The Fall of Eve

The Fall of Eve is a 1929 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer, which stars Patsy Ruth Miller, Ford Sterling, and Gertrude Astor. The screenplay was written by Gladys Lehman, from a story by Anita Loos and John Emerson, and the film was released by Columbia Pictures on June 25, 1929.

Plot
Tom Ford Jr. is in love with Eve Grant, his father's secretary, and wants to marry her. When he asks his father's permission to marry, without revealing the object of his desire, the father refuses to allow him. Tom Jr. is crushed. Meanwhile, Tom Sr., a bathing suit manufacturer, is looking to close a large deal with an out of town buyer, Mr. Mack. Before Mack is willing to close the deal, he wants Ford Sr. to take him out on the town and show him a good time, as well as providing female companionship for the night. Tom Sr. does not know anyone who he can get to accompany them, so Eve volunteers. However, when they pick up Mack, Mack's wife decides that she wants to go out with them. To cover his intent, Ford Sr. introduces Eve as his new wife, Mrs. Ford.

The real Mrs. Ford is away from home, but when she hears on a radio program that a song is being requested by a Mr. & Mrs. Ford, she grows suspicious and heads back home. Ford Sr. and his party, meanwhile, have left the club and returned to the house, to continue the party there. When the genuine Mrs. Ford arrives and finds a stranger raiding her icebox, she calls the police. Before things get too out of hand, Tom Jr. arrives and lets everyone know that Eve is also a Mrs. Ford, but that she is married to him, as they had gotten wed secretly.

Cast list

 * Patsy Ruth Miller as Eve Grant
 * Ford Sterling as Mr. Mack
 * Gertrude Astor as Mrs. Ford
 * Arthur Rankin as Tom Ford, Jr.
 * Jed Prouty as Tom Ford, Sr.
 * Betty Farrington as Mrs. Mack
 * Fred Kelsey as Cop
 * Bob White as Hank Mann

Production
In the Spring 1928, it was announced that Columbia Pictures had obtained the rights to The Fall of Eve, a play by Anita Loos and John Emerson, the same team who had penned Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The play had successful runs both in New York City and California. In April, it was announced that the play was to be part of Columbia's slate for 1928-29, a group of 36 films dubbed "The Perfect 36".

In May it was revealed that The Fall of Eve would be one of ten "specials" on Columbia's slate, pictures chosen to be done with the new sound technology. In October 1928 Columbia announced that it had signed an agreement with Electrical Research Projects, a subsidiary of Western Electric, to handle the sound engineering for their upcoming films, including The Fall of Eve. The film still had not been cast as of December 1928.

In May 1929 Columbia announced that they had cast Patsy Ruth Miller and Arthur Rankin were cast in leading roles in the picture. Frank Strayer would be helming the film, and the musical accompaniment would be provided by Jackie Taylor and his oosevelt Hotel Orchestra. It would Strayer's first picture for Columbia. In early June it was revealed that Gladys Lehman would be handling the screenplay.

While the American Film Institute's database has the premiere date of June 25, the June 24 issue of The Film Daily announced that the movie had premiered the prior week, on June 17. The Hollywood Filmograph also reported that film premiered on June 17 at the Embassy Theatre in New York City.

Reception
Critics gave the picture mostly positive reviews. The Beatrice Daily Sun gave it a glowing review, saying, "Critical appraisal of both press and Broadway audiences unanimously declared the uproarious story of marital mix-ups one of the best talking productions ever made and the greatest laugh-maker of the season." They praised both the direction of Strayer and the acting of the entire cast. The Tampa Times was also effusive in their praise of the film: "New York critics found themselves forgetting the gravity of life, and according to their reviews, laughed as heartily as the rest of the audiences—something unusual, ife [sic] we are to believe their own claims. Ford Sterling, they explained, is a 'scream', and the whole picture came very near filling the aisles with laughing customers unable to keep their seats or their decorum." They complimented the leads in the film, and were very complimentary towards the supporting comedic actors. The Herald (Rock Hill, South Carolina) called it "a great talkie", saying that it had "great audience appeal", and that each of the "eight comedians, every one a star of repute enact roles with spirit." The also complimented the supporting cast, and praised the dialogue of Frederic and Fannie Hatton. The Arizona Daily Star also enjoyed the film, "'The Fall of Eve' brings together ideal cast to give comedy farce of martial mix-ups with other fun producing situations." Also giving good reviews were The Long Beach Sun, The Atlanta Constitution, The Santa Rosa Republican, and the Los Angeles Evening Post-Record.

Not all the reviews were complimentary, however. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle called it an "indifferent farce". They felt the jokes were stale, the plot commonplace, and the puns fell flat. They felt it was a "mechanical and rather crudely constructed farce". Likewise, the Daily News called it a "two-star film, which is only fairly amusing." They also felt the humor was antiquated and trite, although they complimented the acting.