As a (hopefully) weekly installment, I will take a look at a movie, new or old, and give some of my thoughts on it.
In our opener, I'd like to take on Preston Sturges' "The Lady Eve." This romantic comedy from 1941 features Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, who are both in excellent form. Stanwyck is Jean Harrington, a card shark, who first targets and then falls in love with the naive ale heir, Charles Pike (Fonda). Once Pike finds out what she is, he breaks it off with her. Hurt, Jean creates the "Eve" personae to get even with Pike.
Sturges's script is sharp and witty, something clearly lacking nowadays. It plays on what the audience knows and the characters, mostly the hapless Pike, don't know. That doesn't stop it from having some silly slapstick thrown in for good measure. The movie also acknowledges the Genesis story featuring the "original" Eve, including apples, snakes, and a very tempting Eve.
As I said before, Stanwyck and Fonda are delightful to watch. Fonda's acting is all in his face, which is priceless as he depicts Pike's dumbfounded expressions. Stanwyck is full of energy, charm, and a bit of something else. There is a gleem in her eye as she says in the movie, referring to Pike, "I need him like the ax needs a turkey." I also enjoyed the supporting cast of Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, and William Demarest.
The only disappointment I find in this movie is the ending, which seems to come in a hurry. The happy ending isn't unfitting, but it feels like the movie is missing a few scenes that make the ending the logical conclusion that it is.
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