It is impossible not to fall for Barbara Stanwyck's character and at no point, despite being opposites, do the leads feel mismatched in any way. Both of their early screen personas were used by Sturges; Fonda's stiffness to convey a touching innocence and Stanwyck's tough yet vulnerable worldliness to rough him up.

A quick word about slapstick, which forms a part of almost all of Sturges' films, I'm not incredibly fond of it and quite often it can be a little tiresome and contrived for modern audiences, as anyone who has had to fast-forward through Rex Harrison's interminable solo scene in Unfaithfully Yours can attest, but here, though it is very important to the plot, it is limited and every instance fits naturally into the scene with perfect timing and, like the rest of the film, is still very, very funny.


Charming Romantic Comedy   August 8, 2004
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Barbara Stanwyck is at her comedic best in "The Lady Eve," playing a vamp who tries to con a gullible heir, played by Henry Fonda. Her plans hit a snag, though, when she finds herself falling for him, which leads to some madcap fun. Directed and co-written by the peerless Preston Sturges ("Sullivan's Travels"), "The Lady Eve" is among the finest of Hollywood 1940's romantic comedies. The script is quite brilliant (the movie received only one Oscar nomination, for its screenplay, which it lost to "Here Comes Mr. Jordan") and delivers some genuine laughs. In addition, the tinge of bitterness and cynicism that characterizes Sturges' work is here -- this movie isn't a sickly sweet romance. Sturges also manages to create a wacky screen couple and then make them seem believable; a formidable task. Finally, Fonda has never been better; his all-American looks and blank visage are put to perfect use to convey the innocence required for the role. Overall, a highly recommended film.