The Lady Eve's slippery 75 years
Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 8:42AM David here. There are many things about The Lady Eve we could discuss to celebrate its 75th anniversary today - it is, after all, one of Hollywood’s most perfect films - but there’s one particular delight that we’re treated to right off the bat.
Warner Bros. employed Leon Schlesinger’s animation studio - the masterminds behind the Looney Tunes cartoon - to craft the genius opening credits sequence starring the cheeriest snake you’ll ever meet. Even in these halcyon days where the credits came at the film’s beginning, the brevity of them meant you rarely got much beyond an ornate border. Here, though, the snake winding his way across the screen is practically a fully rounded character in himself - just witness his pure joy as he shakes his maraca, and his venomous indignity as he’s conked on the head.
With this minute and a half of introductory magic, The Lady Eve starts playing with its themes of duplicity before Eve or her Adam have even appeared. And it plasters the grin on your face that is sure to remain there for the whole running time. You’ll be positively the same dame!
The Lady Eve Opening Credits by pezhammer
Reader Comments (6)
It's been a while since I've watched this and had completely forgotten about those opening credits. Delightful beginning to a terrific film.
That''s a fantastic picture of Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. Those are movie stars.
I just saw it a few months ago and already forgot about the snake, but I hope you'll do more coverage of the movie because it's so great! So funny and sexy, especially the scene where she's laying on the chaise stroking his hair while he's on the floor next to her. Just one long, funny, sexy take. So great. And I actually LOL-ed at the pratfalls which is not something I normally do.
A great example of "Screwball Comedy", which trips along so easily, love it. Of course both Stanwyck and Fonda were superb. It's a shame Fonda didn't do more comedies - he was such a perfect foil for the scheming Lady Eve.
"one of Hollywood’s most perfect films"
Amen.
Also one of the universe's most perfect things.
Stanwyck was PERFECTION in The Lady Eve and IMO, the best actress of 1941!! Its funny she was nominated for Balls of Fire (which she was also very good) instead of this.
So many golden quotes: "I need that man like the turkey needs the axe!", "Saw anything U like?", etc
Such a delightful gem!
Its a shame that Stanwyck din do more comedy, she so good at it & its atrocious that she never won an Oscar......Hello, Double Indemnity!!
I find the opening music so beautiful and even heartbreaking. Goes so well with the ensuing movie.