Simply A Masterpiece

One of my all time favorites.

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This isn't easy for Henry Fonda, being rather backward with a sole life interest in snakes and other reptiles and being the only son of a multi-millionaire of beer, who wants to get him married at any price with whomever, and so he meets with the worst possible death trap for a bachelor, Barbara Stanwyck at her smartest and loveliest, partnering her father in cheating at cards. Charles Coburn is that father and makes the best of it as another father who wants his daughter married at any price with whomever as long as he is rich. This film was entirely made for fun, and there are many irregularities, but it's the fun that counts. Mind all the whistles. They play an important part symbolically and make the finale. Eric Blore is another bloke cheating the heads off of all society and entering just at the right critical moment to save the situation by doubling the trouble, together with Eugene Palette in on of his many exhilarating performances, making the company of merry rogues complete. Everyone dominating the stage here is a cheat with accomplished faked identities and playing for kicks, except poor Henry Fonda, who is totally honest and innocent and is well taken care of and fares the better off for not understanding a thing. His silliness is adorable throughout the film, and his play-acting as this very odd character is a marvel, matching Barbara's resplendent superiority perfectly. No wonder she has to fall for him, while he just follows her in the fall... The music also plays an important part, and even Wagner's Pilgrim Chorus adds solemnly to the comedy at another of the film's multitude of moments of enjoying hypocrisy.One of the most hilarious comedies of all time, and you can see it many times and still enjoy its freshness.

I had high expectations for this film. I liked the quirky "Sullivan's Travels" and wanted to see what Preston Sturgess could do with a screwball comedy.Unfortunately, "The Lady Eve" was a disappointment. The opening scene introduces Charles (Henry Fonda), a dedicated ophidiologist. Then we meet Jean (Barbara Stanwyck) and Harrington (Charles Coburn), a couple of professional gamblers looking to take money off rich suckers aboard a cruise liner. There is some snappy dialog as Jean targets Charles for a take-down. Stanwyck has charisma in this role and the supporting cast do a fine job up to this point.Then things go off the rails. Charles is boring and Fonda gives no life to this character. Why a cynic like Jean should go gooey-eyed over him is absurd. I dislike movies where the romantic leads say "I love you" when there is nothing to make you think these are anything more than words in a script.The setup for this supposed romance is stupid. Jean finds that Charles' passion is for snakes. She is deathly afraid of snakes. This could be an act but her running out of his cabin and down the stairs is sped up for a cheap gag. Will he give up snakes for her? No! So now she is in love and wants to marry him?That is pretty much the end of the snake theme. After the opening credits, we are led to expect that snakes and the legend of Eve must be a big part of this story. A snake appears in a brief scene at the Pike mansion later. Will a snake appear at the wedding to reveal Eve is Jean after all? No!There are a couple of other things in the film that go nowhere. On the ship, Charles goes dizzy at the smell of Jean's perfume. At the mansion, Eve wears the same perfume but Charles refuses to believe that Eve is Jean. When Charles is courting Eve, the horse misbehaves. They shoot the scene from a different angle with the horse in shot. If this is meant to be a sight gag, it doesn't work.The final scene is ridiculous. Charles is back on a ship where he meets Jean again. Why is he on a ship? Why is Jean there? Most importantly, why does Charles say he is in love with Jean? It makes no sense.Screwball comedies are funny. This is not.For a much better movie about a con artist marrying a clumsy naturalist, watch "A New Leaf" instead.

THE LADY EVE is a film in which all the beauty and romance can be seen in one scene. Barbara's fingers in Henry's hair. Funny and sexy certainly is, but I think it's just the scene saved movie. Adventurer and impostor on board "cast about" the rolled up and unworldly rich young man who returned from an expedition from Amazon. The story does not offer anything other than a good fun.Barbara Stanwyck as Jean Harrington has done well in different situations. A thief who is both reliable and honest. A vicious seductress who is also very romantic. Digger who does not want money. Honestly, I'm not so keen with her appearance in the film.Henry Fonda as Charles Poncefort Pike He is a very unstable character. At the same time vulnerable and honest. The young man whose lack of love, but hard to get to it. It is hard to watch such a sucker while Eve wrapped him around her little finger.Bringing up Baby is repeated.I wonder if Henry is motivated enough? His character is something like a toy, which entertains and which enjoys a strong female character. After all, she wants him honestly. The film is simple. Romance and fraud in a strong physical comedy. A bit provocative and quite sufficient to the point of market and laugh.

Charles the man that just came back home seems to have every woman watching him everywhere he goes but one finds a way to get his attention. This may turn into a relationship, but what if it ended and the girlfriend disguised herself as another woman and makes Charles fall for her again and not even know it. Now that would be funny, but wait she just makes it even better as the Lady Eve to create more comedy with that.Eve knows how to wrap herself around Charles who isn't the brightest around women is able to create a great screwball comedy that will make anyone laugh. The two characters take the audience through another film that you really don't need to understand as long as you are laughing.A great film done by Preston Sturges probably one his best I have seen with a great set of actors that make the comedy so good.