LADY EVE (DVD/B&W/1941/1.33/CRITERION COLLECTION) DVD

The Lady Eve
(Preston Sturges) wrote and directed this classic romantic comedy starring Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, who are involved in a scintillating battle of the sexes, as Sturges points up the terrors of sexual passion and the unattainability of the romantic ideal. Henry Fonda plays Charles Pike, the heir to the Pike Ale fortune ("The Ale That Won for Yale"). An ophiologist (a snake expert), he just spent a year "up the Amazon" looking for rare snakes with his cynical and protective guardian/valet Muggsy (William Demarest). He arrives to board the S.S. Southern Queen bound for New York, and immediately becomes the main order of business for a collection of single women looking to nab the eligible bachelor. Amongst those watching Charles board are a trio of con men and cardsharps -- Colonel Handsome Harry Harrington (Charles Coburn), his partner Gerald (Melville Cooper), and the Colonel's daughter Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). All three see Charles as a pushover and at dinner, while all the women are ogling Charles, Jean wins the day by sticking out her foot and tripping him. Complaining to Charles that he should watch where he is going, she gets him to escort her to her cabin so that she can replace her broken heel. Charles is sexually attracted to Jean, but when Charles is about to make a pass at her, she pulls back, telling him, "You ought to be put in a cage." Back in the dining room, Charles is introduced to the Colonel and the three play cards, Charles winning $500 from the Colonel and $100 from Jean. But Charles is merely being set-up for the next game when the Colonel will come in for the kill. Back at Jean's cabin, Charles and Jean sit close and something happens she hadn't planned -- she becomes attracted to Charles too. The next morning, Muggsy warns Charles that the Colonel and Jean are cardsharks, but Charles won't hear of it. Meanwhile, the Colonel is looking forward to fleecing Charles, but Jean doesn't want any part of it. Jean participates in the card game between Charles and the Colonel, making sure than the Colonel doesn't cheat. But while Jean waits on deck for Charles after the game, the Colonel plays Charles a game of double-or-nothing, with Charles losing $32,000. Jean, angry with her father, makes the Colonel tears up Charles' check. The next morning, Muggsy proves to Charles the three are con artists. Devastated, Charles shows Jean the photograph, claiming he knew she was a criminal the morning after he met her. Jean is determined to get even with Charles ("I hate that mug!"). Docking in New York, the Colonel reveals he merely palmed the $32,000 check. But that's not enough revenge for Jean. Impersonating an aristocratic English woman, Lady Eve Sidwich, Jean has herself introduced to Charles. Planning to make Charles to fall in love with her again, she intends to break his heart like he broke her own. As she explains, "I've got some unfinished business with him -- I need him like the axe needs the turkey." ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Cast Henry Fonda as Charles Pike Barbara Stanwyck as Jean Harrington Charles Coburn as "Colonel" Harry Harrington Eugene Pallette as Mr. Pike William Demarest as Muggsy-Ambrose Murgatroyd Eric Blore as Sir Alfred McGlennon-Keith Janet Beecher as Mrs. Pike Robert Greig as Burrows

Crew Hans Dreier - Art Director Ernst Fegte - Art Director Edith Head - Costume Designer Preston Sturges - Director Stuart Gilmore - Editor Sigmund Krumgold - Composer (Music Score) Sigmund Krumgold - Musical Direction/Supervision Wally Westmore - Makeup Victor Milner - Cinematographer Paul Jones - Producer Don Johnson - Sound/Sound Designer Harry Lindgren - Sound/Sound Designer Monckton Hoffe - Screenwriter Preston Sturges - Screenwriter

The Lady Eve
The Lady Eve is among the funniest films of the World War II era, and one of the few comedies whose humor has survived both cultural changes and shifting audience demographics. Directed by Preston Sturges with his usual efficiency, the battle-of-the-sexes story allows star performers Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck to shine, though supporting performer William Demarest often steals the show. As was common in the censorship-laden war era, Sturges resorted to several clever sexual symbols. Fonda's character is an expert on snakes, and there is a funny moment when the audience catches the phallically suggestive book title, Are Snakes Necessary?. The dialogue is consistently bright and peppy. As Roger Ebert has pointed out, Fonda's steady, down-to-earth performance is necessary to allow Stanwyck's screwball character to shine. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide
 

Monckton Hoffe: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Story (nominated)

Library of Congress, U.S. National Film Registry (winner) National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: 1: PCM mono Additional Features: New digital transfer Audio commentary by noted film scholar Marian Keane Video introduction by writer-director Peter Bogdanovich The 1942 broadcast of the Lux Radio Theater adaptation, performed by Barbara Stanwyck and Ray Milland Edith Head costume designs Scrapbook of original publicity materials and production stills Original theatrical trailer English subtitles Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: Content Length: 93 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 0. Chapters 1. Logos/Titles [1:28] 2. Up The Amazon [1:49] 3. "The ale that won for Yale" [1:38] 4. A Chance Meeting [3:40] 5. "See anything you like?" [3:57] 6. A Game of Cards [5:17] 7. Jean's Ideal [6:05] 8. Muggsy Suspects [2:56] 9. Scotch for Breakfast [2:09] 10. "Snakes and all" [2:39] 11. High Stakes [6:48] 12. A Moonlit Deck [2:04] 13. The Morning After [2:43] 14. "Not nearly as bad" [6:27] 15. Revenge [1:42] 16. Unfinished Business [2:53] 17. Preparations at the Pikes' [3:59] 18. The Lady Eve [2:20] 19. "Never been in South America" [4:09] 20. "The same dame" [4:36] 21. Sidwich Family Secrets [3:10] 22. Pike's Pitch [4:22] 23. The Big Day [2:41] 24. Angus, Herman, Vernon [6:54] 25. Negotiations [3:29] 26. "Positively the same dame" [3:40]