{"id":33784,"date":"2014-08-01T11:57:31","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T18:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33784"},"modified":"2021-01-24T20:45:50","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T03:45:50","slug":"three-faces-of-eve-the-1957","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33784","title":{"rendered":"Three Faces of Eve, The (1957)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Sometimes I don&#8217;t know whether you&#8217;re crazy or think I am.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Poster2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Poster2-300x223.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-33786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Poster2-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Poster2-128x95.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Poster2.jpg 550w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA meek housewife (Joanne Woodward) who suddenly starts acting strangely is taken by her husband (David Wayne) to see a psychiatrist (Lee J. Cobb), who diagnoses her with Multiple Personality Disorder.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joanne Woodward Films<\/li>\n<li>Lee J. Cobb Films<\/li>\n<li>Multiple Personalities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nIn his review of this &#8220;enjoyable but often silly&#8221; film &#8212; directed, produced, and written by Nunnally Johnson, and based on a non-fiction book about <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chris_Costner_Sizemore\">Chris Costner Sizemore<\/a> &#8212; Peary notes that &#8220;Joanne Woodward won a deserved Oscar for her portrayal&#8221; as three separate facets of one woman: &#8220;dowdy Eve White, a dull and passive wife and mother&#8221;; &#8220;Eve Black, who&#8217;s sexy and hedonistic (and unmarried)&#8221;; and &#8220;Jane, a third, more confident, intelligent, and calm personality&#8221;. He writes that &#8220;the most interesting aspect of the film is how Eve Black is presented as a manifestation of Eve White&#8217;s rebellion against the sexual repression her simpleton husband (David Wayne) subjects her to&#8221;. He argues that while &#8220;this film [now] seems tame&#8221;, &#8220;when it was released, it was like a <em>horror<\/em> film that scared even adults&#8221;, and &#8220;held fascination for individuals who imagined that everyone has a second personality somewhere inside&#8221;; he notes that perhaps it mirrors &#8220;the fascination we felt at the time &#8212; because of the <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1875\">Bridey Murphy case<\/a> &#8212; about the possibility of having been reincarnated&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p>In retrospect, <em>TTFOE<\/em> does come across as both quaint and somewhat silly, with a couple of scenes in particular straining credulity. Early in the film, Eve Black tries to strangle her daughter with a curtain pull (a truly freaky scene to witness, as we see the girl with the cord around her neck), but no consequences emerge other than Eve being taken to the doctor. Then, during her initial meeting with Dr. Luther (Cobb), Eve mentions having lost a second child four months earlier; Dr. Luther pauses for nary a second before launching into another topic, without even a cursory, &#8220;I&#8217;m so sorry for your loss&#8221;, let alone exploration of how this might be contributing to her current state of psychological affairs. Meanwhile, the film&#8217;s denouement &#8212; when we learn through flashback why Eve is so damaged &#8212; is simply laughable in its implausibility (and nowhere close to the truth of what actually happened to Sizemore). <\/p>\n<p>With all that said, <em>TTFOE<\/em> remains worthy viewing for Woodward&#8217;s impressive performance. In his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, Peary agrees with the Academy that Woodward deserved her award as Best Actress of the Year, and writes that regardless of the foolish script, &#8220;Woodward is still compelling, whether she is quiet, hysterical, naughty, flirtatious, creepy, sweet, weak, or strong&#8221;. Apparently Woodward &#8220;wasn&#8217;t fond of her own performance because she felt she couldn&#8217;t devote enough time to any of Eve&#8217;s three personalities&#8221;, but the role was nonetheless &#8220;an ideal showcase for this versatile actress whose talents [at the time] were still a secret&#8221;. As Peary points out, &#8220;it&#8217;s significant that [Woodward] even makes us feel sorry for Eve Black when she starts to fade away&#8221;, given that &#8220;whatever her faults, [she] was essentially a real person, with fears and worries of her own&#8221; &#8212; a woman who, when she &#8220;wasn&#8217;t destroying Eve White&#8217;s life&#8221;, was &#8220;actually helping her&#8221; by rebelling against her &#8220;unhealthy marriage&#8221; and terrible husband (Wayne). Speaking of Wayne, I&#8217;ve never really been a fan of his work, but find his character here entirely plausible; it&#8217;s frighteningly easy to imagine a man reacting exactly as he does &#8212; with both hostility and confusion &#8212; to his wife&#8217;s breakdown. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> It&#8217;s interesting and a bit odd that Peary doesn&#8217;t mention the <u>other<\/u> film about multiple personalities released that same year: Hugo Haas&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1957\"><em>Lizzie<\/em><\/a>, starring Eleanor Parker and based on a novel by Shirley Jackson. It&#8217;s a worthy, must-see film in its own right. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joanne Woodward as all three Eves<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33792\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward3.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward3-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Woodward3-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>David Wayne as Ralph<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Wayne.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Wayne.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Wayne.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Wayne-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Wayne-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Stanley Cortez&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography3.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography3-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography3-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"704\" height=\"288\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography2.png 704w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography2-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Three-Faces-of-Eve-Cinematography2-300x122.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 704px) 100vw, 704px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, for Woodward&#8217;s performance. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0051077\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1957\/09\/27\/archives\/screen-3-faces-of-eve-personalities-study-opens-at-victoria-the.html\">NY Times Original Review (spoiler alerts!)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/london\/film\/the-three-faces-of-eve\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/93080\/the-three-faces-of-eve#articles-reviews?articleId=218371\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1402eve.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3278&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Sometimes I don&#8217;t know whether you&#8217;re crazy or think I am.&#8221; Synopsis: A meek housewife (Joanne Woodward) who suddenly starts acting strangely is taken by her husband (David Wayne) to see a psychiatrist (Lee J. Cobb), who diagnoses her with Multiple Personality Disorder. Genres: Joanne Woodward Films Lee J. Cobb Films Multiple Personalities Response to Peary\u2019s Review: In his review of this &#8220;enjoyable but often silly&#8221; film &#8212; directed, produced, and written by Nunnally Johnson, and based on a non-fiction&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33784\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33784"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65756,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33784\/revisions\/65756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}