For a film that starts off so promising, "Ever Since Eve" ends up very disappointing. For the first third, it's quite funny, this story of office sexual harassment where the victim can't go to HR. She simply makes herself into a plain Jane to avoid amorous bosses to whom overtime doesn't include office work. Marian Davies (quite lovely, as Louella would always say!) does what Ginger Rogers did two years ago in "In Person", for different reasons, however. This is confusing for her rowdy roommate (Patsy Kelly) and her boyfriend (Allen Jenkins) and for her new boss, an author of movie stories (Robert Montgomery) who has a really obnoxious socialite fiancée (Marcia Ralston). So far, so good. Montgomery at first finds the plain version of Davies too demanding of him (because of his boss, Louise Fazenda), but when she quits because of accusations made by Ralston, he goes to her apartment where he meets the pretty version of Davies. Thus, he falls instantly in love, but she pretends to leave town so he'll finish his deadline. Montgomery follows her to the place she really didn't intend to go, so Davies must rush there, both as her pretty and plain versions. Confused??? This is where the film goes off the rack, having a sudden group of thieves interrupt, including one woman who looks exactly like Davies and is wearing the exact same costume.
As I said, the first 2/3 are really entertaining, not in a "My Man Godfrey" classic sort of way, but still enjoyable. Everyone is doing their best to provide laughs in a ridiculous but still fun plot line. But once they get to the inn, it just gets too much. Poor Ralston, who resembles Merle Oberon, but doesn't get to be as ladylike here, suffers all sorts of indignities with her obnoxious character. Frank McHugh too is around as Montgomery's pal who escorts Ralston when her fiancée is not available. Today, this sort of plot line could never be filmed because of its obvious use of sexual harassment and the way that is handled in the workplace. But in the 30's, the "How to Succeed in Business" song "A Secretary is Not a Toy" hadn't been written yet and as any 30's movie viewer knows, a secretary made many a hard-working businessman very happy. This is one of those films to take with a grain of salt and enjoy mostly for its fine character performances and sometimes witty banter.
As I said, the first 2/3 are really entertaining, not in a "My Man Godfrey" classic sort of way, but still enjoyable. Everyone is doing their best to provide laughs in a ridiculous but still fun plot line. But once they get to the inn, it just gets too much. Poor Ralston, who resembles Merle Oberon, but doesn't get to be as ladylike here, suffers all sorts of indignities with her obnoxious character. Frank McHugh too is around as Montgomery's pal who escorts Ralston when her fiancée is not available. Today, this sort of plot line could never be filmed because of its obvious use of sexual harassment and the way that is handled in the workplace. But in the 30's, the "How to Succeed in Business" song "A Secretary is Not a Toy" hadn't been written yet and as any 30's movie viewer knows, a secretary made many a hard-working businessman very happy. This is one of those films to take with a grain of salt and enjoy mostly for its fine character performances and sometimes witty banter.