All About Eve

Genre: psychological drama (in black and white)

With: Bette Davis (Margo Channing), Anne Baxter (Eve Harrington), George Sanders (Addison DeWitt), Celeste Holm (Karen Richards), Gary Merrill (Bill Simpson), Hugh Marlowe (Lloyd Richards), Gregory Ratoff (Max Fabian), Barbara Bates (Phoebe), Marilyn Monroe (Miss Casswell), Thelma Ritter (Birdie Coonan)

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Screenplay: Joseph L. Mankiewicz (based on a story by Mary Orr)

Release: 1950

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.7/10

 

‟Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!” 

 

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Story-line: on this glamorous evening, the Sarah Siddons Society, arbiter of the theatrical world, has chosen to bestow its Award for Distinguished Achievement to-o-o-o… Eve Harrington! The announcement draws admiration and applause from almost all in attendance, but not from those closest to Eve on a personal or professional basis. If you don’t understand their hostility, just ask Addison DeWitt, the well-known critic. He will tell you all about Eve…     

Pluses: fabulous acting by a star-studded cast (it would be unfair to single out one actor or another, so indispensable is everyone’s contribution), an astute and airtight screenplay steeped in character psychology and rich in humorous and gloriously sarcastic dialogues, masterful direction by a top helmer, appropriate production values, fine musical accompaniment and a tremendous denouement.  

Minuses: none. It’s an easy task for me to review pictures as great as this one.

Comments: considering its world-class acting, brilliant story told with panache, ambiguous characters who need to be needed and unanimous acclaim in filmdom (Best Movie Oscar; Jury Prize and Best Actress [Bette Davis] in Cannes), ALL ABOUT EVE is indeed a classic and a must-see for movie buffs. How wicked is it? Try to imagine the theatre as a fancier form of roller derby.    

 

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