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Plot: In 1941, Barbara Stanwyck was offered two screwball roles equally suited to her tart intelligence, deft comic timing, and undeniable sex appeal, and it's a photo finish as to which was funnier--showgi...( read more read more... )rl-on-the-lam Sugarpuss O'Shea, the title character in Howard Hawks's Ball of Fire, or con artist Jean Harrington a.k.a. Lady Eve Sidwich, the delirious fulcrum for this classic Preston Sturges comedy. Under Sturges's typically antic microscope, the collision between the gold-digging Harrington and the very rich, very hapless brewery-heir-turned-herpetologist Charles Pike (a wonderfully callow, guileless Henry Fonda) yields ample opportunity for the writer-director to skewer issues of class and sex; as always, Sturges is bold in pushing the censors' envelope, capturing a palpable erotic heat between the canny Jean and the literally feverish Charlie, who, after a year up the Amazon, is instantly smitten by the mere sight of her shapely ankles (in hindsight, a precursor to her subsequent effect in Double Indemnity). To give away the plot machinations driving the farce would spoil the fun, beyond confirming impersonations, mixed signals, and misunderstandings as the turns in a consistently rollicking ride that makes good use of Charles Coburn and screwball character veterans Eugene Pallette, William Demarest, and Eric Blore. --Sam Sutherland

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Recent Reviews

  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    April 30, 2008
    The Lady Eve is a fantastic romantic comedy with a really compelling lead actress in Barbara Stanwyck. Fun, flirty and one of the best comedies that I've ever seen period.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    February 15, 2008
    Best on-screen chemistry for a romantic comedy. A smart movie too, I might add! My favourite Barbara Stanwyck movie!
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    January 4, 2008
    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 romance 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.

  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    October 13, 2007
    This is definitely one of the funniest movies ever! Barbara Stanwyck is brillant as the sexy con artist Jean Harrington who tries to seduce the superrich sucker, Charles Pike (Henry Fonda), but ends up falling for the sap! True, it's a bit predictable, but I was surprised that Henry Fonda could do comedy so well. Even though "Ball of Fire" and "The Lady Eve" are considered on the same level, "Eve" is a perfect blend of humor and sex appeal with a great story and top-notch performances. A real classic comedy!
  • 4.5 Stars
    MCT:
    September 23, 2007
    a fantastic old romantic comedy. the stars are fantastic, the script is so funny, and the direction is very sensual. william demarest and eugene pallette are hilarious.
  • 4.5 Stars
    MCT:
    September 2, 2007
    Comedies don't get much better than this! Preston Sturges's best script played to perfection by Barbara Stanwyck.
  • 3.5 Stars
    MCT:
    August 28, 2007
    Babs play this cardshark with her father and another man who preys on Henry Fonda on a ship, but doesn't count on falling in love with him. I liked this movie but at times, I just want to tell Babs, shut up!! especially in the scene where they got married and she starts telling all her business to tick him off.
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    July 12, 2007
    the only thing better than funny is hot n'funny...and, hooooboyooohboyooohboy! this one is all that and a bag of chips!
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    July 10, 2007
    Again, Preston Sturges: exceedingly smart and witty. Barbara Stanwyck is both sexy and sufficiently silly in this great movie. Henry Fonda is hilarious as the "aw shucks" target of her con.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    June 10, 2007
    O so v. v. v. good! I agree with Loni Scarlet, this could possibly be my favourite screwball comedy.

    Barbara Stanwyck is an enjoyable player to watch and her comic timing is impeccable.
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    April 20, 2007
    So much fun. I love screwball comedy, and this is one of the finest examples. Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda are great in this Preston Sturges classic.
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    April 19, 2007
    A great, great movie. Stanwyck is incredible and Fonda plays a great doofus who is as clumsy as he is endearing. The first half on the boat is great but the last half is a bit more brilliantly ridiculous. You can't go wrong with this one.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    March 18, 2007
    Excellent for a lady con film. Stanwyck's performance as well as Fonda's is exceptionally well done.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    January 20, 2007
    One of the most delicious features and most remarkable of this film is perfect chemistry between Stanwyck and Fonda. Stanwyck is the girl of a professional player and is a pro when it comes to the enchanting men in order to cheat their money out of the plays of poker. It is simply astonishing how perfect it acting is, with such a degree of which the character of Founded doubt itself if the injury in front of him is the woman that it in the past knew or a different woman completely. Completely plays of spirit and brilliant executions, this film is undoubtedly one of best the comedies of the year of blooming of 1941.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    January 16, 2007
    its by the same guy who did sullivan's trvel. im not gonna tellu th eplot u can find it sumwehre else. barbara stanwyck andhenry fona do a good jbo herehtheir do funny, stanwyck is like a good actress. if u haven tseen a prestn sgures mooovei yu have to!
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    January 13, 2007
    By the end of the film you are not quite sure what is what which seems typical of screwball comedies. However, the chemistry of the actors and the effervescence of the script send this film into the ethereal realm of filmic legend.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    December 31, 2006
    Behold the razor sharp wit and unflappable technique of Preston Sturges. While many favor Sullivan's Travels for sheer structural strength (and a touch less sapiness) nothing beats Eve. Stanwyck has never matched herself (at least comedically) here and it makes you wonder why Fonda didn't do more comedies. Plus its always great to see Sturges stock players; William Demarest, Eric Blore, Eugene Pallette and the crooked but never common Charles Coburn.
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    October 28, 2006
    Barbara Stanwyck is the very epitome of sexy and Henry Fonda is incomparable as the handsome, naive suitor who gets mixed up with her. A romantic screwball comedy that really only hits home if you love both its lead players...which I definitely do.
  • 4.0 Stars
    MCT:
    October 5, 2006
    a remarkable production by sturges that has perfect casting and wonderful execution of pacing, accurate to many tales of finiding love and the ensuing chaso that follows, charming to watch
  • 2.5 Stars
    MCT:
    September 10, 2006
    I found it a bit slow and hard to get into at first but once it picked up, it had its moments, especially the comedic overtones and the screwball comicness. The card game was definitely interesting and quite the attention grabber.
  • 5.0 Stars
    MCT:
    June 12, 2006
    Bar none, the greatest screwball comedy ever made. Smart, fast paced, sexy, and consistently funny, with one utterly delightful moment after another. Henry Fonda shows that he is just as great as a comedic actor as he is a dramatic one, while Barbara Stanwyck is simply DIVINE, to say the least. She's always a desirable presence on screen, with the perfect combination of toughness, elegance, sensuality, intteligence, and vulnerability to making Jean/Eve a most memorable screen character.
  • 3.0 Stars
    MCT:
    April 21, 2006
    1940s screwball isn't really my thing. But Sturges' subversion of the Hayes code is pretty fascinating.

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Details

  • Rated: (Unrated)
  • Directed by: Preston Sturges
  • Genres: Comedy, Romance, Classics
  • Released: February 25, 1941
  • DVD Released: October 16, 2001

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