AFI Top 100: #28
Boy, I sure do wish someone would tell me what this movie is all about! All stupid jokes aside, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's All About Eve is a spectacularly classic film that contains some of the involved actors' best performances of their careers. This film is a brilliant, observational piece about the transition from the New York stage acting scene to the hustle and bustle of Hollywood and I loved how the writing and direction handled this unique, rise-to-stardom story. While definitely a unique take on the typical plot of a performer rising towards fame, this movie also beautifully touches on the idea of passing on the torch to a new generation while simultaneously feeling threatened by their ambition. Along with some fantastic, personable cinematography and writing that continued to draw me in, this movie falls into the category of 50s films about filmmaking but stands apart from the rest thanks to its wonderful idiosyncrasy.
Margo (Bette Davis) is one of the most refined actresses of her generation, drawing in crowds in New York like no other. Contrary to the wishes of her best friend Birdie (Thelma Ritter), Margo takes dedicated fan Eve (Anne Baxter) under her wing and begins to train her to become the next great actress, all the while not knowing that Eve has set out to capsize her idol's career. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's long career writing and directing for Hollywood is the perfect primer for the type of story that he is telling here. I, like practically every other cinephile I know, am a sucker for films about filmmaking and especially in this sense, the rise of stars and how new generations of talent eventually take over the spotlight. This story was just entrancing and I loved how it was akin to the original A Star is Born in the same way that it focuses on the rise of one star as the other steadily declines. While All About Eve is not at all a romantic film, its hyperfocus on the eventual downfall of Margo is fantastic and Mankiewicz really knows how to diverge his audience's minds on who they are supposed to be rooting for. There is never really an antagonist in this film, however, as the ebb and flow of generational stardom just happen to be a natural thing. What this movie does best, however, is portray this transition as almost a thing of spite in the characters of Margo and Eve and their close friendship turned competition towards the end of the film was fascinating. I was a bit worrisome about the corniness of Mankiewicz's direction right off the bat, however, because films that start with a character's narration can be very hit or miss. This framing narrative turned out to be worth it, though, and the main plot itself makes the conclusory sequence that much more powerful. One thing about Mankiewicz's writing that I found especially interesting was how this film is actually mostly about New York and the Broadway scene. Most films about moviemaking are set in Los Angeles but the shifted focus on New York and how many performers get their start in theatre was such a pleasantly fresh take for these characters.
The performances from Bette Davis and Anne Baxter absolutely rule this entire film. At the beginning of their relationship, we see Eve doing whatever it takes for Margo in order to become famous, almost to the point of awkward servitude. Mankiewicz's script does a great job of delineating the two with how they dress, talk, and interact with higher-ups and I loved the clear and changing distinction that they both went through. While Eve was much more dutiful towards Margo, I loved seeing how their attitudes towards each other eventually changed. Especially that of Margo, as we as the audience actually focus on her the majority of the time. Seeing her realize that she was slowly going out of style and that she could be an inspiration for aspiring actors was incredible to watch and this was embodied beautifully by the wonderful Davis. Her performance is exceptionally melancholy and like I have mentioned probably a hundred times by now, she pairs wonderfully with the performance from Baxter. Anne Baxter plays such a convincing and grounded character who is easy to see oneself in before she starts to take over the throne. Baxter's performance was just as strong and I adored her more relentless take on the character. The cinematography and editing throughout All About Eve were both fairly standard and while this movie never really stood out to me visually, they were creative enough to at least keep every shot and cut entertaining. Thankfully, this lack of exemplary technical pieces forces the audience to hone in on the writing, which is the best part of the film anyway. I also loved the suppressed use of sets and locations throughout the story. This kept the film very limited and just like the lack of impressive technicals, makes the audience really listen and consider the story that is playing out within the dialogue in front of their very eyes. Along with an unexpected, minor cameo from Marilyn Monroe, this film truly turned out to be a writer's delight and one that is boosted by its iconic cast.
All About Eve is one of the most extraordinary and honest films about the art of acting and storytelling that I have ever seen. While Mankiewicz is a perfectly fine director, the script of this movie is where his brilliance can really be found and I loved everything from the focus on rising stardom to the subtle microaggressions that developed between these leads. Davis and Baxter are just phenomenal together and I could watch them live out their daily lives for hours on end and never fail to stay entertained. This film might not be my favorite from the AFI's Top 100 list but it has more than proved its worth as a quotable, American classic.
My Rating: ★★★★
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