The Three Faces of Eve (1957)

A doctor treats a woman suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder.

Director:

Nunnally Johnson

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay), Corbett Thigpen (book) (as Corbett H. Thigpen M.D.)

Stars:

Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joanne Woodward	...	Eve White / Eve Black / Jane
David Wayne	...	Ralph White
Lee J. Cobb	...	Doctor Curtis Luther
Edwin Jerome	...	Doctor Francis Day
Alena Murray	...	Secretary
Nancy Kulp	...	Mrs. Black
Douglas Spencer	...	Mr. Black
Terry Ann Ross	...	Bonnie White
Ken Scott	...	Earl
Mimi Gibson	...	Eve - Age 8
Alistair Cooke	...	Narrator

Storyline

Eve White is a quiet, mousy, unassuming wife and mother who keeps suffering from headaches and occasional black outs. Eventually she is sent to see psychiatrist Dr. Luther, and, while under hypnosis, a whole new personality emerges: the racy, wild, fun-loving Eve Black. Under continued therapy, yet a third personality appears, the relatively stable Jane. This film, based on the true-life case of a multiple personality, chronicles Dr. Luther's attempts to reconcile the three faces of Eve. multiple personalities.

---

Plot Keywords:

multiple personality | psychiatrist | multiple personality disorder | dissociative identity disorder | younger version of character | 

---

Taglines:

All true and utterly fantastic - The story of the most completely documented case of multiple personality in history!

---

Genres:

Drama | Mystery

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1957 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Tres caras tiene Eva

Filming Locations:

Stage 8, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$965,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) 4-Track Stereo

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the DVD commentary by Aubrey Solomon, "When the real Eve signed the contract for the movie, the studio had her sign three separate contracts under each of her personalities, so that they would be covered from any possible legal action. In fact, when she signed the contract, they actually had her go into the personalities, and the signatures were all different on the contracts."

---

Goofs

(at around 33 mins) When Eve Black is in the hospital sitting on the bed talking with the Dr. and he mentions introducing E. Black to E. White, E. Black is holding a cigarette in her left hand. She "wakes up" as E. White and covers herself, but has lost the cigarette.

---

Quotes

Eve Black: [laughs] CHICKEN!

---

Crazy Credits

introducing Alistair Cooke distinguished journalist and commentator

---

Connections

Referenced in The Jeffersons: Three Faces of Florence (1979)

---

Soundtracks

Hold Me
(uncredited)
Written by Jack Little (as Little Jack Little), Dave Oppenheim and Ira Schuster
Performed by Joanne Woodward

User Reviews

A Gal With TOO Much Personality!!!

I suppose the one thing Eve White could never be accused of, in the 1957 movie "The Three Faces of Eve," is not having enough of a personality! In fact--to the consternation of her dullard Georgian husband, and the amazement of shrink Lee J. Cobb--she's got three distinct personalities that tend to emerge quite unexpectedly. The first is Eve White herself, a mousy dishrag of a housewife; then there's "Eve Black," an extroverted, hard-drinking party girl; and finally "Jane," a nice, well-spoken young woman. As portrayed by Joanne Woodward in her Oscar-winning role, this mixed-up gal becomes a very believable and sympathetic figure. Woodward is actually pretty amazing here, and it is quite remarkable how she is able to switch on a dime from one personality to another, using all the actor's tricks of mannerisms, voice inflections, accents and so on. Cobb is also excellent, as usual, as the soft-spoken, patient doctor who tries for years to help her, and David Wayne is also fine as Eve's husband, who, in one fascinating scene, seems to cheat on his wife WITH HIS OWN WIFE! The psychological explanation of why Eve has become what she is may strike some as too pat, but we shouldn't forget that this is all based on a real-life case history. However, as Danny Peary reminds us in his fun book "Alternate Oscars," the real-life Eve had not been cured at the time this film was made, but rather required 17 years' worth of additional therapy, during which time a full 22 personalities came forth! But I guess that would have made for a very depressing 10-hour movie! And I wholeheartedly agree with Peary that Woodward deserved an Oscar for her work here. Heck, under the circumstances, they should've given her three!