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Henry Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest ... see more see more... , Eric Blore , Janet Beecher , Robert Greig , Norman Ainsley , Luis Alberni , Sam Ash , Ambrose Barker , Wilson Benge , Wilda Bennett , Evelyn Beresford , Al Bridge , Dora Clement , Jimmy Conlin , Melville Cooper , Eva Dennison , Harry Depp , Pauline Drake , Robert Dudley , Ray Flynn , Almeda Fowler , Kenneth Gibson , Alfred Hall , Arthur Stuart Hull , John Hartley , Arthur Hoyt , J.W. Johnston , Bertram Marburgh , Wanda McKay , Torben Meyer , Frank Moran , Ella Neal , Joe North , Martha O'Driscoll , Jean Phillips , Victor Potel , Frances Raymond , Jack Richardson , Cyril Ring , Harry Rosenthal , Reginald Sheffield , Julius Tannen , Walter Walker , Pat West , Gayne Whitman , George Melford , Robert Warwick , Georgia Cooper , Helen Dickson , Betty Farrington , Esther Michelson , Abdullah Abbas , Harry A. Bailey , Bess Flowers

(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 o... read more read more...f 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, Rovi

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87% liked it

6,697 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

28 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Preston Sturges

Release Date: February 25, 1941

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DVD Release Date: October 16, 2001

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Stats: 496 reviews

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The Lady Eve Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck Poster Barbara Stanwyck and Eugene Pallette Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck With Henry Fonda and Fonda's pet snake on set of The Lady Eve The Lady Eve Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck The Lady Eve The Lady Eve The Lady Eve
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Flixster Reviews (496)

  • flixsterman
    March 19, 2012
    flixsterman
    Barbara Stanwyck exudes enough sexuality to spark a fence post. I don't think I've ever seen a film with such perfect casting. Hilarious and brilliant.
  • ajv2688
    September 29, 2010
    ajv2688
    An unusual romantic comedy, it's really funny, and has a good cast. Really worth watching.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    September 6, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Hah! Delightful!! I'm not sure who was the bigger scene stealer, Barbra Stanwyck or Henry Fonda, I loved them both. Fonda was sweet and naive while Stanwyck was closer to her Ball of Fire role, witty and fiery and perfect! The story lagged a bit here and there, but the humor kept... read more me going.
  • bottcorecords1
    March 13, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    Henry Fonda plays a big dope who wanders around clueless for an entire movie. It's Barbara Stanwyck who has the fun role, as she falls for the dope pretty early in the film, and spends the rest of the time trying to con the big lug into falling in love with her. Fonda plays Cha... read morerles "Hopsy" Pike, a snake collector who is returning from the jungle aboard a cruise ship. It's a cruise ship that's also inhabited by a group of con men, including Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). It turns out Charlie isn't just a snake collector, he's also the heir to a million dollar brewing company ("Pike's Pale: the Ale that won for Yale"). All the women onboard the ship begin to throw themselves at him, but he's so clueless when it comes to women that he scarcely notices. When Jean begins to seduce Hopsy, it's a con that quickly becomes sincere. Hopsy does find out her true identity though, and leaves her for being an immoral woman (once again, the old hollywood standard plot device of a woman's questionable morals comes into play). She vows to get revenge for the shabby way he treats her, and poses as "The Lady Eve" in order to trick him into falling in love with her again. The idea being, Jean was really a nice girl from a not so nice background, whereas the Lady Eve would be a not-so-nice girl from a very nice background, teaching Hopsy not to judge a book by it's cover. It's a screwball comedy with plenty of laughs.
  • harrycaul
    April 13, 2009
    harrycaul
    "I wonder if now would be the time to tell you about Herman..."

    As much as I admire Sullivan's Travels for its social conscience and Unfaithfully Yours for its unusual darkness of tone, The Lady Eve is my favourite of the Preston Sturges movies I've s... read moreeen to date, simply because it's the funniest. Also, besides being typically amused by the obstacles Sturges places in the way of true love, in contrast to McCrea and Colbert in The Palm Beach Story I really do care what happens to Fonda and Stanwyck in this picture. Once he has fallen - quite literally - for Stanwyck, Fonda drifts through the remaining 80 minutes of the movie in a smitten daze while his sparkling co-star showcases her incredible versatility.
  • rubystevens
    April 9, 2009
    rubystevens
    babs' best film!!
  • Saxia
    January 9, 2009
    Saxia
    I loved this movie, Barbara Stanwyck totally won me over with her sexy, witty and cunning role, definitely want to see more of her!. And Henry Fonda, what a silly goof.

    I'm usually not a fan of romantic comedies, but I'm happy to make an exception here!

    ... read more;">
  • smith44
    October 6, 2008
    smith44
    One of the cleverest romantic comedies of all. "I need him like the axe needs the turkey." Flawless
  • binky013
    January 4, 2008
    binky013
    It's extremely difficult for me to choose my favorite Barbara Stanwyck movie so far, but this one is it -- so far. In addition to being a knockout beauty, Stanwyck has got to be one of the most talented actresses I've ever seen.

    This is an excellent comedy in the screwball r

    ... read moreomance tradition, and I'm not sure many people would think of pairing Stanwyck and comedy as readily as they would associate her with drama -- intensely wrought dramatic films such as Double Indemnity. She has it all covered, however, and for sure three things stand out across the board:

    1. Stanwyck has great timing and great delivery of lines, whether comic or dramatic.

    2. She can use her body, all of it, with great expertise, to work her scenes.

    3. Even without speaking a word, her face can express a huge range of emotion and thought.

    Definitely one of the most cerebral actors I've ever seen. She's as camera-savvy as Irene Dunne and Kate Winslet. My only regret is that I never saw her bigger than life at a theater.

    Big points for Henry Fonda in this one as well. I think he may actually be as good in comic as he is in dramatic roles.
  • jennifxu
    August 14, 2007
    jennifxu
    YES! It's been a while since I've seen a truly, truly good screwball comedy worthy enough to be added to my favorite movies. Gosh if only I could snag an adorable man like Henry Fonda had I possessed Barbara's Stanwyck's gift of seduction.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
November 13, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Third writer-director effort of Preston Sturges [from a story by Monckton Hoffe] is laugh entertainment of top proportions with its combo of slick situations, spontaneous dialog and a few slapstick fa... Full Review

Dave Kehr
November 13, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Preston Sturges extended his range beyond the crazy farces that had made his reputation with this romantic 1941 comedy, and his hand proved just as sure. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Now there's no question about it: Preston Sturges is definitely and distinctly the most refreshing new force to hit the American motion pictures in the past five years. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A movie like The Lady Eve is so hard to make that you can't make it at all unless you find a way to make it seem effortless. Preston Sturges does a kind of breathless balancing act here, involving rom... Full Review

Gabe Leibowitz
February 20, 2010
Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt

Fonda's gullibility is endearing, as is Stanwyck's inner turmoil over her chosen path vs. a womanly desire for stability. Full Review

Steve Crum
February 22, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Top of the line Preston Sturges with wonderful Barbara Stanwyck and surprisingly funny Henry Fonda.

November 13, 2007
Film4

One of those movies whose battle-of-the-sexes themes are still relevant more than 50 years on. Full Review

Urban Cinefile Critics
October 21, 2007
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

It's a masterclass in performance and directing %u2013 and shows how romantic comedy is not for amateurs Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 26, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Preston Sturges' most brilliant film deftly combines deftly witty dialogue and slapstick comedy, splendidly acted not only by Stanwyck and Fonda but by every single member of the ensemble. Full Review

Chris Barsanti
January 16, 2007
Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com

...as powerful a feminist statement as it is a smart comedy, and all the more so for hardly seeming to break a sweat in the process. Full Review

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    • Jean Harrington: I need him like the axe needs the turkey.
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  • He played Barbar Stanwyck's love interest in "The Lady Eve"   Answer »
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