Review: All About Eve

Vain, histrionic and aging theatre star Margo Channing (Bette Davis, in a case of art perhaps imitating life) is somewhat humbled by adoring fan Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), who has seen every show. However, Margo begins to regret taking Eve under her wing when the sweet, innocent (and much younger- a crucial point) woman starts to get a little too involved in her life and the lives of those closest to her. Celeste Holm is Margo’s loyal friend Karen, who treats Eve with kindness. Gary Merrill and Hugh Marlowe play Margo’s director fiancé and Karen’s playwright husband respectively, whilst sitting on the sidelines are insinuating, manipulative critic Addison De Witt, played by George Sanders in his signature role, and giving a bemused, cynical narration. Thelma Ritter is plain-speaking Birdie, Margo’s wise-acre confidante and costumer who has Eve pegged as trouble from the get-go. Marilyn Monroe has a bit part as an up-and-coming bimbo whom De Witt is attempting to mould.

 

1950 all-time classic from writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (“Sleuth”, “A Letter to Three Wives”, “Cleopatra”, “Suddenly Last Summer”) is a masterwork in acting, vivid characterisation, and witty, acid-tongued dialogue. In particular, Mankiewicz’s script is rightly regarded as one of the finest of all-time (My favourite line? Margo’s ‘All playwrights should be dead for 300 years!’). Having said that, the actors delivering those lines are mostly brilliant too. I particularly liked how several different characters narrate different parts of the film. Most of the best dialogue is delivered by the acerbic George Sanders, though Davis’ speech about the sexist attitude towards women entering middle age is great too. There’s too many pearlers to mention, really.

 

George Sanders won a much-deserving Oscar for seemingly effortlessly playing an acid-tongue critic, his derision and condescending attitude towards a young Marilyn Monroe is hilarious. Towering over all, the inimitable Bette Davis gives a great performance here – if not her best, certainly the most iconic. She’s also playing an age-appropriate part, too, something many big ‘stars’ of the time probably would’ve baulked at. This is textbook ‘big star heading towards the back-end of her career and afraid of being usurped by a younger talent’ territory. I’m not sure which is the best of her performances from this, “Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte” or “The Little Foxes”, but Margo Channing is definitely the most human of the three characters. I particularly found Margo’s increasing annoyance and suspicion of Eve to be both amusing and kind of sad. Oscar-nominated Anne Baxter is totally convincing in all facets of her character and it’s quite a complex character and performance. In a lesser performer’s hands, it would become far too obvious. In Baxter’s hands, you only notice the signs on repeated viewings. Remarkable, Baxter’s giving us two levels of performance at the same time working in harmony with one another. Easily her best-ever work. Fellow Oscar-nominee Celeste Holm is marvellous as one of the few fairly sympathetic creatures on show here, and Marilyn Monroe in an early and small, but unforgettable role is impossible to look away from. Hugh Marlowe is a bit stiff in the one colourless role, but that’s pretty much it for flaws here.

 

A must-see, especially for film buffs. Oscar winner for Picture, Supporting Actor, Director, Writing, Costumes, and Sound recording (and overall nominated for a then record-breaking 14 awards), though it might be hard to watch any awards ceremony after you’ve seen the big acceptance speech in the film here. Based on a story by Mary Orr, it’s a scathing, savage, cynical, and bitchy story. The best film of its type without question. Must-see.

 

Rating: A-