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Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1941, Barbara Stanwyck was offered two screwball roles equally suited to her tart intelligence, deft comic timing, and undeniable sex appeal, and it's a photo finish as to which was funnier--showgirl-on-the-lam Sugarpuss O'Shea, the title character in Howard Hawks's Ball of Fire, or con artist Jean Harrington a.k.a. Lady Eve Sidwich, the delirious fulcrum for this classic Preston Sturges comedy. Under Sturges's typically antic microscope, the collision between the gold-digging Harrington and the very rich, very hapless brewery-heir-turned-herpetologist Charles Pike (a wonderfully callow, guileless Henry Fonda) yields ample opportunity for the writer-director to skewer issues of class and sex; as always, Sturges is bold in pushing the censors' envelope, capturing a palpable erotic heat between the canny Jean and the literally feverish Charlie, who, after a year up the Amazon, is instantly smitten by the mere sight of her shapely ankles (in hindsight, a precursor to her subsequent effect in Double Indemnity). To give away the plot machinations driving the farce would spoil the fun, beyond confirming impersonations, mixed signals, and misunderstandings as the turns in a consistently rollicking ride that makes good use of Charles Coburn and screwball character veterans Eugene Pallette, William Demarest, and Eric Blore. --Sam Sutherland
Synopsis
Directed by Preston Sturges, The Lady Eve stars Barbara Stanwyck as Jean Herrington, a sly con artist aboard a transatlantic ocean liner who happens to run across Charles Pike (Henry Fonda), a snake expert returning from a year in the Amazon jungle. Since Pike is the wealthy and shy heir to a beer fortune, he seems like the perfect target for one of Jean's cons, but as she deceives him she finds herself falling in love. One of Sturges's most hilarious comedies, The Lady Eve is a romantic comedy masterpiece with two of Hollywood's stars at the top of their form.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An almost flawless screwball comedy with a perfect ending.,
By
This review is from: The Lady Eve [DVD] (DVD)
I like all of Preston Sturges' films, but this one I love - it is nearly perfect - one of those rare films that affect you long after you have watched it. Anyone who thinks old films are stilted, naive or wet should watch The Lady Eve, there is cynicism, and sophisticated and ribald dialogue you still wouldn't want a child to fully understand. To adapt a line from the film, it has a wonderful way of building up romance then bouncing it down again with wit. Having said that, it is still terribly romantic.
It is impossible not to fall for Barbara Stanwyck's character and at no point, despite being opposites, do the leads feel mismatched in any way. Both of their early screen personas were used by Sturges; Fonda's stiffness to convey a touching innocence and Stanwyck's tough yet vulnerable worldliness to rough him up. A quick word about slapstick, which forms a part of almost all of Sturges' films, I'm not incredibly fond of it and quite often it can be a little tiresome and contrived for modern audiences, as anyone who has had to fast-forward through Rex Harrison's interminable solo scene in Unfaithfully Yours can attest, but here, though it is very important to the plot, it is limited and every instance fits naturally into the scene with perfect timing and, like the rest of the film, is still very, very funny.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming Romantic Comedy,
By Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Criterion Collection: Lady Eve [DVD] [1941] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
Barbara Stanwyck is at her comedic best in "The Lady Eve," playing a vamp who tries to con a gullible heir, played by Henry Fonda. Her plans hit a snag, though, when she finds herself falling for him, which leads to some madcap fun. Directed and co-written by the peerless Preston Sturges ("Sullivan's Travels"), "The Lady Eve" is among the finest of Hollywood 1940's romantic comedies. The script is quite brilliant (the movie received only one Oscar nomination, for its screenplay, which it lost to "Here Comes Mr. Jordan") and delivers some genuine laughs. In addition, the tinge of bitterness and cynicism that characterizes Sturges' work is here -- this movie isn't a sickly sweet romance. Sturges also manages to create a wacky screen couple and then make them seem believable; a formidable task. Finally, Fonda has never been better; his all-American looks and blank visage are put to perfect use to convey the innocence required for the role. Overall, a highly recommended film.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect film!,
By Jari Ahvalo "Jari" (Finland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Lady Eve [DVD] (DVD)
After seeing this wonderful film, I had to ask myself, why they don't make films like this anymore? This film has more wit and passion than all the so called romantic comedies combined that have been made during this decade! Just an incredible film. Here everything works perfectly. This film is not only funny, but it has more depth than most drama films and it has more clear insight into human psyche than most of the serious character studies. And in many ways, this film, though over sixty years old, is still fresh and new.
The leading stars Fonda and Stanwyck are superb. Especially Stanwyck blows me away. One of my all time favourite performances by an actress on film ever. Such a charm and intelligence and beauty. It's truly no understatement to consider her as one of the all time great actresses. Henry Fonda also gives stellar performance. his comedic abilities are subtle but effective. This film is a genuine classic and one the alltime great romantic comedies. Very funny and very entertaining. If classic hollywood film is your cup of tea, you can't go wrong with this one.
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