This is a film where you must completely turn off your brain in able to enjoy it. Apparently members of the Marion Davies cult must have no problem turning off their brains, as 52.2% of the people who have rated this film gave it a 10. This, for a film that is a tad silly and was never meant as "high art"--even by Miss Davies. Plus, it turned out to be such as disaster at the box office (following several other recent disasters) that she called her career quits following this film.
It's a shame really, as she is neither as bad an actress as some have claimed over the years (though she did some bad films--particularly in the 1930s) nor was she the greatest or among the greatest stars of her era either. The truth lies somewhere in between. With lovely films like SHOW PEOPLE and THE PATSY, she demonstrated that she could do well with good material. But, with films like CAIN AND MABEL and OPERATOR 13, she could also be sunk by junk scripts.
Here with EVER SINCE EVE, she is given an adequate script but just wasn't the right person for the role. Marion might have done better with a script that accepted that she was no longer the young star she had once been. Having a 40 year-old woman play a woman who men chase after like the wolf from a Tex Avery cartoon is pretty silly. Miss Davies didn't look that bad for 40, but she clearly was not the beautiful starlet she was in the 1920s--she'd put on a few pounds (as we all tend to do) and just looked every bit her age. Yet, every man that met her in the film instantly began sexually harassing her at every turn--she was supposed to be that hot and desirable.
As a result of constant sexual harassment, in the film Marion comes up with a perfect remedy for all these unwanted advances. She would put on old fashioned glasses and dress like a sex-less old lady. And, instantly, all the unwanted suitors left her alone! This is pretty silly, as Marion STILL looked like Marion--even with the glasses and ugly business suit. It reminded me of the Wonder Woman TV show. With her glasses on and hair up, no one thought Lynda Carter was beautiful. Then, without the getup, everyone would drool uncontrollably at her! Heck, even wearing concrete or a box, Ms. Carter was majorly smokin'! Miss Davies, while not quite as amazing, still was ridiculous under all that getup--it just wasn't convincing. Nor, unfortunately was the romance that developed later in the film with Robert Montgomery.
As for Patsy Kelly, she was one of the loudest and most obnoxious actresses of the 1930s. Here, she is up to her usual standards of acting. It's a shame she's in the film, as Marion was handicapped by having this lady as her supporting actress. Allen Jenkins, often pretty good in films, wasn't particularly helpful here, either.
So, overall, it's a silly piece of fluff and I am probably being very generous in giving it a 5. However, despite a silly plot, it is watchable and fun here and there.
By the way, I have noticed that other reviewers who did not adore this film were flooded with "not helpfuls". Too bad, as some of these reviews are very good and well thought-out--like mystn's.
It's a shame really, as she is neither as bad an actress as some have claimed over the years (though she did some bad films--particularly in the 1930s) nor was she the greatest or among the greatest stars of her era either. The truth lies somewhere in between. With lovely films like SHOW PEOPLE and THE PATSY, she demonstrated that she could do well with good material. But, with films like CAIN AND MABEL and OPERATOR 13, she could also be sunk by junk scripts.
Here with EVER SINCE EVE, she is given an adequate script but just wasn't the right person for the role. Marion might have done better with a script that accepted that she was no longer the young star she had once been. Having a 40 year-old woman play a woman who men chase after like the wolf from a Tex Avery cartoon is pretty silly. Miss Davies didn't look that bad for 40, but she clearly was not the beautiful starlet she was in the 1920s--she'd put on a few pounds (as we all tend to do) and just looked every bit her age. Yet, every man that met her in the film instantly began sexually harassing her at every turn--she was supposed to be that hot and desirable.
As a result of constant sexual harassment, in the film Marion comes up with a perfect remedy for all these unwanted advances. She would put on old fashioned glasses and dress like a sex-less old lady. And, instantly, all the unwanted suitors left her alone! This is pretty silly, as Marion STILL looked like Marion--even with the glasses and ugly business suit. It reminded me of the Wonder Woman TV show. With her glasses on and hair up, no one thought Lynda Carter was beautiful. Then, without the getup, everyone would drool uncontrollably at her! Heck, even wearing concrete or a box, Ms. Carter was majorly smokin'! Miss Davies, while not quite as amazing, still was ridiculous under all that getup--it just wasn't convincing. Nor, unfortunately was the romance that developed later in the film with Robert Montgomery.
As for Patsy Kelly, she was one of the loudest and most obnoxious actresses of the 1930s. Here, she is up to her usual standards of acting. It's a shame she's in the film, as Marion was handicapped by having this lady as her supporting actress. Allen Jenkins, often pretty good in films, wasn't particularly helpful here, either.
So, overall, it's a silly piece of fluff and I am probably being very generous in giving it a 5. However, despite a silly plot, it is watchable and fun here and there.
By the way, I have noticed that other reviewers who did not adore this film were flooded with "not helpfuls". Too bad, as some of these reviews are very good and well thought-out--like mystn's.