It Started with Eve (1941)

good back-story, and good acting

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

"It Started with Eve" is one of those Hollywood movies with not an inkling of a clue as to the title. Sometimes, the studios would make films based on a script that would have a book verse or well-known quotation in the title. Or, something similar that gave a clue as to the title. Then, with rewrites in the script, or directing changes or cuts in the editing process, the clue part was deleted from the finished product. Most of the time it didn't make much difference, because what was described had little to do with what actually takes place in the film. This is all to say that the title of this film makes no sense and gives no hint as to what the movie is about. That aside, the film is a very good one. It's a wonderful romantic comedy combo, with a touch of music. The plot was so successful that Hollywood would copy it and revise it for later movies. The cast is an interesting pairing of actors one wouldn't normally think of associating together in film. But, they work beautifully together here. I think the three leads have about equal time on screen. Deanna Durbin got top billing because she was the darling and top box office attraction for Universal at the time. She is sweet and funny as Anne Terry, and gives us just a couple of samples of her beautiful signing voice. Robert Cummings is Johnny Reynolds, who behaves frantically as he jumps from the kettle into the fire throughout the film. Cummings developed an indecisive, stuttering persona that appears in much of his film and TV work. Charles Laughton is Jonathan Reynolds, the dying patriarch who regains his health and spirits when Johnny introduces Anne to him as his fiancé. Several others of the cast do very well. Water Catlett is exceptional as Doctor Harvey, and Charles Coleman is a hoot as Roberts, the butler. Much of the comedy evolves around Laughton's character and that of the doctor. So, Jonathan clearly is the driving force, literally in the script, around whose plotting and conniving the subsequent scenes of the story play out. It is a very clever screenplay, and just the type of work that Laughton loved to sink his teeth into. Durbin and Cummings are the romance waiting to happen, and they add considerable humor in their efforts to deal with the changes as the plot unfolds. We wonder how long it will be until the inevitable happens. On the outskirts of this are a fiancé and wannabe mother- in-law, whom we know don't stand a chance after the opening scene. The musical score for this film is quite good and received an Oscar nomination. Laughton was just 42-years old when he made this film, playing here someone around 60. I thought it was interesting that he was supposed to have lost considerable weight. Indeed, even with the much over-sized clothing used for his part, he doesn't have the heavier physical appearance of later films – or of some of his earlier films. He always was a rotund person, but perhaps he had a period around this time in which he lost some weight. I noted a bit of interesting trivia under his IMDb biography. Laughton apparently was the first actor to play Agatha Christie's famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. He starred in the stage play of "Alibi" in 1928. He also is said to have discovered actress Maureen O'Hara. Here are some sample comedy lines from the movie. Jonathan, Johnny and the doctor are walking up the stairs together. Johnny, "How do you feel, dad?" Jonathan, "How do I know? Ask him."Doctor Harvey, "Jonathan, I have a very pleasant surprise for you." Jonathan, "How long will you be gone?"A waiter brings a huge fancy drink (the kind tourists fawn over in Hawaii and other exotic places) to the table in the nightclub. Anne, "What's that?" Jonathan, "It's a Reynold's Special." Anne, "Oh, but you shouldn't be dri …..what's in it?" Jonathan, "Oh, it's, uh, nothing but coconut milk and vegetable juices, and Dr. Harvey orders it for me. It's a … (he takes a big sip through straws) .. It's horrible." Anne, "Then why do you drink it?" Jonathan, "Well, because it reminds me of Dr. Harvey, and it makes me hate him and when I hate him I feel good."

Some 60 years ago I first saw this Movie, and now seeing it again on TCM I must say it is a beautiful tribute to two wonderful stars in Deanna Durbin and Charles Laughton - a great idea at the time, and one which would have seemed ludicrous when first mooted. They play off each other beautifully, and it seems everyone else in it are a bit superfluous. My only complaint is Deanna never finished her version of "Going Home" which was extremely moving. The story does not really matter, but it is light and a bit of fun. If you do have time for the supporting cast, Robert Cummings is fine, Walter Catlett is good in what was probably one of his bigger roles, and everyone seems to be comfortable in their support. Old fashioned? Yes, but incomparable with anything of this genre today. A true really feel good experience.

A surprise, as it was tough to tell this picture from other studios entries in the comedy genre. Production values were on a par with Paramount or Fox, or any other studio for that matter. It had a requisite number of recognizable support players, an excellent script and good performances from the headliners, as well as expensive sets where needed.Regarding the stars, the picture's headliner was Deanna Durbin, who kept Universal afloat in the late 30's and whose fame had just about peaked about the time "It Started With Eve" was released. She was assisted by Bob Cummings in one of his usual feckless and diffident roles, and by Charles Laughton, who by his mesmerizing presence and enormous acting talent kept the picture on an even keel. Truth be told, Deanna Durbin was a lightweight as an actress despite her exceptional singing voice and Bob Cummings was out of his league as a leading man in "A" pictures.Very funny, very entertaining and very worthwhile. It can hold its own with any 'screwball comedy', which were so popular around this time. But this picture did not grow tiresome, as several of that type seemed to. Nice going, Universal, who are playing catch-up and are finally opening their film vaults.

IT STARTED WITH EVE (Universal, 1941), directed by Henry Koster, stars popular singer Deanna Durbin in one of her finest movie roles. Not quite a Biblical tale about Adam and Eve and the apple as the title might imply, nor is there any character in the story named Eve, but actually a comedy of errors in the screwball comedy tradition providing Durbin, still in her late teenage years, an opportunity in a more adult performance, with fine support by the diverse Charles Laughton in a character role that's both funny and touching, and Robert Cummings as a young man caught in the middle of a series of situations and having a difficult time coming up with a suitable explanations.The scenario revolves around Jonathan Reynolds (Charles Laughton) a middle-aged millionaire on his death bed whose final request is to meet the young lady engaged to his son, Johnny (Robert Cummings). To make his father's last days on Earth a pleasant one, Johnny rushes out into the rain to get his fiancé only to learn from the desk clerk that she and her mother are not available. Not wanting to waste any more valuable time, Johnny encounters a hat check girl (Deanna Durbin) and offers her $50 to return home with him and pose as his fiancée for about an hour. Explaining the circumstances at hand, she agrees. Masquerading as "Gloria Pennington," the girl, Anne Terry, meets the ailing Mr. Reynolds, who takes an immediate liking to her. After their union, the old man finds his son to be in good hands, and can now die in peace. The following morning, Jonathan miraculously recovers from his illness, gets out of bed demanding a large breakfast from his servants and for Johnny to bring "Gloria" back to visit with him. Complications ensue when Johnny not only has to locate Anne, who's about to take the next train back home to Shelbyville, Ohio, but to explain to the real Gloria (Margaret Tallichet) and her mother (Catherine Doucet), having returned from their trip, the situation that has occurred. Things become even more complex when Johnny tries to prevent his father from learning Anne not to be his fiancée, and keeping Anne from attending his father's dinner function where she wants to audition for his theatrical agent friends in hope to land a singing career.A highly enjoyable comedy with an original premise done at a leisurely pace with a couple of classical songs thrown in for good measure making use of Deanna Durbin's singing talent, including Peter Tchaikowsky's "The Tchaikowsky Waltz" and Antonin Dvorak's "Going Home." Supporting players consist of Guy Kibbee as Bishop Maxwell; Walter Catlett as Dr. Harvey, the nervous family physician; Dorothea Kent as Jackie Donovan, Anne's roommate; Clara Blandick as The Nurse; and comedian Mantan Moreland adding humor as the harassed train station baggage man.Obviously a high point in Durbin's career that did very well at box office, it's interesting to note that a fun movie such as this is not relatively better known. Durbin and Cummings do well in the roles that might have been tailer-made for Irene Dunne and Cary Grant for example. However, the characters of Anne Terry and Johnny Reynolds were obviously written for much younger performers as enacted by Durbin and Cummings.IT STARTED WITH EVE did play for a while on American Movie Classics (1992-93) about the same time it was distributed on video cassette by MCA Home Video. The Hans Kraly story was redone by Universal as I'D RATHER BE RICH (1964) featuring Sandra Dee, Robert Goulet and Maurice Chevalier, with a few alterations, but like the original, has been lost to cinema history, known mostly by film scholars and historians. Even with the original currently available on DVD and latter cable broadcast on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: December 30, 3013) might offer IT STARTED WITH EVE some new life to a new generation of movie lovers looking for something amusing, nostalgic as well as lighthearted entertainment by its three principal actors. (***1/2).