THE LADY EVE

THE LADY EVE IS ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S VERY BEST MOVIES, AND ONE OF PRESTON STURGES' GREATEST COMEDIES. MY PERSONAL FAVORITE IS THE PALM BEACH STORY (SEE SEPARATE DISCUSSION) , BUT ALL THE STURGES' COMEDIES IN HIS GOLDEN PERIOD (THE 40S) ARE CINEMA AT ITS SUBLIME BEST. BARBARA STANWYCK AND HENRY FONDA MADE MULTIPLE MOVIES TOGETHER AND HAD SUPERB SCREEN CHEMISTRY, BUT THIS IS THEIR MASTERPIECE. THIS IS A FILM THAT REALLY IS FILLED WITH ALMOST NON-STOP LAUGHS AND IMAGINATION AND A KIND OF WIT THAT IS RARER IN MOVIES THAN MONEY IN THE MAIL. THE STURGES' STOCK COMPANY OFFERS ITS USUAL INIMITABLE SUPPORT, BUT ONE HAS TO MENTION EUGENE PALLETE (FONDA'S MILLIONARIE DAD) WILLIAM DEMAREST (FONDA'S BODYGUARD) AND ERIC BLORE ( A CON MAN SUPREME). AND, OF COURSE, THERE IS CHARLES C OBURN (STANWYCK'S FATHER AND THE ULTIMATE CARD SHARK). COBURN NEVER GAVE A BAD FILM PERFORMANCE AND ENLIVENED MANY DULL FILMS. THE LADY EVE IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THOSE. THE SAME ACCOLADES CAN BE OFFERED FOR STANWYCK, WHO APPEARED IN A LOT OF MEDIOCRE MOVIES, BUT THIS IS AT THE TOP OF HER VERY BEST WORK ALONG WITH DOUBLE INDEMNITY. THE LADY EVE IS A MOVIE TO BE SAVORED OVER AND OVER AND A GUARANTEED SPIRIT-UPLIFTER, EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU WATCH IT.