Susan Strasberg plays Eva, an aspiring and difficult to like young actress...one who likely will make your skin crawl. She wants to make it big but instead of working her way up, she insinuates herself in the lives of Broadway people and pours it on thick....so much that you wonder why any of these people have anything to do with her. She's superficial, annoying and about as honest as a 2 1/2 dollar bill! That's clearly how the part is written and Strasberg throws herself into it headlong. And, it makes you wonder....is she deliberately trying to be this annoying and this bad? All I know is that I had a hard time sticking with the film and my wife told me she wanted to slap Eva! I read through the reviews and noticed many similar sentiments, as she really poured it on thick...too thick. So thick that I couldn't stand the film and felt like never wanting to see Strasberg in a movie ever again. Yes, it's that bad. She didn't seem real...just really obnoxious. The worst part about all this is that these people end up liking her and this really made no sense.
Overall, this film is frustrating as there are some wonderful actors and performances here.... Christopher Plummer (in his first film), Henry Fonda and Herbert Marshall. And, their characters seemed reasonably realistic....except when it comes to how they embrace this seemingly talentless and pushy woman. This didn't make sense...and the overall film was just awful when it could have been more. Had they made Eva like Eve in "All About Eve" or made her likable and sweet, it might have worked. This just doesn't work despite all its polish and stars.
Overall, this film is frustrating as there are some wonderful actors and performances here.... Christopher Plummer (in his first film), Henry Fonda and Herbert Marshall. And, their characters seemed reasonably realistic....except when it comes to how they embrace this seemingly talentless and pushy woman. This didn't make sense...and the overall film was just awful when it could have been more. Had they made Eva like Eve in "All About Eve" or made her likable and sweet, it might have worked. This just doesn't work despite all its polish and stars.