The Lady Eve (1941)

A trio of classy card sharks targets the socially awkward heir to brewery millions for his money, until one of them falls in love with him.

Director:

Preston Sturges

Writers:

Monckton Hoffe (screen play: based on a story by), Preston Sturges

Stars:

Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Barbara Stanwyck	...	Jean
Henry Fonda	...	Charles
Charles Coburn	...	'Colonel' Harrington
Eugene Pallette	...	Mr. Pike
William Demarest	...	Muggsy
Eric Blore	...	Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith
Melville Cooper	...	Gerald
Martha O'Driscoll	...	Martha
Janet Beecher	...	Mrs. Pike
Robert Greig	...	Burrows
Dora Clement	...	Gertrude
Luis Alberni	...	Pike's Chef

Storyline

Returning from a year up the Amazon studying snakes, the rich but unsophisticated Charles Pike meets con-artist Jean Harrington on a ship. They fall in love, but a misunderstanding causes them to split on bad terms. To get back at him, Jean disguises herself as an English lady, and comes back to tease and torment him.

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Plot Keywords:

con artist | screwball comedy | snake | gold digger | revenge | 

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Taglines:

Paramount's vexiest picture!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lady Eve

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1994.

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Goofs

When Charles and Jean are standing on the deck talking, the ambient, background sounds - of people talking and birds singing - can be heard running on a loop. The scene lasts several minutes, but the ambient sounds repeat every several seconds.

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Quotes

Jean: They say a moonlit deck is a woman's business office.

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Crazy Credits

A very large cartoon snake displays the opening credits while twining around an apple tree.

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Connections

Referenced in The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

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Soundtracks

Lover
(1932) (uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
In the score at the party

User Reviews

Sturges Perfection

A second viewing of this after many years has confirmed it as truly one of the great comedies. I don't think Sturges was ever better (although I haven't seen all his films), and certainly he was never blessed with a better star pairing than Fonda and Stanwyck, plus his usual wonderful array of character comedians in the supporting roles. A double bill of Eve with "Hail the Conquering Hero" reveals that, while both still have their charms, Eve can still have a theatre rocking with laughter, while Hero leaves them a bit cold with its descent into Capra-cornish patriotism and mother love.

The Lady Eve has one of my favourite performances ever from Henry Fonda, showing that his grave sincerity could serve screwball comedy equally as well as Fordian moral uplift. He takes some of the funniest deadpan pratfalls this side of Buster Keaton.

And of course Stanwyck is a delight ... and Charles Coburn ... and Eugene Pallette ... and William Demarest ... and ... and ... ssshhh ... Eric Blore.

If you've never seen it, give yourself a treat