Cheap The Lady Eve - Criterion Collection (DVD) (Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda) (Preston Sturges) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of The Lady Eve - Criterion Collection

Best American Laugher
I saw bits and pieces of The Lady Eve on Turner occasionally and never watched long enough to have an opinion one way or the other. I enjoyed Preston Sturges, Sullivan's Travels and realize he's one of the greats of American film comedy, so I rented The Lady Eve on a friend's recommendation. I enjoyed young handsome Henry Fonda and particularly Barbara Stanwyck. Barbara Stanwyck is not a favorite actress of mine. Maybe it's her brassy delivery and non-leading lady face, but I've changed my mind. Barbara is without a doubt the equal of Claudette Colbert or Carole Lombard in screwball comedy. She might be better. There is a burning intensity, a wistfulness in her delivery of: "Sometimes a good girl can be bad and a bad girl can be good." Fonda has been in the Amazon for a year and on a ship home he runs into a family of card sharks. Barbara traps him, he trips, falls, lands on his ass, and holds her stocking foot. Then they fall in love in some of the most romantic photography of a beautiful couple ever shot. The farce goes on to its final brilliance. There is one pratfall that made me laugh out loud for five minutes. Preston Sturgis is one of the best five directors in all of film.

---

_The_ Sturges Classic!!!
Wow. This film is a stunner. It is also one of the best romantic comedies of the 1940s, or of any era. As usual, Preston Sturges's dialogue and situations sparkle with humor and wit, while his direction keeps the action moving quickly. Both Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda turn in perfect performances. There are also notable supporting turns by Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, and Eric Blore (all practiced character actors that shined in romantic comedy). Several Sturges regulars also appear, notably William Demarest.

Stanwyck plays a con artist, who, with her father (Coburn), tricks unwary passengers on cruise ships. She decides that Fonda, a rich man who is heir to Pike's Pale [ale] fortune, will be her next victim. They meet "cute," as is required in an old romantic comedy: Stanwyck purposefully trips Fonda and breaks her shoe, then forces Fonda to take her to her room to replace it. The following scene on the chaise loungue is a keeper. Soon Fonda is falling under Stanwyck's spell, while Coburn is stealing his money at cards. But Stanwyck also finds herself falling in love, as she is slowly won over by Fonda's innocence. She decides to reform and give Fonda back his money. But then Fonda finds out that Stanwyck is a known criminal, and breaks up with her. Determined to have her revenge on Fonda for dumping her, Stanwyck disguises herself as the wealthy English "Lady Eve" and goes to Fonda's house. There, she quickly seduces him, without Fonda ever recognizing her. Then things get even more complicated. Of course, certain events result with our hero and heroine finally understanding each other and finding happiness.

This film is a treat from beginning to end (I loved the opening credits with the animated snake--nice Adam and Eve reference). Well worth the money. Also recommended: Easy Living, Hail the Conquering Hero (both also Sturges), Ball of Fire (also with Stanwyck), anything by Lubitsch.

---

Never play cards with a card sharp

Director: Preston Sturges
Format: Black & White
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: August 4, 1998

Cast:

Barbara Stanwyck ... Jean Harrington/Lady Eve Sidwich
Henry Fonda ... Charles Pike ('Hopsie')
Charles Coburn ... 'Colonel' Harrington
Eugene Pallette ... Horace Pike
William Demarest ... Muggsy (Ambrose Murgatroyd)
Eric Blore ... Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith ('Pearlie')
Melville Cooper ... Gerald
Martha O'Driscoll ... Martha
Janet Beecher ... Janet Pike
Robert Greig ... Burrows
Dora Clement ... Gertrude
Luis Alberni ... Emile, Pike's chef
Harry Depp ... Man With Glasses on Boat
Robert Dudley ... Husband on Boat
Ray Flynn ... Lawyer
Kenneth Gibson ... Party Guest
Sam Ash ... Husband on Boat
Alfred Hall ... Party Guest
Eddie Hall ... Chauffeur
John Hartley ... Young Man on Boat
Arthur Hoyt ... Lawyer at Phone in Pike's Office
Arthur Stuart Hull ... Party Guest
Jack W. Johnston ... Lawyer
Harry A. Bailey ... Lawyer

Ambrose Barker ... Mac
Bertram Marburgh ... Party Guest
George Melford ... Party Guest
Torben Meyer ... Mr. Clink, Purser
Frank Moran ... Party Bartender
Joseph North ... Second Butler at Party
Wilson Benge ... First Butler at Party
Victor Potel ... Second Steward
Jack Richardson ... Father of Girl on Board
Cyril Ring ... Husband on Boat
Abdullah Abbas ... Man With Potted Palm
Harry Rosenthal ... Piano Tuner
Reginald Sheffield ... Professor Jones
Norman Ainsley ... Sir Alfred's Servant
Julius Tannen ... Lawyer
Walter Walker ... Sparky
Robert Warwick ... Passenger
Pat West ... Ship's Bartender
Gayne Whitman ... Party Guest
Al Bridge ... First Steward
Jimmy Conlin ... Third Steward
Wanda McKay ... Daughter on Boat
Esther Michelson ... Wife on Boat
Ella Neal ... Daughter on Boat
Barbara Pepper ... Lady Wrestler Type
Jean Phillips ... Sweetie
Wilda Bennett ... Party Guest
Evelyn Beresford ... Party Guest
Frances Raymond ... Old Lady on Boat
Marcelle Christopher ... Daughter on Boat
Georgie Cooper ... Party Guest
Nell Craig ... Boat Passenger at Railing
Eva Dennison ... Mother on Boat
Helen Dickson ... Mother on Boat
Pauline Drake ... Social Secretary
Betty Farrington ... Mother on Boat
Bess Flowers ... Party Guest
Almeda Fowler ... Mother on Boat

A trio of card sharps on a cruise ship tries to take a rich man's son, Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) at cards. Unfortunately for both of them, Pike falls for Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck), and she him. Also unfortunately, her background as a card cheat comes out and puts the kibosh on the romance.

The story develops from there.

This is a good story, ccompetently acted and directed, and very entertaining.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books