The Lady Eve Overview:

The Lady Eve (1941) was a Comedy - Crime Film directed by Preston Sturges and produced by Buddy G. DeSylva, William LeBaron, Albert Lewin and Paul Jones.

The film was based on the stage play The Faithful Heart written by Monckton Hoffe performed at the Broadhurst Theatre, NY from Oct 10, 1922 - Nov 1922.

SYNOPSIS

This is perhaps the perfect movie comedy, with a runaway heiress - or, in this case, heir - double identities, barbed wit, inspired pratfalls, and the Sturges collection of supporting characters. One could ask for no more. Beer scion Fonda would rather spend his time chasing snakes up exotice rivers than running the family business, until he becomes fascinated with con girl Stanwyck and her crooked pop, Coburn, on an ocean liner. Of course, she falls for Fonda and then loses him when he learns of her occupation. She gets another chance in the guise of visiting royalty and charms everyone at a reception in her honor, including Fonda's tycoon father Pallette. Our favorite line: after Fonda has most of the formal dinner and drinks spilled on his tux and, finally, on his out-of-season dinner jacket, Pallette intones, "Why don't you put on a bathing suit!" Well, you have to see it.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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The Lady Eve was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1994.

Academy Awards 1941 --- Ceremony Number 14 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingMonckton HoffeNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

COMEDY GOLD #17: The horse from The Lady Eve (1941)

By Carol Martinheira on Jul 20, 2019 From The Old Hollywood Garden

COMEDY GOLD #17: The horse from The Lady Eve (1941) On July 20, 2019 By CarolIn Uncategorized Just when you thought Preston Sturges’ iconic screwball comedy The Lady Eve (1941) couldn’t get any better, in comes the horse that somehow managed to upstage both ... Read full article


5 things I love about The Lady Eve (1941)

By Carol Martinheira on Dec 5, 2017 From The Old Hollywood Garden

5 things I love about The Lady Eve (1941) On December 5, 2017 By CarolIn Uncategorized I mean, what?s not to love, really? It?s just a delight of a movie. And like any screwball comedy, this is one of those movies that you can watch over and over. So I thought I?d shar... Read full article


Preston Sturges series: Screening of “The Lady Eve” May 24 at the Daystar Center

By Stephen Reginald on May 19, 2016 From Classic Movie Man

Preston Sturges series: Screening of “The Lady Eve” May 24 at the Daystar Center Preston Sturges series: The Lady EveWhere: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, ILWhen: May 24, 2016Time: 6:30 p.m.Hosted by Stephen Reginald Father and daughter con art... Read full article


The Lady Eve (1941) – Updated

By 4 Star Film Fan on Dec 28, 2015 From 4 Star Films

“You have the darndest way of bouncing a fellow down and bumping him up again” ~ Henry Fonda as Charles Pike The story goes that screenwriting wunderkind Preston Sturgest penned The Lady Eve with Barabara Stanwyck in mind. He promised her a great picture and he most certainly delivered a... Read full article


Review: The Lady Eve (1941)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Dec 28, 2015 From 4 Star Films

“You have the darndest way of bouncing a fellow down and bumping him up again” ~ Henry Fonda as Charles Pike The story goes that screenwriting wunderkind Preston Sturgest penned The Lady Eve with Barabara Stanwyck in mind. He promised her a great picture and he most certainly delivered a... Read full article


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Quotes from

Jean Harrington: What were you doing up the Amazon?
Charles Pike: Looking for snakes. I'm an ophiologist.
Jean Harrington: I thought you were in the beer business.
Charles Pike: Beer? *Ale!*
Jean Harrington: What's the difference?
Charles Pike: Between beer and ale?
Jean Harrington: Yes.
Charles Pike: My father'd burst a blood vessel if he heard you say that. There's a big difference. Ale's sort of fermented on the top or something, and beer's fermented on the bottom, or maybe it's the other way around. There's no similarity at all. You see, the trouble with being descended from a brewer, no matter how long ago he brewered, or whatever you call it, you're supposed to know all about something you don't give a hoot about.


Charles Pike: A girl of sixteen is practically an idiot anyway, so I can't very well blame you for something that was practically done by somebody else.


Jean Harrington: I need him like the ax needs the turkey.


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Facts about

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1994.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 9, 1942 with Barbara Stanwyck and Charles Coburn reprising their film roles.
One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by MCA ever since.
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Best Writing Oscar 1941
















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National Film Registry

The Lady Eve

Released 1941
Inducted 1994
(Sound)




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Also directed by Preston Sturges




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Also produced by Buddy G. DeSylva




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