Monday Minute
No. 142 | August 9, 2010

All About Evelyn

What’s in a name?  Take, for example, Angelina Jolie’s character in her new movie, Salt.  Salt is an unusual name itself, but the name that caught my interest was her given name, Evelyn.

The name Evelyn is fairly popular, ranking 39th for baby girls born in 2009.  It’s more often a woman’s name (speed-reading promoter Evelyn Wood, track star Evelyn Ashford), though occasionally a man’s (writer Evelyn Waugh).  The name is not a combination of Eve and Lynn, but may in fact derive from the Latin (avis), meaning “little bird.”  It sounds so sweet and innocent.

When it comes to movies, it’s a different matter.  Evelyn is a name given to characters who are anything but sweet and innocent.  (This was once pointed out to me by a friend of mine.  She had reason to notice:  her name is Evelyn too.)  When you look at the history of Evelyns in movies, you’ll find an undeniable pattern.  Most likely, a character named Evelyn is someone with a sinister side.  She may have a past she’d like to forget or a secret she’d like to conceal.  She may not abide by the law or conform to conventional morality.  You may even question her sanity.

Evelyn, for better or worse (and often the latter), is not a woman to be taken lightly.

Our theme this week
Evelyns at the movies

Evelyn Salt

Who is Salt?  Salt is a killer.  She kills with machine guns, a broken bottle, handcuff chains—whatever it takes.  She’s not a psychopath, just the latest action hero from Hollywood:  a CIA agent—or KGB double-agent, depending on whom you believe—in the spy thriller, Salt.

The film uses just about every cliché of the genre, yet it manages to have a fresh feel with Angelina Jolie cast as the lead.  It’s hard to imagine another actress playing the part (maybe Michelle Yeoh, though maybe not).  The role originally was written for Tom Cruise, in fact, but when he pulled out of the project Jolie stepped in, and the character of Edwin A. Salt became Evelyn—a name befitting the tough-as-nails, take-no-prisoners, lie-through-her-teeth spy who could give Jason Bourne or James Bond a run for the money.

Ultimately, the box office will determine Evelyn Salt’s fate.  But in her debut, the new film directed by Phillip Noyce, as she seeks to escape custody with a dive from a helicopter into river waters below, you get the feeling we’ll be seeing her again.

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Salt (2010)
Phillip Noyce, director
Kurt Wimmer, Brian Helgeland, writers
Angelina Jolie, as Evelyn Salt
Trailer

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Quote of note
Salt:  What is your name?
Orlov:  My name is Vassily Orlov.  Today, a Russian agent will travel to New York city to kill the President.  This agent is KA-12.
Salt:  The KA program is a myth.
Orlov:  Don’t you want to know the name?
Salt:  You’re good.  You can tell the rest of your story to one of my colleagues.
Orlov:  The name of the agent is Evelyn Salt.
Salt:  My name is Evelyn Salt.
Orlov:  Then you are a Russian spy.
—Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), Vassily Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski), Salt (2010)

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