The Three Faces of Eve

Infobox Film
name = The Three Faces of Eve
director = Nunnally Johnson
writer = Corbett Thigpen (book)
Hervey M. Cleckley (book)
Nunnally Johnson
producer = Nunnally Johnson
starring = Joanne Woodward
David Wayne
Lee J. Cobb
music = Robert Emmett Dolan
cinematography = Stanley Cortez
released = USA
September 23, 1957

The Three Faces of Eve is a 1957 book and film, loosely based on the true story of Chris Costner-Sizemore, a woman who suffered from dissociative identity disorder. [cite book |last=Thigpen |first=Corbett H. |title=The Three Faces of Eve |year=1957 |isbn=0-685-48779-2]

The film stars Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb, Nancy Kulp and Alistair Cooke. It was filmed at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia.

Film Summary

Eve White is a quiet, self-effacing wife and mother who has headaches and occasional blackouts. Eventually she is sent to see a personality psychiatrist Dr. Luther, and while under hypnosis her "alter personality", wild, fun-loving Eve Black, discloses herself. With Eve Black on the loose, Eve White's husband leaves her and abandons their daughter. Under continued therapy, a third personality appears, the relatively stable Jane.

The rest of the film depicts Luther's attempts to reconcile the three faces of Eve, including uncovering a traumatic event in Eve’s childhood. Her beloved grandmother had died when she was six, and according to family custom relatives were supposed to kiss the dead person at the viewing, making it easier for them to let go. Eve's grief and terror led to her "splitting off" a second personality to accomplish things she herself did not want to do.

After discovering the cause of her disorder, Jane is able to remember everything that has ever happened to all three personalities. Luther asks to speak with Eve White, but when Jane tries to bring her out, she discovers that Eve White and Eve Black no longer exist. All three personalities are once again whole. She marries a man named Earl whom she met when she was Jane and reunites with her daughter Bonnie.

Film notes

Eve White is sent to an asylum after Eve Black tries to kill Bonnie.Jane is the origin of Eve White and Eve Black.Eve White does not know about Eve Black but Eve Black knows about Eve White.All personalities are in control while under hypnosis which is why Jane and Eve Black are able to reveal themselves to Dr. Luther.

The non-fiction book

The original book was rushed into publication and film rights immediately sold to director Nunnally Johnson in 1957, apparently to capitalize on public interest in multiple personalities following the publication of Shirley Jackson's 1954 novel "The Birds' Nest", [cite book |last=Jackson |first=Shirley |authorlink=Shirley Jackson |title=The bird's nest |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Young |location=New York |year=1954 |oclc=757989] which was made into the 1957 film "Lizzie".

Awards

Woodward — at the time a relative unknown in Hollywood — won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and later went on to play Dr. Cornelia Wilbur in the film "Sybil".

ee also

*Mental illness in films

References

External links

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