Use of Memory for the Macabre in "Eve’s Bayou"

The ability for Southern Gothics to portray the darkest and most disturbing themes in a way that is not only visually appealing but absolutely captivating is the essence of the genre. Kasi Lemmons’ Eve’s Bayou (1997) does just this. As we follow ten-year old Eve Batiste as she retells the unfolding of the summer in which she killed her father, we get a glimpse into the twisted and tragic events that led to this disastrous night. Lemmons’ presentation of the story through the use of memory is an element that allows for the thoughts and impulses of young Eve to be fully explored as she is sent on this whirlwind of emotions. The opening line to the film encapsulates this in saying “memory is the selection of images, some elusive, others printed indelibly on the brain.” It is memory which allows the viewer to dive deep into the psyche of Eve as she deals with the crumbling of her family structure. The use of memory which allows viewers to take a glimpse into the macabre and grotesque makes Eve’s Bayou an unmistakable Southern Gothic.

The sub-genre Southern Gothic has distinct characteristics that disturb but fascinate those who indulge in them. Dark themes and twisted desires and impulses are common markers of the genre. Often the plot revolves around grotesque characters and the irrational and transgressive thoughts and behaviors they exhibit. Stories of this genre are as encapsulating as they are unsettling as they expose topics that otherwise would not be discussed. Their ability to do this and in a way that is tasteful and exciting is why they are so good.

Eve’s Bayou explores topics that could be considered as such. Eve (Jurnee Smollett)’s memory drives the plot as we learn everything from her point of view. Her memories and what goes on in her head are the most powerful forces within the movie. The daunting images which haunt her memory are what drives her to madness and to eventually making a fatal decision. It is through her memory we are able to explore the wickedness of her father (Samuel L. Jackson), his cheating and the eventual harm he brings onto her sister Cisely (Meagan Good). It is also through memory that we see the supernatural element of the film in the visions Mozelle (Debbi Morgan), Elzora (Diahann Carroll) and Eve all possess the power to see. The constant idea of seeing and remembering at times plague the characters of this play. For example, Mozelle’s retelling of the loss of her husband Maynard is depicted in a way that places her physically in the scene where her husband is shot dead by her lover. While this memory still pains Mozelle to bring up, there is a power in showing the hurt and dangers of indulging in one’s own desires. It is Mozelle’s visions as well as Eve’s perspective that the plot of the film is pushed forward. There is an undeniable power in memory and its ability to bring to light darkness. 

The greatest darkness which exists for Eve this summer relates to her father’s infidelity. After catching her dad and fellow community member Mrs. Mereaux (Lisa Nicole Carson) having relations late one night, Eve’s world gets completely shaken up. Seeing this with her own eyes, the images deeply troubled her. She began to think of not only her father differently, but a rift began to form between her, her mother and her sister. When Eve, clearly upset, tells her sister Cisely what she saw, Cisely is in complete disbelief and denial. She tells Eve she is mistaken and tells her she is misremembering. Cisely reimagines the scene of her dad and Mrs. Mereaux explaining there were no relations, only friends having a laugh. She attempts to counter Eve’s memory with a new memory in order to suppress the discussion of something so earth shattering as their father cheating. However, as the story goes on and their father’s infidelity with multiple women becomes more and more obvious, the girls as well as their mother can no longer deny it. It is this exploration of infidelity through memory that is so important to the telling of the story.

The reason for Louis’ infidelity seems to stem from his lack of control. Lemmons shows this in both his disloyalty to his wife, Roz (Lynn Whitfield), and his drinking problem. Both of these elements come to head in one of the most jarring aspects of the movie, his relationship with his daughter Cisely. From the opening scenes of the film with her and her father dancing to the dreaded incident and its after effects, something is not right with this relationship. Cisely is depicted as having an absurd adoration of her father, exhibiting jealousy and an obsession with his attention. And her father seems to relish in this. Eve details threads of this throughout and there is an overall uncomfortable energy when these two are on scene. What could have been considered an innocent father-daughter relationship quickly takes a turn for the worse.

After her mother forbids the children from leaving home after one of Mozelle’s visions, Cisely sneaks out to go visit her dad and get her hair cut (coincidentally the same as her mother) after tensions are high within the house. Roz, obviously angry with her and sensing something is off, tells her she cannot stay up and wait for her dad to return. Upon his arrival, an argument ensues between the parents and Cisely goes down afterward to comfort him. The retelling of what happened next is not clear, as memory is sometimes unreliable and gets distorted. In Cisely's retelling of the story to Eve, she remembers going downstairs, exchanging an inappropriate kiss, a smashing glass and a slap from her father. We learn her father’s perspective from a letter he wrote to Mozelle. He depicts the same scene but, in this case, Cisely is said to have come onto him. Retold from different angles, one thing remained true: Louis hurt his daughter. Judging from the traumatized state of Cisely, the drunkenness of Louis and the overall strangeness in their relationship it is assumed that they had sexual relations of sort. This fact is what drives Eve to the height of irrationality and madness and seeks out the death of her father.

From either the voodoo Eve sought out or just the consequences of his own actions, Louis is fatally shot by Mr. Mereaux, a Sunday shortly after. This scene is a fruition of a vision which Mozelle saw earlier, although the context was misinterpreted. So angry and disgusted by the memory of how badly her father had hurt her sister, Eve goes to Elzora to wish her father dead, something Elzora does for her. Overcome with regret, Eve returns to her house only to find it is way too late and her father’s fate is sealed. She runs to the bar where his father is on a date with his mistress. As Mr. Mereaux arrives, he tells Louis to never speak to his wife again. In a final act of cockiness and lack of self-control, Louis calls out goodnight to her. He is then met with a bullet and his death, in front of his ten-year-old daughter Eve. Whether Eve was responsible or it's the result of Louis’ own arrogance, she surely never forgot those moments. They haunt her memory just like the memory of his infidelity and what he did to Cesily. Memory allows for the storage of the depraved.

Eve’s memory and the darkness which exists within it is what propels Eve’s Bayou. Its explorations of the chilling events of the summer when she was only ten years old is what makes it such a good example of a Southern Gothic. If memories consist of a collection of images, some elusive and some unforgettable, Eve’s retelling of her father’s infidelity, abuse and eventual death surely is indelibly imprinted on her brain. The wonder of a Southern Gothic is its ability to explore the depraved and morbid in such a beautiful way.  

Special thanks to all the women who made this wonderful movie possible:

Kasi Lemmons – Director and writer
Jurnee Smollet-Eve Batiste
Meagan Good-Cisely Batiste
Lynn Whitfield - Roz Batiste
Debbi Morgan - Mozelle Batiste Delacroix
Ethel Ayler - Gran Mere
Diahann Caroll - Elzora
Lisa Nicole Carson - Matty Mereaux
Afonda Colbert - Henrietta
Lola Dalferes - Lynette
Alverta Perkins Dunigan - Paige
Sharon K. Longon - Hilary
Carol Sutton - Madame Renard
Victoria Rowell - Steie Hobbs
Billie Neal - Ghost of Original Eve
Tamara Tunie - Narrator
Beaux Sedwick - Wife (uncredited)
Greta Valenti - Girl on Street (uncredited)
Margaret Matheson-Co-executive producer
Cami Winikoff - Co-producer
Julie Yorn - executive producer
Amy Vincent - Cinematography
Terilyn A. Shropshire - Film editing
Jake Brown & Robyn M. Mitchell- Casting
Adele Plauche - Art direction
Joanne Schmidt - Set decoration
Karyn Wagner - Costume design
Joyce Bonck - Hair stylist
Marietta Carter-Narcisse-makeup supervisor
Lin Gathright - Makeup artist
Allison Gording - Makeup artist
Stacy Kelly - Makeup artist
Lisa Lambert - Makeup artist
Pamela Roth - Key makeup artist
Donna Spahn - Hair stylist
Victoria Wood - Wig maker
Edith Dupre LeBlanc-Unit production manager
Angi Bones and Cherie Graham- Second second assistant director
Edith Dupre LeBlanc - Assistant director
Phyllis Detrich - Property master
Cheryl A. McDermott -  Swing
Morgan Miller - Buyer
Michelle Nunez - Property assistant
Patricia Vitrano - Painter
Andrea Horta - Adr editor
Cathie Speakman - Dialogue editor
Rebecca Hammett - Scenic
JoJo Myers Proud - Makeup
Elena J. Robinson - Digital effects coordinator
Susan D. Fowler - Casting coordinator
Barabra Harris - Voice casting
Lee Hunsake - Set costumer
Kelly Knutzen - Assistant costumer
Heather Pain - Assistant costume designer
Patty Spinale - Costumer builder
Cynthia Tanner - Assistant costumer
Jessica Picarski - Assistant editor
Judy Strazzera - Post-production editorial
Andrea Zondler- Assistant editor
Rachelle Dickerson - Assistant location manager
Dana A. Hanby - Location manger
Stephanie Pecuch - Assistant location manager
Valerie Basnight - Special vocal effects
Julie Glaze Houlihan - Music supervisor
Lori Slomka - Supervising music editor
Clara Williams - Special vocal effects
Malika Williams - Special vocal effects
Candace Cole - Script revisionist
Noel Dawkins - Script supervisor
Barabara Arceneaux - Driver
Joanie Arceneaux- Driver
Jody Arceneaux - Driver
Cheryl Drake -Cook/driver
Rose Arceneaux - Craft service assistant
Kathleen Boles - Production assistant
Katie Bowler - Production assistant
Brenda Brockhoeft - Set production assistant
Tessa Brophy - Assistant production coordinator
Gina T. Charbonnet - Production assistant
Trina Davis Cundieff- Electronic press kit
Caroline Ducrocq - Technical advisor
Kristen Graff - Production assistant
Elizabeth T. Guste- Assistant production accountant
Deborah Ann Henderson - Production coordinator
Jeanne Ingraham - Craft service assistant
Jennifer Renee Johnson - Assistant Lynn Whitfield
Jalissa M. Kantrow - Production assistant
Tracy Keller - Production coordinator
Stephanie Kremer - Post-production accountant
Liz Landers - Craft service
Terri Lashley - Assistant production accountant
Darlene Caamano Loquet - Assistant: Jay Polstein
Mariama - Choreographer
Morgan Miles - Production assistant
Susan Muir- Completion bond
Debra Redfearn- First aid coordinator
Kerry T. Roby - Assistant chef
Marica Rutledge - Insurance
Natasha Sanchez - Set production assistant
Dianna M. Smith - Craft assistant
Donna Solomon - Contractual auditor
Irene Speiser - Production financing arranger
Julia Valentine - Assistant to executive producer
Victoria Vaus - Title designer
Charlyn Ware - Business affairs manager
Nicole Louise Wright - Production assistant