The Lady Eve

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The Lady Eve

Released Feb 25, 1941

1h 37m

Romance

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

99%

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105 Reviews

87%

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5,000+ Ratings

It's no accident when wealthy Charles (Henry Fonda) falls for Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). Jean is a con artist with her sights set on Charles' fortune. Matters complicate when Jean starts falling for her mark. When Charles suspects Jean is a gold digger, he dumps her. Jean, fixated on revenge and still pining for the millionaire, devises a plan to get back in Charles' life. With love and payback on her mind, she re-introduces herself to Charles, this time as an aristocrat named Lady Eve Sidwich.

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Critics Consensus

A career highlight for Preston Sturges, The Lady Eve benefits from Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda's sparkling chemistry -- and a script that inspired countless battle-of-the-sexes comedies.

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Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

Some of it is slapstick; a little of it is impossible the wrong way; but in general its pleasures come from the characters as found.

Dec 29, 2022

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Ida Belle Hicks

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

The Lady Eve cinches Sturges as an important personality in films... It is highly entertaining movie fare -- the kind that keeps the box offices busy.

Dec 29, 2022

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Mildred Martin

Philadelphia Inquirer

[The Lady Eve] is by all odds the best and breeziest thing at which Sturges has turned an impish hand and an equally impish pen.

Dec 29, 2022

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Rachel Wagner

Hallmarkies Podcast

A very silly comedy but a lot of fun

Apr 7, 2025

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George Orwell

Time and Tide

The dialogue is so good, the direction so light and witty and the whole atmosphere so essentially farcical that one does not bother about improbabilities.

Oct 2, 2023

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

There's no space here to extol the individual glories...

Jul 31, 2023

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!! Starring Henry Fonda as Charles Pike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

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Will G

A great classic film! The acting performances were nice. Henry Fonda from “12 Angry Men” we’re in it. This is a romance story about a couple who meets on a cruise. There’s also an actress from Double Indemnity.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/25

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Jeremy O

Barbara Stanwyck carried this movie. Highly entertaining and definitely a must-watch BW flick.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

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Isaiah Y

One of Preston Sturges best films with great performances from Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/24

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Kristin R

Super lame. How could a man be so stupid?

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/23/23

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Johnathon W

Classic romantic comedy thanks to some superb lead performances and fun direction from Preston Sturges. Barbara Stanwyck is brilliant in the title role, conning a befuddled Henry Fonda not once but twice, including one of the sexiest scenes ever filmed (seriously, is it any wonder Fonda falls for her?). Behind the camera, director Preston Sturges delivers a unique romantic comedy that takes some surprising turns, especially since the con gets found out pretty early, only to play into a later one. Best of all, Stanwyck's character clearly drives the story, even when she is technically doing she bad things (she is a con woman after all). All in all, a classic romantic comedy of the highest caliber.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/23

Full Review

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Preston Sturges

Director

Barbara Stanwyck

Jean Harrington

Henry Fonda

Charles Pike

Charles Coburn

"Colonel" Harrington

Eugene Pallette

Horace Pike

William Demarest

Muggsy (Ambrose Murgatroyd)

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Not Over a Sofa!

1:05

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - She Knows His Type

2:17

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Father Loves to Lose

2:41

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - An Ideal Mate

2:27

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Positively the Same Dame!

2:22

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - What a Friend!

2:39

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - I Like Him, Too

2:28

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Who's Emma?

1:36

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Hello, Hopsie!

2:33

The Lady Eve: Official Clip - Charles Meets The Lady Eve

1:58

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Synopsis

It's no accident when wealthy Charles (Henry Fonda) falls for Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). Jean is a con artist with her sights set on Charles' fortune. Matters complicate when Jean starts falling for her mark. When Charles suspects Jean is a gold digger, he dumps her. Jean, fixated on revenge and still pining for the millionaire, devises a plan to get back in Charles' life. With love and payback on her mind, she re-introduces herself to Charles, this time as an aristocrat named Lady Eve Sidwich.

Director: Preston Sturges
Producer: Paul Jones
Screenwriter: Monckton Hoffe, Preston Sturges
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, Criterion Collection
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 25, 1941, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.37:1)

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