It Started with Eve (1941)

A young man asks a hat check girl to pose as his fiancée in order to make his dying father's last moments happy. However, the old man's health takes a turn for the better and now his son ... See full summary »

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Norman Krasna (screenplay), Leo Townsend (screenplay),

Stars:

Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, Robert Cummings

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Deanna Durbin	...	Anne Terry
Charles Laughton	...	Jonathan Reynolds
Robert Cummings	...	Jonathan 'Johnny' Reynolds Jr.
Guy Kibbee	...	Bishop Maxwell
Margaret Tallichet	...	Gloria Pennington
Catherine Doucet	...	Mrs. Pennington (as Catharine Doucet)
Walter Catlett	...	Doctor Harvey
Charles Coleman	...	Roberts - Butler
Leonard Elliott	...	Reverend Henry Stebbins
Irving Bacon	...	Raven
Gus Schilling	...	Raven
Wade Boteler	...	Harry - Newspaper Editor
Dorothea Kent	...	Jackie Donovan
Clara Blandick	...	Nurse

Storyline

A young man asks a hat check girl to pose as his fiancée in order to make his dying father's last moments happy. However, the old man's health takes a turn for the better and now his son doesn't know how to break the news that he's engaged to someone else, especially since his father is so taken with the impostor.

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Plot Keywords:

playboy | train station | scam | marriage | doctor | 

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Taglines:

The Most Romantic Riot Since Eve Gave Adam the Applesauce!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

26 September 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die ewige Eva

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,166,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the film's opening scene, an assistant newspaper editor comments that if Jonathan Reynolds Sr. had lived two centuries earlier, he would have made a great pirate - "Captain Kidd himself". Three years later, Charles Laughton, who played Jonathan Reynolds Sr., would play the title role in Captain Kidd and again in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Newspaper Editor: Ain't it pretty!
[shows staff the newspaper's front page mock-up with screamer headline "JONATHAN REYNOLDS DEAD"]

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Connections

Remade as Oh Jonathan, oh Jonathan! (1973)

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Soundtracks

"Ahí, viene la conga"
(uncredited)
Written by Raúl Valdespí

User Reviews

Funny, Engaging Comedy With Deanna Durbin, Charles Laughton, & More

With Deanna Durbin's charm, Charles Laughton's energy, a decent supporting cast, and a worthwhile story, "It Started With Eve" is a funny and engaging comedy. It may seem like a weird idea to pair such dissimilar talents as Durbin and Laughton, but it does work. As Laughton's son, Robert Cummings gets mostly straight lines, but he performs his role well, and Walter Catlett also has some good moments as a rather high-strung doctor.

The story starts out a little slowly, but once it gets rolling it is interesting. It also has some thoughtful moments, as the characters try to figure out how to deal with all the dilemmas that start when Cummings's character has to improvise a way of comforting his seriously ill father. The actual plot developments are insubstantial in themselves, but are generally used to good effect. It could have been played as an all-out screwball comedy, but here the more balanced approach seems to work at least as well.

The movie builds up steam as things develop, and saves some of the best moments for the climactic sequence. It's a successful combination that makes for enjoyable viewing.