Remember the Night (1940) inspires The Lady Eve (1941)

Influencers & Inspiration Whereby the influence on set or in the theatre watching someone else’s film, inspires another…

Remember the Night (1940) follows Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck), a shoplifter sentenced to spend Christmas in jail over the court’s holiday recess. But, in a twist of fate, the very D.A. prosecuting her, John Sargent (Fred MacMurray), offers her a ride back to her home in Indiana for the holiday. It seems he’s headed that way himself to spend Christmas with his family, too. It is by turns a social drama, a family saga, and a romance. Though it’s rarely referred to as a Christmas film. Why? Well, let’s just say that the titled ‘night to remember’ is not referring to Christmas Eve.

But how did a shoplifting “peacherino” transform into the minx that drops the original Eve’s fruit-of-choice upon some rich mug’s noggin?

In 1940 Barbara Stanwyck was the Queen of Drama but never, ever, did she act like a drama queen. As a result, many directors, cast mates and crew members simply adored her. While filming Remember the Night the screenwriter, soon to screenwriter AND director, Preston Sturges, became the latest card-carrying member of the “I Love Stany Club.” Stanwyck mentioned to Sturges how everyone thought of her only for melodramas but she knew she could be funny, too. She then asked her newest admirer to write her a comedy someday. And, the gentleman obliged – in spades! – writing the screwball comedy classic, The Lady Eve (1941) just for her. In it, Stanwyck plays Jean Harrington, one of a trio of card sharks targeting ‘a mug,’ Charles ‘Hopsy’ Pike (Henry Fonda). Pike is a naive, bookish heir to a brewery fortune. But, when Jean and Hopsy unexpectedly fall in love, all bets are off for a conventional happy ending.

If Remember The Night is the unsung Christmas film, think of The Lady Eve as the unsung Thanksgiving one. Not only because Stanwyck deliciously dishes the line: “I need him like the axe needs the turkey,” but because it’s something we can all be thankful for!

The feast continues in this scene of “just desserts.” Served to Hopsy (Henry Fonda) as part of Jean’s (Barbara Stanwyck) wedding night revenge-revelations that includes the once heard, never-to-be-forgotten, delightfully droll line: “It’s pronounced, ‘Sess-sall.’ ”