Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

"Margo Channing is a star of the theater. She made her stage debut at the age of four in "Midsummer Night's Dream," playing a fairy. She entered, quite unexpectedly, stark naked. She has been a star ever since." This line was delivered as a voiceover by the character, Addison De Witt played by George Sanders. That wonderfully suave, erudite film critic who is a thorn in Margo Channing's side. An excellent introduction to this classic film starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Thelma Ritter and Marilyn Monroe.

Ruthless, back-stabbing, career-climbing, clawing, wannabe, opportunistic, merciless, unscrupulous, conscienceless, unethical, unprincipaled, scheming, manipulating, conniving and unconscionable. All these words describe Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter. She is a young actress, full of ambition and with stars in her eyes. She becomes Margo Channing's secretary-aide and slowly, but surely, starts to take over Margo's life. She worms her way into Margo's friend's lives and begins to sabotage her career as well. Margo begins to know something is awry when Eve sends Bill (the man Margo loves) Margo's birthday wishes and gives him a birthday party. At this point, Margo begins to distrust her and Eve becomes her understudy.

Margo is in a play and playing a role that is really too young for her. But her name is what is keeping the show afloat, although Addison De Witt can't resist writing barbs about her age. When Margo misses a show and Eve takes over, De Witt gives her rave reviews to Margo's great distress. When she wins the role, De Witt does tell her that he knows exactly what she did to get it and his opinion of her in the long run.

Lloyd Richards and his wife Karen (Hugh Marlowe and Celeste Holm) are playwrights and are Margo's dear friends, but Eve works her evil magic on them as well, convincing them to give her the lead role in their new play.

This part was a turning point in Bette Davis' career. She was going through, in real life, what Margo was going through in the movie. The aging process and the effects it can have on your career. Her previous movie had been a flop ("Beyond the Forest") and she was desperate for a part that would define her as still a great actress, but not yet over the hill. This movie was made for her and it gave her career a well-needed jump-start. One of the most quoted lines in movie trivia history was her line, "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night." This film has become a classic as a tale of driving ambition and blind betrayal. She was married to Gary Merrill in real life and I think they displayed great chemistry in this film, even if their lives were tumultuous in reality.

George Sanders and Thelma Ritter are not to be missed. Their clever dialog is a real treat and the scene where George Sanders comes to the party with Marilyn Monroe on his arm are the stuff film history is made of. Marilyn really sparkles in this movie. She has a few cute lines in the film and they are:
[A butler passes by]
Miss Claudia Caswell: Oh, waiter!
Addison DeWitt: That is not a waiter, my dear, that is a butler.
Miss Claudia Caswell: Well, I can't yell "Oh butler!" can I? Maybe somebody's name is Butler.
Addison DeWitt: You have a point. An idiotic one, but a point.

Some trivia: Claudette Colbert was to be the original Margo Channing, but she suffered a ruptured disc and the role went to Bette Davis. Eddie Fisher had a scene in the movie, but it was cut even though he still received a screen credit. Darryl F. Zanuck wanted Marlene Dietrich to be Margo Channing, Jean Crain as Eve Harrington, and José Ferrer as Addison De Witt.

In 1970 "All About Eve" was adapted into a Broadway play called "Applause" and Lauren Bacall played Margo Channing. No doubt the title came from this line: "Eve Harrington: If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

When Bacall left the show, Anne Baxter took over the role. Many years later Bette Davis was playing the owner of a hotel in a TV pilot called "Hotel", but by the time the show was picked up her health was too bad for her to take the part. The role was replaced by one written for Anne Baxter. A little taste of life reflecting art?

This movie won six oscars. They include one for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Supporting Actor, Best Sound Recording and Best Costume Design. Both Bette Davis and Anne Baxter were nominated for Best Actress. Anne Baxter refused to allow herself to be placed in the Best Supporting Actress category. Neither won. Although Bette won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, in Italy at the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists and with the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.





Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older