<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 03/31/98
000 C000000 745463
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 EATON VANCE MUTUAL FUNDS TRUST
001 B000000 811-4015
001 C000000 6174828260
002 A000000 24 FEDERAL ST.
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02110
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 22
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C020700 EV MARATHON HIGH INCOME FUND
007 C030700 N
007 C010800 8
007 C020800 EV CLASSIC HIGH INCOME FUND
007 C030800 N
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
010 A00AA01 EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
010 B00AA01 801-15930
010 C01AA01 BOSTON
010 C02AA01 MA
010 C03AA01 02110
011 A00AA01 EATON VANCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-24081
011 C01AA01 BOSTON
011 C02AA01 MA
011 C03AA01 02110
012 A00AA01 FIRST DATA INVESTOR SERVICES GROUP, INC.
012 B00AA01 85-401761
012 C01AA01 WESTBOROUGH
012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 01581
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C04AA01 5123
013 A00AA01 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B01AA01 BOSTON
013 B02AA01 MA
013 B03AA01 02110
014 A00AA01 EATON VANCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-24081
015 A00AA01 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02116
015 E01AA01 X
018 00AA00 N
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00 153
019 C00AA00 EATONVANCE
024 00AA00 N
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 N
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
029 00AA00 N
030 A00AA00 0
030 B00AA00 0.00
030 C00AA00 0.00
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 N
040 00AA00 Y
041 00AA00 N
042 A00AA00 0
042 B00AA00 0
042 C00AA00 0
042 D00AA00 0
042 E00AA00 0
042 F00AA00 0
042 G00AA00 0
042 H00AA00 0
043 00AA00 0
044 00AA00 0
045 00AA00 N
048 00AA00 0.000
048 A01AA00 0
048 A02AA00 0.000
<PAGE> PAGE 3
048 B01AA00 0
048 B02AA00 0.000
048 C01AA00 0
048 C02AA00 0.000
048 D01AA00 0
048 D02AA00 0.000
048 E01AA00 0
048 E02AA00 0.000
048 F01AA00 0
048 F02AA00 0.000
048 G01AA00 0
048 G02AA00 0.000
048 H01AA00 0
048 H02AA00 0.000
048 I01AA00 0
048 I02AA00 0.000
048 J01AA00 0
048 J02AA00 0.000
048 K01AA00 0
048 K02AA00 0.000
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 N
057 00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 50
062 A00AA00 N
062 B00AA00 0.0
062 C00AA00 0.0
062 D00AA00 0.0
062 E00AA00 0.0
062 F00AA00 0.0
062 G00AA00 0.0
062 H00AA00 0.0
062 I00AA00 0.0
062 J00AA00 0.0
062 K00AA00 0.0
062 L00AA00 0.0
062 M00AA00 0.0
062 N00AA00 0.0
062 O00AA00 0.0
062 P00AA00 0.0
062 Q00AA00 0.0
062 R00AA00 0.0
066 A00AA00 N
067 00AA00 N
068 A00AA00 N
068 B00AA00 N
<PAGE> PAGE 4
069 00AA00 N
070 A01AA00 Y
070 A02AA00 N
070 B01AA00 Y
070 B02AA00 N
070 C01AA00 Y
070 C02AA00 N
070 D01AA00 Y
070 D02AA00 N
070 E01AA00 Y
070 E02AA00 N
070 F01AA00 Y
070 F02AA00 N
070 G01AA00 Y
070 G02AA00 N
070 H01AA00 Y
070 H02AA00 N
070 I01AA00 N
070 I02AA00 N
070 J01AA00 Y
070 J02AA00 N
070 K01AA00 Y
070 K02AA00 Y
070 L01AA00 Y
070 L02AA00 N
070 M01AA00 Y
070 M02AA00 N
070 N01AA00 Y
070 N02AA00 N
070 O01AA00 Y
070 O02AA00 N
070 P01AA00 N
070 P02AA00 N
070 Q01AA00 N
070 Q02AA00 N
070 R01AA00 Y
070 R02AA00 N
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 FEDERAL INSURANCE CO.
080 C00AA00 45000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 152
082 A00AA00 Y
082 B00AA00 100
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 5
085 B00AA00 N
028 A010700 8529
028 A020700 1371
028 A030700 0
028 A040700 13635
028 B010700 12042
028 B020700 1511
028 B030700 0
028 B040700 8505
028 C010700 8463
028 C020700 1292
028 C030700 0
028 C040700 8965
028 D010700 9972
028 D020700 1447
028 D030700 0
028 D040700 8099
028 E010700 12382
028 E020700 1550
028 E030700 0
028 E040700 10094
028 F010700 10252
028 F020700 1286
028 F030700 0
028 F040700 10761
028 G010700 61639
028 G020700 8457
028 G030700 0
028 G040700 60059
028 H000700 0
034 000700 Y
035 000700 1638
036 A000700 N
036 B000700 0
071 A000700 0
071 B000700 0
071 C000700 0
071 D000700 0
072 A000700 12
072 B000700 0
072 C000700 0
072 D000700 0
072 E000700 66983
072 F000700 0
072 G000700 0
072 H000700 0
072 I000700 712
072 J000700 27
072 K000700 0
072 L000700 65
072 M000700 3
<PAGE> PAGE 6
072 N000700 37
072 O000700 0
072 P000700 0
072 Q000700 0
072 R000700 22
072 S000700 5
072 T000700 6215
072 U000700 0
072 V000700 0
072 W000700 4129
072 X000700 11216
072 Y000700 0
072 Z000700 55767
072AA000700 33999
072BB000700 0
072CC010700 31500
072CC020700 0
072DD010700 52768
072DD020700 0
072EE000700 0
073 A010700 0.6220
073 A020700 0.0000
073 B000700 0.0000
073 C000700 0.0000
074 A000700 0
074 B000700 0
074 C000700 0
074 D000700 0
074 E000700 0
074 F000700 0
074 G000700 0
074 H000700 0
074 I000700 696744
074 J000700 0
074 K000700 0
074 L000700 1244
074 M000700 0
074 N000700 697988
074 O000700 0
074 P000700 1
074 Q000700 0
074 R010700 0
074 R020700 0
074 R030700 0
074 R040700 4169
074 S000700 0
074 T000700 693818
074 U010700 86382
074 U020700 0
074 V010700 8.03
074 V020700 0.00
<PAGE> PAGE 7
074 W000700 0.0000
074 X000700 0
074 Y000700 0
075 A000700 0
075 B000700 650017
076 000700 0.00
028 A010800 1473
028 A020800 82
028 A030800 0
028 A040800 503
028 B010800 749
028 B020800 95
028 B030800 0
028 B040800 201
028 C010800 4349
028 C020800 375
028 C030800 0
028 C040800 576
028 D010800 1854
028 D020800 111
028 D030800 0
028 D040800 247
028 E010800 3116
028 E020800 123
028 E030800 0
028 E040800 1894
028 F010800 2913
028 F020800 114
028 F030800 0
028 F040800 1300
028 G010800 14454
028 G020800 899
028 G030800 0
028 G040800 4721
028 H000800 0
034 000800 Y
035 000800 13
036 A000800 N
036 B000800 0
071 A000800 0
071 B000800 0
071 C000800 0
071 D000800 0
072 A000800 12
072 B000800 0
072 C000800 0
072 D000800 0
072 E000800 2416
072 F000800 0
072 G000800 0
072 H000800 0
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 I000800 38
072 J000800 5
072 K000800 0
072 L000800 22
072 M000800 0
072 N000800 18
072 O000800 0
072 P000800 0
072 Q000800 0
072 R000800 14
072 S000800 1
072 T000800 234
072 U000800 10
072 V000800 0
072 W000800 154
072 X000800 495
072 Y000800 0
072 Z000800 1921
072AA000800 1104
072BB000800 0
072CC010800 1234
072CC020800 0
072DD010800 1869
072DD020800 0
072EE000800 1024
073 A010800 0.8320
073 A020800 0.0000
073 B000800 0.3560
073 C000800 0.0000
074 A000800 0
074 B000800 0
074 C000800 0
074 D000800 0
074 E000800 0
074 F000800 0
074 G000800 0
074 H000800 0
074 I000800 33514
074 J000800 0
074 K000800 0
074 L000800 93
074 M000800 3
074 N000800 33611
074 O000800 0
074 P000800 0
074 Q000800 0
074 R010800 0
074 R020800 0
074 R030800 0
074 R040800 517
074 S000800 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 T000800 33094
074 U010800 3135
074 U020800 0
074 V010800 10.56
074 V020800 0.00
074 W000800 0.0000
074 X000800 0
074 Y000800 0
075 A000800 0
075 B000800 23464
076 000800 0.00
SIGNATURE BARBARA E. CAMPBELL
TITLE ASSISTANT TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 7
<NAME> EV MARATHON HIGH INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAR-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 654106
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 696744
<RECEIVABLES> 1244
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 697988
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 4170
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 4170
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 687729
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 86382
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 82808
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 939
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (37488)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 42638
<NET-ASSETS> 693818
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 66983
<EXPENSES-NET> 11216
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 55767
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 33999
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 31500
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 121266
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 52768
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 17727
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 16308
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 2155
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 95545
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (71487)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 2060
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 11216
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 650017
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 7.220
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.658
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.774
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.622
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.03
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.73
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 8
<NAME> EV CLASSIC HIGH INCOME FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAR-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 32070
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 33515
<RECEIVABLES> 93
<ASSETS-OTHER> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 3
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 33611
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 517
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 517
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 31641
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 3135
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1757
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 29
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 38
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 1444
<NET-ASSETS> 33094
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 0
<OTHER-INCOME> 2416
<EXPENSES-NET> 495
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 1921
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1104
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1234
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 4259
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 1869
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 1024
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2159
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 947
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 166
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 15802
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 7
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (64)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 495
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 23464
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.840
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.847
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.061
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.832
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.356
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.560
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2.11
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
