Sick Product of a Sick System

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Don't listen to the negative reviews

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Henry Fonda as the rich but naive young gentleman, Barbara Stanwyck as the quick-thinking witty opportunistic New-York gal in a film full of twists.The film starts off very strongly, with its top notch acting especially from Stanwyck, with its clever pleasant dialog, and lays down its premises. It feels like a genuine treat. But then the quality seems to dim as the film progresses and things seem more predictable and the plot generally weaker. It's understandable as the beginning is where all the mystery is and all, but a good film should be able to keep the interest going through the middle and til the end, and things get a bit too facile and obvious.6.5/10

Directed by Preston Sturges, the whole cast is terrific and includes (many from Sturges' other great films): Henry Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Coburn, Eugene Palette, William Demarest, Eric Blore, and Al Bridge (uncredited). The script was Oscar nominated. Added to the National Film Registry in 1994. #55 on AFI's 100 Funniest Movies list. #26 on AFI's 100 Greatest Love Stories list.Fonda is a wealthy, naive ophiologist (snake expert) that runs into father and daughter con artists (Coburn and Stanwyck) on a cruise ship while returning from an expedition. However, Stanwyck falls for Fonda and tells Coburn to lay off him. Demarest plays a servant, protector of Fonda. When Fonda learns what she really is, he is disillusioned and breaks his relationship with Stanwyck.Later, back in Fonda's high society world, he is surprised to see someone looking very much like Stanwyck (it is her, with a new identity) at a party at his home. She's with Blore, another con artist. Fonda tries to figure out who she is, and must wrestle with his affections and his trust.

Charles the man that just came back home seems to have every woman watching him everywhere he goes but one finds a way to get his attention. This may turn into a relationship, but what if it ended and the girlfriend disguised herself as another woman and makes Charles fall for her again and not even know it. Now that would be funny, but wait she just makes it even better as the Lady Eve to create more comedy with that.Eve knows how to wrap herself around Charles who isn't the brightest around women is able to create a great screwball comedy that will make anyone laugh. The two characters take the audience through another film that you really don't need to understand as long as you are laughing.A great film done by Preston Sturges probably one his best I have seen with a great set of actors that make the comedy so good.

The Lady Eve is a magnificent screwball-comedy. I came across this gem of a film when browsing through the earlier half of Henry Fonda's filmography one Sunday morning - and yes, the date and time in which I discovered this film is relevant to my liking of it. It is sweet, charming, hilarious, and offers to legendary stars at their zeniths of attractiveness and acting genius. And yes, again, this film features some of Fonda's and Stanwyck's greatest performances in the genre of comedy - that is undeniable.The scene in which Barbara Stanwyck's character strokes Henry Fonda's character's hair while holding him is one that will end my very existence. Aside from the aesthetically yummy scenes of the movie, including a scene where Henry dons a very handsome white suit, Henry Fonda gives a strong performance. He displays unbelievable charm in his gullible and oh-so-innocent attitude that it's rather hard not to admire and root for Fonda in this film. Especially when one has seen some of his other films, where he portrays less-than-kind Western psychopaths. Barbara Stanwyck also gives an incredible performance - seeing this film, one couldn't possibly think that Stanwyck can ever do wrong.I definitely recommend the viewing of this film - even if it's nothing more than to see Fonda and Stanwyck share phenomenal chemistry.