It Started with Eve


It Started with Eve is a 1941 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin, Robert Cummings, and Charles Laughton. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Music Score. The film is considered by some critics to be Durbin's best film, and the last in which she worked with the producer and director that groomed her for stardom. It Started with Eve was remade in 1964 as I'd Rather Be Rich.

Plot

The millionaire Jonathan Reynolds is dying, and his son Johnny returns from Mexico City to the deathbed. His father's physician, Dr. Harvey, informs Johnny that his father does not have much time to live and that his last wish is to get to know Johnny's future wife. Johnny drives quickly to his hotel to find his fiancé, Gloria Pennington. But there he learns that Gloria has left with her mother. Desperate to fulfill his father's wish, he asks the young Anne Terry if she could play Gloria for an evening. She agrees and goes with Johnny.
To everyone's surprise, the father feels much better than expected the next morning and asks if he can see his son's fiancé once again. Dr. Harvey is still concerned about the health of his patient and asks Johnny to continue pretending Anne is Gloria. Johnny catches Anne at the last minute at the station where she is about to leave for her hometown in Ohio and convinces her to return with him.
He and Anne arrive home, to find that Gloria and her mother have suddenly appeared there. Johnny tries to explain the situation. At the same time Anne, who is an opera singer, learns of the father's New York opera world contacts. Deciding to take advantage of this opportunity, she makes the suggestion to give a party for the old Jonathan, where she can give a sample of her vocal ability. Johnny agrees but wants to introduce his father the right Gloria, by telling the father that he and Gloria are separated and his new girlfriend is the right Gloria. Anne asks him to wait until after the party, but Johnny refuses to satisfy Gloria and her mother.
The next evening, Johnny informs his father about the separation. At this moment, Anne falls into the rooms and asks Johnny's forgiveness. Johnny is almost forced by his father to forgive her. When Jonathan leaves the room, he hiweverlearns the true story through the ensuing loud dispute between Anne and Johnny. Gloria and her mother are now fully satisfied. Again, they see Johnny with Anne, but this time Johnny's mouth is covered by lipstick marks. Deciding that enough is enough, the mother and daughter leave yet again.
At last the day of the party arrives. Jonathan is back in good health, and Johnny attends the party with Gloria and her mother, explaining to his father that Anne has a headache and cannot attend. Jonathan then sets off for Anne. He tells her that he knows the true story but wants to go out with her one last time. They go to a nightclub where they drink and dance together. When Johnny and Dr. Harvey come to the nightclub, she pours Johnny's drink in his face and leaves the pub.
The next day, Johnny catches Anne, once again, at the station to tell her that his father had once again had a heart attack and wanted to see her. When they arrive to the Jonathan's mansion, they realize that the heart attack had only been pretended. He just wanted to bring Johnny and Anne back together. The two recognize their true feelings for each other, a fact that Jonathan takes with pleasure. He leans back, smiles with enjoyment, and smokes a forbidden cigar.

Cast

Development

The film was originally known as Almost an Angel. Joe Pasternak announced he would make Almost an Angel in 1938 as a vehicle for Danielle Darrieux. Ralph Bock and Frederick Kohner wrote a script. Then in 1939 Franciscka Gaal was announced as star.
The film was eventually never made - the title was transferred to another project by Pasternak in December 1940 which would become It Started with Eve. Henry Koster was directed and L Fodor and Norman Krasna wrote the script.
In February 1941 Charles Laughton signed on. The following month Deanna Durbin agreed to co-star; plans to put her in Ready to Romance with Charles Boyer were abandoned.

Shooting

Filming started 27 May 1941, just after Durbin returned from honeymoon for her first marriage.
Pasternak announced during filming that he would be leaving Universal after 16 years. He later wrote about it in her memoirs:
I called her into my office and told her why it had to be and why I was leaving. It was the only time in our years together I saw her weep. "You can't," she said. "You can't do this to me." But I had my personal reasons, and they did not all concern her and I said I must. It was not easy to talk to her because a lot of water had flowed under the bridge. She had her life to live now and it could not be the same as before. She said some nice things and ran out of the office.

In October 1941 Koster said this was the toughest film he had ever worked on. He had an argument with Norman Krasna which resulted in Krasna quitting the film with 40 pages still to be written. Richard Carle died after working in the picture for three weeks. He was in every scene and they all had to be shot again with Walter Catlett in the role. Then Durbin became ill for four weeks; the shot around her for five days then had to stop production. When she came back Laughton fell ill and there was another delay. An electrician fell from a scaffolding on the set and broke a leg and another was burned. Pasternak signed to go to MGM and Koster was getting divorced.
Koster later said he thought Durbin looked at her most beautiful in this film because of Rudolph Mate's photography.
Filming did not finish until September. Cummings had to go work on King's Row during the shoot.

Reception

In his review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called the film "light and unpretentious fare" and "should please—as they say—both young and old. It's the perfect '8-to-80' picture." Crowther singled out the performances of Charles Laughton, who plays cupid, and Deanna Durbin. Crowther wrote:
Regarding Durbin's performance, Crowther wrote, "Miss Durbin is as refreshing and pretty as she has ever been and sings three assorted songs—including a Tchaikovsky waltz—with lively charm."
Durbin later said the film "was handed to Charles Laughton. He was marvellous in the picture and the fact that we remained very close friends even though we were both aware of "Eve" being a Laughton not a Durbin film, shows how fond we were of each other."

Awards and nominations