The Three Faces of Eve (1957)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Nunnally Johnson

Writers:

Nunnally Johnson (screenplay)
Corbett Thigpen (book) ...

Release Date:

23 September 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

THE STRANGEST TRUE EXPERIENCE A YOUNG GIRL IN LOVE EVER LIVED!

Plot:

A doctor treats a woman suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder.

Plot Keywords:

Multiple Personality | Hypnosis | Multiple Personality Disorder | Psychiatrist | Hypnotism

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joanne Woodward	...	Eve White / Eve Black / Jane
David Wayne	...	Ralph White
Lee J. Cobb	...	Doctor Curtis Luther
Edwin Jerome	...	Doctor Francis Day
Alena Murray	...	Secretary
Nancy Kulp	...	Mrs. Black
Douglas Spencer	...	Mr. Black
Terry Ann Ross	...	Bonnie White
Ken Scott	...	Earl
Mimi Gibson	...	Eve - age 8
Alistair Cooke	...	Narrator

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1990) (uncut) | USA:Approved (certificate #18464) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In 1980 the British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded "Christine," a song based on the same case of multiple personality dramatized in "The Three Faces of Eve".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In at least two scenes, including the opening with Eve being driven to the doctor's office, there are cars in the background newer than 1951 when the scene is indicated to be taking place.

Quotes:

Jane: It's not you marrying me. It's me marrying anyone. I'm mentally. I can't get married to anyone- ever.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Zombie Nightmare (#7.4)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

I Never Knew (I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You)

highly engaging and entertaining and mostly psychological mumbo jumbo

For the average viewer, this will be a highly entertaining film. Joanne Woodward's performance is extremely colorful and entertaining--she really did a good job in portraying the 3 personalities! However, the sad problem with the film is that so much of the movie just isn't true or sound psychologically--at least according to the average psychotherapist. This is actually a pretty controversial topic among some therapists today. Many (and probably the vast majority) therapists now believe that these multiple personalities are, in fact, not a real manifestation of underlying parallel personalities but are unintentionally created by the therapists themselves or are created by the patient due to all the exposure MPD has in the media (such as after the film SYBIL appeared on TV). For example, IF the therapist believes that multiple personalities exist, they tend to find that MANY of the patients who come to them have MPD--while those who don't believe in its existence do not see people with these traits. In addition, many cases (especially the more famous "Sybil") have actually been debunked as frauds.

PS--In response to OTHER postings on IMDb, schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders are NOT the same. Even among therapists who believe MPD exists, there is universal agreement among professionals that MPD and schizophrenia are not at all the same. The DSM (the therapists' bible for diagnosing mental illnesses) lists them as separate disorders with very different symptoms. They are VERY different and are treated VERY differently. This movie was NOT about schizophrenia. I use the movie myself in my psychology class as it is a wonderful introduction into this controversy. Great entertainment but "fact"? I am skeptical.

PPS--In response to one posting advising others to IGNORE another posting because it is WRONG. I would NEVER want to do this. Whether you believe DID/MPD exists, it is very unwise to advise others to ignore those whose opinions differ. Provided you have an informed opinion (like the 2 in question), it's nice to hear the controversy. I want people to be aware there is a lot of disagreement--don't believe any one posting is definitively right just because they say so!