Eva (1962)

Director:

Joseph Losey

Writers:

James Hadley Chase (novel) and
Hugo Butler (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A raw Welsh novelist in Venice is humiliated by a money-loving Frenchwoman who erotically ensnares him. |

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Female Nudity | Nudity | Dominatrix | Based On Novel

Cast

Jeanne Moreau	...	Eve Olivier
Stanley Baker	...	Tyvian Jones
Virna Lisi	...	Francesca Ferrara
James Villiers	...	Alan McCormick
Riccardo Garrone	...	The Player
Lisa Gastoni	...	The Russian
Checco Rissone	...	Pieri
Enzo Fiermonte
Nona Medici	...	Anna Maria
Roberto Paoletti
Alex Revidis	...	The Greek
Evi Rigano
John Pepper
Van Eicken
Peggy Guggenheim

Also Known As:

Eve (Italy) (UK)
Eva (USA)
Eva, the Devil's Woman

Runtime:

116 min | USA:107 min | Finland:120 min (director's cut)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:16 | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16

Company:

Paris Film Productions

Trivia:

Hardy Krüger was considered for a key role

Soundtrack:

Willow Weep For Me

A lengthy cigarette commercial

This film is oh so 60's that it is as much a time capsule as La Dolce Vita. The clothes, hair styles, make up, and attitudes all date this film. Even the furnishings scream `period piece'.

If you don't mind spending good money watching Jeanne Moreau strike one pose after another while wearing heavy eyeliner and false eyelashes, then this is for you. If there was a story I missed it although the theme did seem to be half decent man ruined by infatuation with femme fatale. The action takes place in Venice in the winter - no tourists, no pigeons and very bleak.

As far I could tell the action comprised Ms. Moreau strutting into a room with her hair done up trailing her fur coat behind her, lighting a cigarette, turning around blowing smoke and we see her face in close up. This scene is repeated throughout with a variation when she unpins her hair and shakes it loose, or brushes it. She also lights up before going to bed at night after hugging the cat , or maybe she lit up before hugging the cat. Maybe she gave the cat a smoke too. Stanley Baker was the man who became besotted by her although if I got it right, she despised him. Virna Lisi was his sweet little betrayed wife. Jeanne Moreau, cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth, posed in various couture gowns in a casino, night club, parties and smoked heavily throughout. Until the film ended.