics. Some reviewers described the film as "a spectacular Robert L. Lippert, Jr. Production in gorgeous new Ansco Color" . Other critics also commended and praised the film's color cinematography, but questioned the film's low budget by writing, "the desire was strong, but the cash was weak¨. For the film's cast, Paulette Goddard gives a riveting performance as she was "ideally cast" as Jezebel, while Edward Franz is nice as elderly king Ahab and John Hoyt provides a competent job as Elijah and narrator .

The film is inspired by Biblical writings , there are the following ones : Jezabel as the daughter of Ithobaal I of Tyre and the wife of Ahab, King of Israel, according to the Book of Kings of the Hebrew Bible . According to the biblical narrative, Jezebel, along with her husband, instituted the worship of Baal and Asherah on a national scale. In addition, she violently purged the prophets of Yahweh from Israel, damaging the reputation of the Omride dynasty. For these offences, the Omride dynasty was annihilated, with Jezebel herself suffering death by defenestration. Later, in the Book of Revelation, Jezebel is symbolically associated with false prophets. Her coronation as queen upset the balance of power between Yahwism and Baalism. As a worshiper of Baal, Jezebel had significant power and influence, which she used to both support Baal's cultus and eliminate its rivals, using methods that the Bible describes in brutal terms. Obadiah, a pro-Yahwist figure in Ahab's royal court, secretly protected the survivors of these purges in a cave. As a result, Elijah invited Jezebel's prophets of Baal and Asherah to a challenge at Mount Carmel. The challenge was to see which god, Yahweh or Baal, would burn a bull sacrifice on an altar. Jezebel's prophets failed to summon Baal in burning the bull sacrifice, despite their cries and cutting themselves. Elijah, however, succeeded when he summoned Yahweh, impressing the Israelites. He then ordered the people to seize and kill the prophets of Baal and Asherah at the Kishon River. After the prophets were slain, Jezebel swore to have Elijah become like her prophets , even if it meant embracing divine judgement upon herself if she failed to do so. Elijah fled for his life to the wilderness, where he mourned the devotion of Israel to Baal and lamented being the only Yahwist worshiper left. Three years later, Ahab died in battle. Elijah condemned Ahab for committing theft and murder. As punishment, God decreed Ahab's death and the annihilation of his royal line. Jezebel's death was also decreed, with her corpse to be devoured by dogs. His son Ahaziah inherited the throne, but died as the result of an accident and Ahaziah was succeeded by his brother, Joram. Elisha, Elijah's successor, commanded one of his disciples to anoint Jehu, commander of Joram's army, as king, to be the agent of divine punishment against Ahab's family. Jehu killed Joram, and his nephew Ahaziah . He later approached the royal palace in Jezreel to confront Jezebel. Knowing that Jehu was coming, Jezebel put on make-up and a formal wig with adornments and looked out of a window, taunting him. Bromiley says that it should be looked at less as an attempt at seduction than the public appearance of the queen mother, invested with the authority of the royal house and cult, confronting a rebellious commander. Jehu later ordered Jezebel's eunuch servants to throw her from the window. Her blood splattered on the wall and horses, and Jehu's horse trampled her corpse. He entered the palace where, after he ate and drank, he ordered Jezebel's body to be taken for burial. His servants discovered only her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands-her flesh had been eaten by stray dogs, just as the prophet Elijah had prophesied.