Anne Baxter, Barbara Bates, Bette Davis

Jealousy, manipulation, and betrayal unfold in this tour de force drama of an ambitious wannabe who sets her sights on stealing the spotlight from legendary stage actress Margo Channing. Insecurities ...( read more  read more... )and designer gowns abound as Margo desperately tries to hold onto her friends and career.

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94% liked it

10,793 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

51 critics

Unrated, 2 hrs. 18 min.

Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Release Date: January 1, 1950

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DVD Release Date: October 5, 1999

Stats: 2,320 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,320)


  • August 17, 2008
    nominated for a record 14 oscars, this is truly one of the most important films in history. the first hour actually bored me incredibly and anne baxters performance was a little over the top, but bette davis and george sanders put in powerful performances and the final 80 minute...( read more)s of the movie were wonderful. the diologue was clever and meaningful and the characters were developed incredibly well, making this a fine film with an ending worth every minute of the tedious start to the film. a must see for big time movie fans.
  • July 19, 2008
    All About Eve is full of great dialogue and incredible, incredible acting. However there were points that dragged and I found myself getting a bit bored. But it was that last 20 minutes that knocked me on my ass. Bette Davis was brilliant and as much as I hated her character, Ann...( read more)e Baxter was the ultimate rotten opportunistic bitch. And for as brief a role as Marilyn Monroe had she was great. The only downside was that it took a while to get going, but once it did it was indeed a bumpy night...
  • July 2, 2008
    Tremendous film-making. All about Eve is an all-round perfect film, terrific performances, magnificent script, brilliant direction and an air of timelessness about it.
    This is the first time I have experienced a Bette Davis film and what a phenomenal actress, I couldn't imagine ...( read more)anyone else in the role of Margo Channing. Anne Baxter was also brilliant as the ambitious and scheming Eve, she really played her part well, making her character very detestable. Other supporting roles from George Sanders and Celeste Holm were also spectacular.
    The script is very well written and the performances add to it's brilliance. The narration throughout added an engaging and intriguing element to it, it was much needed.
    All About Eve is rich in all the elements needed to make a masterpiece. This is a classic not to be missed.
  • June 18, 2008
    Probably the greatest script ever written. Wonderful characters clearly detailed, and literary dialogue chewed on and spat out perfectly by each and every cast member. Literally everyone is perfect in their roles, even an early small role by Marilyn Monroe has her delivering two ...( read more)laugh out loud one liners with comic perfection. The film is wonderfully paced as well, each character is utilised and taken on a believable journey, no sudden changes or last minute revelations. Deception, trust, friendship, jealousy, loyalty this film honestly has it all from the opening narration to the final scene.
  • April 20, 2008
    "If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

    The quality of All About Eve has been much discussed and widely acclaimed in the decades following its release. All About Eve is a truly incredible movie that is hard to...( read more) describe accurately in words. The film still holds the record for the most amount of Academy Award nominations - as this screen gem received an unfathomable amount of 14. Just this merit in mind should be enough to warrant a screening. The themes of jealousy, manipulation, and betrayal richly unfold on screen with this exceptional film noir loosely adapted from a story by Mary Orr. The story of this film is really quite simple; Margo Channing (Davis) is a star of the theatre who features in plays written by Lloyd Richards (Marlowe), and under the direction of her boyfriend and director Bill Sampson (Merrill). Margo has everything; fame, fortune and adoring fans. But one evening after Margo completes another performance her career is altered when one of her friends brings Eve Harrington (Baxter) into her life. Eve is one of Margo's fans who is obsessed; she watches every play that Margo features in and on every night it is being performed. Eve quickly wins the heart of Margo and her friends when she tells them the story of how she became a dedicated fan. Soon Margo incorporates Eve into her daily life. Eve loyally assists in any way she can. But a theatre critic (Sanders) begins seeing through Eve's elaborate performance and scheme. It would be unthinkable to reveal more about the film's plot. As the film opens we are introduced to all the characters via fascinating narration as an award ceremony unfolds. Then the film uses heavy flashbacks as we look at the aforementioned plot. Needless to say, the film is all about Eve. One of the first things that struck me was the very intricately written screenplay by director Mankiewicz. The lines of dialogue are highly intriguing and are transformed to the screen skilfully using a fantastic cast. Bette Davis has never been better. She feels plausible and real as a famous star who is now struggling to hold onto her career. She was nominated for an Oscar with good reasoning. Anne Baxter was also nominated for an Oscar. Her portrayal is simply stunning to watch. The script was already good enough, but these two title actresses do wonders to that screenplay and nail their characters. The supporting cast is full of big names. George Sanders was very articulate and skilled in bringing his character to life. Also as the narrator he needed a voice that was easy to listen to. The opening few moments of narration already had me engaged. All About Eve is a true classic that suffers from few flaws. The film has always been widely acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. I can't blame them. You can only see it to believe how incredible the film really is.
  • October 21, 2009
    I liked the movie and the little cameo of Marilyn she was so young :)
  • October 5, 2009
    Everything it's cracked up to be.
  • September 19, 2009
    ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS MOVIE....I have hundreds of DVD's and i am desperately wanting a copy of this. I would be willing to swap or burn a few movies for even a burnt copy of this one. Please message me xoxox
  • September 7, 2009
    tops of my favorite movie of all time. well, what can i say?!
  • September 2, 2009
    In the top 5 of all-time greatest movies. What can you say about a classic that is perfectly acted? Bette Davis' Margo Channing will go down in cinema history along with Greg Peck's Atticus Finch. Scathing dialogue propels this close look at backstage theater life. The whole c...( read more)ast is excellent. Kudos to Celeste Holm for her performance. And look for first-timer Marilyn Monroe.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

[Bette Davis'] veteran actress Margo Channing in "All About Eve" (1950) was her greatest role. full review

View more All About Eve reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • xxblackeyelinerxx
    September 17, 2006
    well I've seen Breakfast at Tiffany's eighteen times so far and I plan on watxching it a lot more, BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING
    ps Finding Nemo is amazing too if it means anythign to you
    hahahahahaa
    I AM SO LAME I bet you're jealous
  • rororo06
    September 1, 2006
    i am probly this movies biggest fan! ive watched it 4 times and im still not bored of it!

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All About Eve Trivia


  • Oscar winner for Best Picture of 1950 (all nominated):  Answer »
  • In the 1950's classic "All about Eve" who played the conniving ladder-climbing female character?  Answer »
  • Which film broke GONE WITH THE WIND's record for most Academy Award nominations?  Answer »
  • All About Eve won Oscars for Picture, Director et al. but failed to win for Best Actress, despite having multiple nominees. Those ladies were:  Answer »

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