Criterion Blu-ray Film Review

The Lady Eve (1941) • Blu-ray [Criterion Collection]

A trio of classy card sharks targets the socially awkward heir to brewery millions for his money… until one of them falls in love with him.

The Lady Eve is, indubitably, a classic comedy. It has one of Hollywood’s great writer-directors at the helm and two of its top stars in the lead roles. Trouble is, it’s just a tad too clever for its own good, with an almost novelistic approach that has a similar vibe to something Oscar Wilde might’ve penned. The dialogue is often as sharp-witted and its themes risqué, though intelligent enough to closely skirt what was permissible in its day without once crossing a line.

If you’re a fan of the screwball genre and already know the film, you won’t need any convincing. If this is new territory, you’re in for a treat so long as there’s some understanding of the context: it’s old, it’s dated, and it’s black-and-white. At the same time, its sensibilities are surprisingly modern. What was funny then still is today, and this new 4K digital restoration from Criterion…