(WARNING: There are spoilers)

I first saw Barbara Stanwyck in Billy Wilder's classic film noir Double Indemnity. Her character there is considered to be one of the all-time quintessential femme fatales, but to be perfectly frank, I wasn't all that impressed with her. I just wasn't completely convinced that Fred MacMurray's character could be so obsessed with her that he would be driven to deceit and murder in order to possess her. Some time later, I decided to watch her film The Lady Eve because it is a classic screwball comedy, but I wasn't expecting much. I was totally won over by her this time. I saw what a fine figure she had. I saw that even though her face isn't conventionally beautiful, it has character that is alluring in its uniqueness. I noticed that her voice contained such sass and confidence that is all too rare.

What was it that made her so sexy in this movie that was lacking in the other film? Was it simply the fact that being a brunette highlights her features better than being a blond? Or maybe it was those lovely costumes by the famous designer Edith Head. Maybe it was her endearing character and performance. Maybe it was all of those things. You know, I keep going on and on about Barbara Stanwyck's appearance, but considering what this movie is about, that's actually appropriate. The scheme of her character, Jean, to get back the love of her life, Charles (Henry Fonda), is based on appearances. After they break each other's hearts, she later comes back to him under the persona of a rich British woman called the Lady Eve Sidwich. She hides in plain sight, not changing a single thing about her physical appearance. He recognizes her, of course, but doesn't believe it's actually her. As he explains to his guardian Muggsy (William Demarest), he would be more suspicious if she had tried to look different instead of looking exactly the same.

In a later scene, Jean explains that the reason he didn't totally recognize her was because they aren't in love anymore. She describes him as "shorter and bonier" than when they were on the cruise ship together. This is a very acute observation about how love blurs and intoxicates the senses. Often when two people fall for each other, they perceive the other to be more attractive than when they initially met. There's a shot earlier in the film that visualizes this: when Charles helps Jean put on her shoes, we get his blurry point-of-view of her face.

Aside from her looks, Barbara Stanwyck gives a luminous performance, excelling in both comedy and drama. She gives just the right mix of intelligence, wittiness, and humanity. She exudes an effortless inner strength that I wish I could find in all actresses. Henry Fonda couldn't be better as the nerdy and naïve Charles. His clean, handsome, and completely unthreatening good looks wholly fit the character. They have wonderful chemistry together. The best shot of the movie is them with their faces together as they talk about their ideal loves and she plays with his hair. This extraordinary shot, which lasts for nearly four minutes, is one of the steamiest and most intimate shots I have ever encountered in film. I couldn't possibly imagine any other actors in their roles. The supporting cast is a delight too, especially William Demarest and Eugene Pallette as Charles' father.

CONTINUED IN PART 2...