The Three Faces of Eve

Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for her indelibly effective performance as Eve White, a mousy housewife suffering from multiple-personality disorder...and as Eve Black, an aggressively sexual vamp….and as Jane, a smart, sensible, modern woman. The power of director Nunnally Johnson's 1957 classic is somewhat diminished today, especially since mental illness is a frequent enough subject for movie and TV drama that we, the contemporary audience, know more about Eve's affliction than does the compassionate doctor (Lee J. Cobb) to whom she turns for help. But the resolution of Eve's problems remains a shocker, and while the audio is a bit tinny in spots on this "Studio Classics" entry, the stark and stylish black-and-white cinematography feels fresh and modern almost half a century later. DVD extras include audio commentary by film historian Aubrey Solomon and a Movietone newsreel covering the 1958 Academy Awards ceremony. Recommended. (M. Johanson)[Blu-ray Review—Nov. 19, 2013—Fox, 91 min., not rated, Blu-ray: $24.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1957's The Three Faces of Eve features a great transfer and DTS-HD mono audio. Extras include audio commentary by film historian Aubrey Solomon, a Fox Movietone News-produced Academy Awards featurette (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: an Oscar-winning classic makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]