Monday 11 February 2013

All About Eve


ALL ABOUT EVE (BLACK AND WHITE, 1950)

Director:
Joseph L. Mackenwicz
Cast:
Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merril, Marilyn Monroe, George Ratoff and Thelma Ritter
Ages:  
10 and up
Plot:
Broadway star Margo Channing (Davis) has been a star since her debut when she was four. One day, Karen (Holm) and her husband (Marlowe) introduce sweet and helpful Eve Harrington (Baxter) to Margo. Addison DeWitt (Sanders) and his blonde companion Claudia (Monroe) meet Eve at a party and trust her, but Birdie (Ritter), Margo's dresser, does not. Margo herself thinks the way Birdie does, but your paranoia does not mean you can predict the truth. 

From left: Ann Baxter as Eve Harrington, Bette Davis as Margo Channing, Marilyn Monroe as Claudia Caswell and George Sanders as Addison DeWitt.
Why it’s good:
Because it explores the intrigue of backstage Broadway while the cast talks the way we talk about lying.  The cast is superb with Bette Davis her best role as Margo Channing.
Bette Davis delivers it in a way which speaks behind other’s backs, particularly behind the one of Eve Harrington. The ground-breaking intrigue of backstage life has the dreams you want for a good characterisation. Gary Merril is the director, Birdie is the dresser, Addison DeWitt is a critic and Karen is simply made for the role so she can betray Margo, for Eve is a much younger and better actress.
What kind of a friend is that? This movies does not answer this question, and to be honest, Eve is such a good actress that she doesn't seem to be acting even when she is supposed to.

Monroe is not really important for  most viewers unless you are her fan. She is the companion at the party and George Ratoff's new actress. The main attraction is Eve and Margo, suffering over a great new award
Parent’s guide:
Margo, Karen and their husbands share a drink of champagne in a restaurant. The drinking also happened in the first scenes and the last scenes.
Trivia:
It is the film which got nominated for the most number of Oscars, sharing the achievement with 1997’s Titanic.
If you like this…:
Take on Davis’ other films. "Jezebel" (1938) has her trying to win Henry Fonda; "The Letter" (1940) has her as a wife who shoots a lover; "Dark Victory" (1939) has her living her last days with dignity and "Now, Voyager" (1942) has her as a low self-esteemed woman helped by a doctor and a married man.

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