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Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J Cobb, Edwin Jerome, Alena Murray ... see more see more... , Nancy Kulp , Douglas Spencer , Terry Ann Ross , Ken Scott , Mimi Gibson , Alistair Cooke , Rush Williams , Vince Edwards

When Alistair Cooke shows up to introduce Three Faces of Eve, we know that the fact-based story will bear more than a little fidelity to truth. Joanne Woodward won an Academy Award for her portrayal o... read more read more...f Eve, a young Georgia housewife suffering from multiple personalities. Eve's husband (David Wayne), confused by his wife's aberrant behavior when assuming her two "other selves," seeks out help from a psychiatrist (Lee J. Cobb). Carefully probing Eve's subconscious via hypnosis, the doctor finds out that, though each of Eve's personalities is aware of the other's existence, none are related. After months of therapy, Eve is purged of her negative selves and is totally cured. Ironically, Joanne Woodward would herself play a psychologist confronted with a multiple-personality case in the Emmy-winning 1976 TV movie Sybil. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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78% liked it

4,774 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

12 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Nunnally Johnson

Release Date: January 1, 1957

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DVD Release Date: October 5, 2004

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Stats: 243 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (243)


  • August 25, 2011
    This film is the portrait of a woman with multiple personality disorder.
    I think Ken Hanke of Mountain Xpress best summarizes my opinion of this film: "It once seemed daring[;] now it seems simplistic." At the time, 1957, this film probably portrayed a little-known condit... read moreion with little-known Freudian treatment, so that the popular audience had to be assured of the subject's verisimilitude, hence the framing narrator vouching for the film's accuracy to a point that the narrator "doth protest too much methinks." But now, Eve's condition is portrayed more like Thing from another World with magical and threatening music toning in every time one of Eve's personalities appears. It becomes heavy-handed, and for an audience that has seen Raising Cain, among all the other films about multiple personalities, it's trite.
    That said, Joanne Woodward is fantastic, fully creating each personality and delivering a performance that of the "they don't make 'em like that any more" variety. I also liked the film's feminist overtones. Ralph is an appropriate villain, and making him the villain, the film impugns patriarchal culture.
    The story's construction is also faulty in parts. There's no need for Woodward's song, and who the hell is Earl? He suddenly appears like the deus ex machina he is, and we have no reason to think of him as a worthy goal.
    Overall, The Three Faces of Eve is a film to see because it's a classic, but unlike most good classics, it has been imitated and refined to the point that it lost its originality and spark.
  • November 17, 2010
    This drama is brilliantly fantastic, I loved it. The actors are great, the story is intriguing, and it's based on a true story, what else could you ask for in a drama?
  • October 6, 2009
    It would be difficult to imagine a more demanding role than a character with three completely different personalities, and it would be equally difficult to imagine anyone rising to the challenge better than the lovely and gifted Joanne Woodward. Her performance is jaw dropping, ... read moreutterly believable, and oscar worthy.
  • March 6, 2009
    House wife "Eve" (Joanne Woodward in an oscar-winning role) buys alot of expensive "hollywood" dresses without remembering she had ever done so, then suddenly tries to strangle her child. Her redneck husband thinks she's batty and takes her to the doctors. It turns out Eve has ... read moremultiple personality disorder, a disease which causes her to take up drinking alcohol and dancing in bars til all hours of the night. Her husband (played to the hilt by David Wayne) tells her "a good whoopin'" will knock some sense into her (he's quite a lowlife here), but in truth only her doctors can save her now. She's very polite when it comes to switching personalities, always able to do so at an instant, whenever demanded of her (even though she seems to have no control over it herself). Narrated like a docu-drama, Three Faces of Eve is still a 1950s handling of multiple personalities disorder. It maybe revolutionary for it's time, but the plot moves too slowly and what was once considered taboo (drinking in bars, oh my!) or shocking is now pretty blase. The only scenes of real greatness were the ones dealing with repressed memories, and these were handled with great artistry. I can see why Woodward won the oscar, she puts in a hell of a performance, its just too bad the movie itself seems so dated.
  • June 9, 2007
    A bit dated but joanne woodward is great as always
  • April 24, 2010
    Joanne Woodward's performance was good. The upbeat ending probably wasn't necessary.
  • April 3, 2009
    The movie the Three Faces of Eve is a true story about a southern wife in the 1950's. Her name was Eve White. She is taken by her husband to see the psychiatrist Dr. Luther. After hyptonitizing her, he discovers that she has two disctnictive personalties. One is EVe White, a rat... read moreher depressed housewife. The other is Eve Black a very flirty southern gal. Later a third personality is discovered, named Jane who has no memory.
    I found this movie to be very entertaining througout. Joanee Woodward does a fantastic job as Eve(she won a academy award for the role). I was fastinayed with her portral of the three personalties. For those of you who dont like movies because they are old, please give this film a chance. There are times when I have been bored by the old cinema, I'll admit. However with this one I was impressed. Just about every scene in this movie there is something that catches your eye. I found several of the scenes to be humourous. When she transforms into Eve Black she flirts with everyone! Even her psychiatrist, who was double her age! What the hell!?
    So overall I found this movie quite a surprise. People who are interested in psychology will surely find this enjoyable along with anyone who enjoys great cinema.


    advertisementEve Black: Don't you want to get me one?
    Ralph White: Well, I've never seen you take a drink before.
    Eve Black: Honey, there are a lot of things you've never seen me do before. That's no sign I don't do 'em.
  • April 24, 2011
    Its a good film. I liked all the twists and turns that it took that watch it you had no idea how it was going to end.
  • March 2, 2009
    Woodward is the reason to see this. the factual presentation rather than a dramatized account slows it down. the best story element is deconstructing why she developed the personalities and that's done so well similar to a hitchcock or fritz lang climax.
  • December 6, 2008
    Joanne Woodward was supberb. The movie was good, but I found the big reveal of what caused Eve to have multiple personalities to be a big disappointment. Then again, times have changed so much that I'm jaded.

Critic Reviews


Emanuel Levy
May 7, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

An early, too simplistic Hollywood melodrama about split personality, well acted by Joanne Woodward in an Oscar-winning performance. Full Review

MaryAnn Johanson
November 12, 2004
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher

The power of the film as a whole has been lessened with time... Full Review

Christopher Null
October 21, 2004
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

watch the film for Woodward. She never reached heights like this before or since Full Review

Pablo Villaca
March 8, 2004
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

A introdução feita por Cooke indica a insegurança dos produtores com relação ao roteiro - e, se não fosse pela performance de Woodward, o filme seria um grande embaraço.

Ken Hanke
March 1, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

It once seemed daring, now it seems simplistic.

Bosley Crowther
March 25, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Susan Granger
December 21, 2005
Susan Granger, www.susangranger.com

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
June 23, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Eric Lurio
June 6, 2005
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette

No review available.

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The Three Faces of Eve Trivia


  • Name this 1957 Academy Award winning movie for Best Picture of the year staring Joanne Woodward with this plot outline:A seemingly happily married woman suddenly begins to manifest schizophrenic behavior,taking up thress different personalities.  Answer »
  • What 1957 movie has Joanne Woodward playing a woman suffering from multiple personality disorder?  Answer »
  • Name the movie that starred Joanne Woodward as a schizophrenic with 3 distinct personalities, also starring David Wayne and Lee J. Cobb.   Answer »
  • What 1957 film featured an Oscar winning performance by Joanne Woodward as a woman with multiple personalities?   Answer »

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