The Lady Eve is a 1941 film directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. The film is a romantic comedy and features a classic battle of the sexes between a cunning con artist and a gullible millionaire.
Jean Harrington (Stanwyck) is a card sharp and a professional swindler who, along with her father, travels across the country fleecing unsuspecting men out of their money. When Jean and her father meet Charles Pike (Fonda), an affluent snake expert, on a luxury cruise, Jean immediately sets her sights on him as her next victim.
Jean and Charles are immediately drawn to each other, and Charles falls for her deeply. However, Jean's father warns her that they can't afford to let their guard down and risk getting caught. Jean reluctantly agrees to break things off with Charles and focus on their next mark.
When Charles discovers Jean's true intentions, he dumps her and returns home heartbroken. Jean, still angry and resentful, decides to get revenge on Charles by posing as an aristocrat named Lady Eve Sidwich. She pretends to be a different person entirely, and Charles falls for her all over again.
Despite her best efforts to remain focused on her revenge, Jean can't help but fall for Charles all over again. However, the truth about Jean's real identity eventually comes out, and Charles is devastated to discover that he's been deceived.
The Lady Eve is a witty and fast-paced romantic comedy with excellent performances from Stanwyck and Fonda. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and remains a beloved classic to this day.