DELIVER US FROM EVA

US, 2003, 105 minutes, Colour.
L L Cooljay, Gabriel Union, Duane Martin, Mel Jackson, Dartanyan Edmonds.
Directed by Gary Hardwick

Deliver Us From Eva is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. It is an African- American comedy – with Gabriel Union as the Catherine character, harder in her judgements and remarks than Shakespeare’s heroine. LL Cooljay is the man hired by the three brothers-in-law of Eva so that he will date her and get her out of their hair because she interferes in all of their lives. The three brothers are played by Duane Martin, Mel Jackson and Dartanyan Edmonds.

1. An African- American comedy drama? The appeal for its target audience? Wider audiences?

2. The American setting, affluent families, the city, jobs, the inspector, meat carrier, restaurants and premises? The hairdressing salon? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3. The blend of fantasy and reality? The realism of the treatment? The fantasy aspects of the romance, the clashes?

4. The basis in the Taming of the Shrew? Eva as the Shrew? Parallel to Catherine? The three sisters instead of one? Their suitors and husbands? Ray and Petrucchio? The wager that he tamed the Shrew?

5. The opening, the voice-over, the funeral? Gray’s comments about the men, the women, Eva? The irony that audiences knew that he was not dead? The final revelation, the abduction, the three men keeping him away, his becoming free, going to the church, the funeral?

6. Eva, her personality, strong, demanding, principled? Her caring for her three sisters and their reliance on her? Her intervening in their lives, her comments on their husbands and boyfriends? The possibility of a promotion? The treatment of the man at the restaurant, the kitchen? The irony that he was a supervisor? Her glimmer about the job? Asking the preacher after the service? To follow her heart? Her relationship with her three sisters?

7. Ray, prison, his charm, the two women and his handling the situation? The three men in admiration? Making their advances, the explanation, the $5,000, the expenses?

8. The three men, their relationship with the sisters? Issues of pregnancy, spouse, boyfriend? Prospects of marriage? The sisters taking notice of Eva, dropping everything to go to her? Sexual frustration for the men? The alcohol issue? The reasons for their determination to get Eva out of their lives?

9. Ray, his method, charm, meeting Eva, playing hard-to-get, the girlfriend? Eva’s reaction, interested? The second time, the girlfriend being disposed of? The outings, the dates, their talking? Falling in love? Eva and her mellowing, calling him Ray instead of Raymond? The horse riding and the difficulty for Ray? The playing pool, the intrusion and the issue of the bet?

10. The revelation of the truth? Eva’s reaction, saying that that was her initial judgement? Yet her behaviour with the sisters, falling in love with Ray, going out with him?

11. Ray, the effect of the break-up? His wanting to do the right thing? Pleading with her? The abduction, her grieving? The reaction that he was still alive? Her taking the job, the separation? Her previously not wanting to go to Chicago?

12. The beauty parlour, the proprietor, her gossip, her flirtation? The gay hairdresser and the jokes? The three sisters gossiping, Eva part of the gossip? Their supporting her? Ray coming to the barbeque, the further development of the relationship?

13. The Taming of the Shrew? Eva and her mellowing? Her change in becoming disillusioned with Raymond?

14. In Chicago, the job, the acclaim from her peers? Ray turning up with the horse? The police, asking whether it was her horse? Her saying that it was? The couple riding up the Chicago street?

15. Themes of love, friendship, relationships, sexuality? The prim woman and her principles, unbending and feeling free? The charming man and the taming of the shrew?