JohnHowardReid SYNOPSIS: The allegedly true story of a woman with a split personality.NOTES: Prestigious Hollywood award, Best Actress, Joanne Woodward, defeating Deborah Kerr in "Heaven Knows, Mr Allison", Anna Magnani in "Wild Is the Wind", "Elizabeth Taylor" in Raintree County, and Lana Turner in "Peyton Place". Golden Globes Award, Best Actress, Joanne Woodward. BAFTA Award, Best Foreign Actress, Joanne Woodward. National Board of Review Award, Best Actress, Joanne Woodward.COMMENT: Although preceded by "Lizzie" (1957) and "The Search for Bridey Murphy" (released at bottom-of-the-barrel first release circuit houses), "The Three Faces of Eve" proved remarkably popular on first release. In Australia, for example it came in as the eleventh highest grossing picture of the year! Remarkable because "Lizzie" barely recovered its advertising budget, and "Bridey" did absolutely no business at all! Also remarkable because, although it took good coin, "Three Faces of Eve" failed to chalk up any box- office records at all, either domestically (it didn't even make the top hundred) or in the United Kingdom.Alas, aside from Joanne Woodward's award-winning performance, the film is actually of little interest. Johnson's direction (as usual) is stolidly dull, Cobb's performance is (as usual) heavy as lead, and David Wayne incongruously plays his role mainly for laughs.Production values are remarkably poor. In fact, "5" is a generous mark for this most disappointing movie, but I like to consider the mark I would give it, if it had NOT won any awards!

John Brooks Looking at the title and poster of this film, the period it was made in, this easily could've been yet another okay straightforward production from the 50's. Films at the time were usually pretty 'thick' and unsubtle with how it managed the psychological element. Too obvious.This here has nothing that is obvious. As the disclaimer states, it's all based on a totally true story and lots of the script is word for word as it happened so 'the film wrote itself', but really there's very good structure and pace to it.In a sense, this isn't even really a "psychological film" in that it focuses on the story rather than the mental complex itself as a film like Freud (Montgomery Clift) would be more of. As obvious as the narrative is ultimately, this film does very well not to uncover everything too quickly, and paces itself just right, not a single dull, obvious or redundant moment. Very well made, and just the right length.And Joanne Woodward easily could've been just another pretty broad putting in a good but predictable shift at the office... but goodness, she is absolutely brilliant, surprisingly good, in this one. By any measure, it was a particularly difficult job to do, and she far exceeds doing it merely right. And what a beautiful woman too ! So much character and warmth and feminine wit...Lee J.Cobb does an excellent job here too and shows in contrast with his performances for example in 'On the Waterfront' or in '12 Angry Men' that he can do the big ole scary villain/tough guy as well as here, the sophisticated psychologist.Ultimately, this film surely could've been better and been a 9 or a 10 but does really well all in all, and one of the main criticisms would be that the ending is too rushed as it is the ultimate climax and answer to the entire film's happenings, if only it could've been explained a bit more or given more depth...8/10.

asharpladywkids I am ashamed that there are such strong opinions about the falsehood of Disassociative Identity Disorder. The fact that it is in the DSMIV and STILL disbelieved is disgusting! Major depression is quite real to everyone. Schizophrenia is quite real! PTSD is quite real as well! Just because something doesn't go away with all the medicine that psychiatrists can throw at you does not mean that "DID" is not real! On the contrary. I know it is real because I have had it all of my life. I see people in the mirror when I am getting ready or pass one in the hall. I hear people talking to me when they are in our "common area" and not in their "rooms." Ever since I can remember back as a child I could hear different voices. I just thought that was what people meant when they said that "they are talking to themselves." Little did I know what my future reality would hold. The events that saved my sanity are quite real. The voices and faces I see in the mirror are quite real. Just because my reality is different from another's does not make mine fictitious or unbelievable. It makes it sad and disgusting knowing that there are people out there in the world who could do such evil, terrible things to young children where it leaves their mind no alternative but to have different people take the traumas so that a "normal life" could still be had by at least one. Shame on you and especially psychiatrists who believe otherwise. Just because you don't possess the capability in helping ones such as me does not give you the right to deny us. I can't perform brain surgery, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a need for someone who does. I can't tell someone who does need brain surgery that they are wrong and don't need it just because I can't perform the procedure!

Chrysanthepop 'The Three Faces of Eve' tells the true story of a housewife who suffers from the condition recognized as dissociative identity disorder today. Nunnally Johnson's movie entirely focuses on the experience of Eve White, Eve Black and Jane during a period of a couple of years beginning from the time she started visiting her psychologist. This is unlike many of the 50s movies I've seen because it deals with several adult themes such as divorce, spousal abuse, sex and childhood trauma unlike the comparatively melodramatic films that were so popular at the time. Nunnally proves to be a fine storyteller as the meticulous writing is rich, tight and full of depth and the direction is great. I liked how he showed the 'treatment process'. It was cleverly downplayed in the story. The execution is done with skill. 'The Three Faces of Eve' has some outstanding nuanced performances. Lee J. Cobb is restrained as Eve's psychologist but it is Joanne Woodward who carries the film. She is simply sublime. Since then there have been numerous movies on dissociative identity disorder but 'The Three Faces of Eve' is the pioneer but that's not the reason why the movie ought to be watched because even as a stand alone, it works very well as a captivating character study.