All About Eve (1950)

(some spoilers below)

I've been hearing about All About Eve for years, this old black&white film from the 1950's that's supposed to be quotable besides amazing, showcasing Bette Davis at her absolute best. The whole film starts off as someone by the name of Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) being awarded a great theatrical award. Everyone seated around claps enthusiastically except four people, but I will focus more on the two ladies who don't clap - Bette Davis' character Margo Channing and Karen Richards (Celeste Holm).

We're taken back, how long I'm not certain, perhaps a year or two where Karen Richards is heading to the theatre, but is a bit taken aback that a familiar face isn't residing on the outside of the theatre itself. She's been spotting this young woman who's been seeing the play with Margo Channing in the lead every night for the past weeks. Her name is Eve, and soon enough Karen brings her in to meet Margo, which Eve tries to dissuade her from, besides relenting the second Karen pushes. And so they do meet, besides Eve also meeting Margo's younger beau Bill Simpson (Gary Merrill) and Karen's husband the famous playwright Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe).

Eve regales a tale about her difficult time - her dead husband who got killed in the war, her otherwise bleak existence with the exception of the theatre and Margo's stellar performance brightening her dark days. The others instantly sympathize with her, and soon enough Margo brings Eve - where she becomes rather like a personal assistant, handling her phone calls, etc etc.

It's not before Margo receives a phone call from Bill that she supposedly put in herself in the middle of the night, unsure why Bill is pressing her to say something, luckily she realizes it's his birthday and she soon begins to wonder about Eve's dealings in her life. Bill even reveals that Eve has been sending him letters while he's been away in Hollywood, once or twice a week, and Margo's feelings of anxiety come to head at Bill's birthday party, which she didn't have any part of planning.

She's begun to see the true nature of Eve, while everyone else thinks she's being difficult and irrational. There's no real wonder why people praise this film, as the actresses in it are amazing. Of course one can easily see through the manipulations done by Eve, since this kind of plot is rather the norm these days. I've seen loads of films where female manipulators exist, though usually the one you're supporting in the lead is this absolutely innocent personality. I rather enjoy Margo's taciturn, acerbic ways, as she's certainly no angelic creature, but she's never tried to pretend she was. Bette Davis is marvelous and amusing, besides earnest. This film is really about the 'aging of actresses', of how any young face might come and snatch everything, and the fear that comes with it. We live in a time where in Hollywood actresses aren't allowed to age, and if they do, they're barely seen. It's not the younger actress themselves that are the problem, but society around them. Of course, Eve uses this to her advantage, besides pissing me off entirely. I've not had to pause a film due to anger so much in a long time.

In terms of it being a classic, it truly is; well-played, memorable lines and obviously worth the Oscar it was given back in the day. Go watch it - it's out on Netflix.