The Three Faces of Eve: A Review

THE THREE FACES OF EVE

The Three Faces of Eve accomplished something rare in Academy Award history. It won its sole Oscar nomination, in this case for Lead Actress. It certainly allowed a chance for Joanne Woodward to play three different roles, which might have played a role in her Oscar victory. Looking at it now, The Three Faces of Eve was done in by one specific performance and slightly elevated by two others. 

With opening on-camera narration and occasional voiceover from Alistair Cooke, we learn of meek Southern housewife Eve White (Woodward). She is seemingly happy in her marriage to Ralph (David Wayne) and with their daughter Bonnie. However, she has headaches that precipitate memory gaps. In between those gaps there are strange moments where Eve is not herself. It culminates into Eve seemingly trying to strangle Bonnie with a curtain cord.

She now seeks treatment with Dr. Luther (Lee J. Cobb). Dr. Luther makes a shocking discovery: there is a second, distinct personality within Eve White. It is Eve Black, a good-time girl who likes to go drinking and carousing. Eve Black knows all about Eve White, but Eve White knows nothing of Eve Black. Ralph thinks that Eve is a tramp making up stories to excuse her double life. Dr. Luther knows better. Eve is temporarily institutionalized, released and still struggling with her split personality.

Eventually, Ralph divorces her and both Eves attempt to build up a life. Into this mix, Dr. Luther makes a more shocking discovery: another woman inside the two Eves. Eventually adopting the name of Jane, this third woman attempts to navigate the memories to find where, when and how the three faces of Eve came to be. Will the real woman eventually emerge? Which of the three is the real Eve?

The Three Faces of Eve was written and directed by Nunnally Johnson, who had a long and established career when the film was released. This was not Johnson's first directorial effort, but somehow it felt that way. I think the reason I think that is because of two elements in the film. 

The first is Cooke's opening narration and voiceover. Somehow, Cooke's very serious manner lends itself to parody. Long before he gained fame as the host of television's Masterpiece Theater, Cooke is pretty much doing the same here. I think the opening narration and voiceover were a mistake. It sounds slightly pompous and if they were removed, The Three Faces of Eve would have flowed just as well if not better.

The second element is David Wayne. Wayne is a fine actor, but in The Three Faces of Eve, he seemed to play his scenes as if the film was a comedy. When Eve Black finally presents herself to him, his reaction to seeing his wife looked comical more than shocked. I actually started laughing, which I do not think was the effect that the film was going for. Whenever Wayne was on screen, the effect was more humor than heartfelt. He kept referring to Eve's condition as "multiplied personality", which I think was The Three Faces of Eve's efforts to make him a simple man. Even in the dramatic moments, such as shocking scene where Ralph slaps Eve, the overall effect is less impactful and more unintentionally funny.

The film also let us know when Eve White went out and Eve Black went in when sexy jazz music starts playing. That too inadvertently makes The Three Faces of Eve look funny. I think if Johnson wanted music to make the transition from the innocent Eve White to the trampish Eve Black, he could have gone about it another way. The names themselves: Eve White and Eve Black, are a bit too on-the-nose about how the former is demure and the latter is loose. 

As the film is The Three Faces of Eve (emphasis mine), it is slightly over an hour before we get to the third face. Given that the film runs 91 minutes, that gives us little time to touch on Jane. It also does not make the case for why, out of the three, it is Jane would be the final girl, so to speak. While the film, very late, gives us the traumatic moment that began her situation, I think the actual trigger may not hit as hard today as it did in 1957. 

Lee J. Cobb tended to play gruff and tough characters. Here, his Dr. Luther was not gentle, but he was more contemplative. Cobb handled his role well as Luther, the man of science and compassion helping guide our troubled woman to the light.

Woodward won the Best Actress Oscar for this performance. I thought that it was a good performance, where she was able to balance the three characters pretty well. However, I also felt that there was a deliberately calculated manner in Woodward's acting. It is as if she knew she was acting versus being Eve White, Eve Black and plain Jane. I think that if not for Woodward's win, few people would even remember The Three Faces of Eve.

The Three Faces of Eve is not a terrible film. It has some issues that hamper it (David Wayne, Alistair Cooke) but with Woodward and Cobb lifting the material, I think audiences will find interest in all our Eves. 

DECISION: C+