All About Eve (1950)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jameson W

  
  Brilliant! A classic film; absolutely fantastic. All About Eve is a film about a young woman named Eve (Baxter) who aligns herself into the life of aging actress Margo Channing (Davis) and ultimately schemes herself into the theatre spotlight. I really liked it! The screenplay is… More
  Brilliant! A classic film; absolutely fantastic. All About Eve is a film about a young woman named Eve (Baxter) who aligns herself into the life of aging actress Margo Channing (Davis) and ultimately schemes herself into the theatre spotlight. I really liked it! The screenplay is one of the best of all time, perfect in every way. It has sort of a unique and modern flair to it, making All About Eve memorable and timeless. The performances were wonderful, also, especially Betty Davis. All About Eve garnered a total of 5 Oscar nominations for the cast; after viewing the film it's clear why. Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, and Hugh Marlowe all give great performances. This was also my first Marilyn Monroe film; she has a minor role. Nominated for an astounding 14 Academy Awards and winner of 6 including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, All About Eve is a classic piece of cinema that is a must-see. I cannot recommend this film enough.

• Chris W

  
  Once again, someone decided to take a typical "backstage backstabbing drama" type story and turn it into a prestige picture. The film follows an aspiring actress named Eve Harrington who worships fading and aging stage goddess Margo Channing and finds herself going from… More
  Once again, someone decided to take a typical "backstage backstabbing drama" type story and turn it into a prestige picture. The film follows an aspiring actress named Eve Harrington who worships fading and aging stage goddess Margo Channing and finds herself going from rags to riches when Margo befriends her and helps her turn her life around. Thigns start going well enough until Eve begins to scheme about taking over the top spot, willing to do about anything to get there. This basic plot was nothing new, even by 1950. This retelling is doen pretty well though, with some excellent performances and decent writing. What boggles my mind about it though is that I just cannot comprehend why this is such a highly lauded film. It's good, but there's nothing about it overall that makes it truly great. I don't think the performances are enough, though they do account for a lot of it. There's perhaps some insights into show biz that this film introduced to the world, but, given its age, it's hard to really be surprised by much of it. Sure, there's some really good lines, but a lot of them have been used so much in reference to this film that seeing them in context kinda makes it all very underwhelming. I didn't hate this movie, and appreciated that it didn't go into over the top soap operaish melodrama territory, but at 138 minutes, it could have actually used something like that to liven up a production that is quite understated for the most part. All in all, this isn't a classic, but it is an enjoyable drama for what it is, and seeing Bette Davis deliver one of her best performances is a real treat.

• Letitia L

  
  The script is spectacular. And there's just so much acting to appreciate in this film, especially Bette Davis's snarky, proud, self-indulgent and insecure diva who gradually coaxes forth a full-on tempestuous storm, a "hysterical screaming harpy". This was my… More
  The script is spectacular. And there's just so much acting to appreciate in this film, especially Bette Davis's snarky, proud, self-indulgent and insecure diva who gradually coaxes forth a full-on tempestuous storm, a "hysterical screaming harpy". This was my first introduction to Ms Davis, and though I'd never want to cross swords with her, I want more. I loved her and Merrill, they were romantically adorable! Bonus: a resplendent, bright-eyed Marilyn Monroe with a naughty smile as she shimmies out of her white fur coat to go sweet-talk a producer.

• Carlos M

  
  A sophisticated tale of ambition, glamour and backstabbing in Hollywood and show business. Perfectly directed and with a delicious sense of humor, this superb classic by Mankievicz presents not only a terrific cast but also countless memorable dialogues from beginning to end.

• Sergio G

  
  Go for it in Wal-Mart for less than 50 pesos. What a bargain. What a great performances from Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. It's classic good noir Hollywood movies and this time you'll get a glimpse of the inside Hollywood greed, hipochresy and karma. Yes, karma is real. You… More
  Go for it in Wal-Mart for less than 50 pesos. What a bargain. What a great performances from Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. It's classic good noir Hollywood movies and this time you'll get a glimpse of the inside Hollywood greed, hipochresy and karma. Yes, karma is real. You bet on it.

• Jim H

  
  A diva actress takes in a war widow, who eventually plots and schemes to steal the spotlight. The highlights of this classic are Bette Davis's indomitable stage presence and the captivating voice of George Sanders. Davis captures the essence of this aging actress: the resistance… More
  A diva actress takes in a war widow, who eventually plots and schemes to steal the spotlight. The highlights of this classic are Bette Davis's indomitable stage presence and the captivating voice of George Sanders. Davis captures the essence of this aging actress: the resistance against age, the desire for attention, and the pride of woman who will not go out anywhere except on top. And I could listen to George Sanders read the phone book. I also liked the writing. It's often instructive and refreshing to revisit the days when characters spoke in grammatically correct and rich, poetic prose. Though I never find it realistic, it does provide some fantastic linguistic music. However, it seems like this film is saying something about the theater; after all, there are several lines elevating theater people above others, but this statement seems muddled. Are we simply to understand that theater people are more ambitious, more head-strong, more cut-throat than others. <i>Glengarry Glen Ross</i> says the same thing about salesmen, so I have trouble believing there's anything unique as <i>All About Eve</i> seems to claim. Additionally, though Davis is superb, there are moments when it become more about her schtick and less about telling the story. Anne Baxter is see-through from the first moments. And I think we need to know more about Margo and Bill's relationship. I was left wondering why he would stay with her. Overall, though I think it's a bit overrated, <i>All About Eve</i> is less about Eve and more about Margo Channing and the great Bette Davis, and this at least provides some compelling entertainment.

• Lewis C

  
  "A part in a play. You'd do all that just for a part in a play?" All About Eve is a sneaky tale about deceit and pure ambition, set within the world of the New York theater scene. Eve (Anne Baxter) seems to be a sympathetic, helpful young woman, who find herself… More
  "A part in a play. You'd do all that just for a part in a play?" All About Eve is a sneaky tale about deceit and pure ambition, set within the world of the New York theater scene. Eve (Anne Baxter) seems to be a sympathetic, helpful young woman, who find herself unexpectedly meeting her idol, the great stage actress Margo Chandler (Bette Midler). She begins to work for the star, seemingly completely content to help her in any way she can. But Eve is much more ambitious than her sweet, helpful demeanor suggests, and she brings all kinds of trouble to Margo and others in her bids for her own personal fame and stardom. I can't really find any flaws with the premise of All About Eve, or the acting. It's a well-made movie with a great cast. For some reason, though, my interest in it stayed fairly subdued. I did get more into the story during the second half, but I'm forced to concede that for some reason, I wasn't the primary audience for this one. I did love the ending, though. Solid movie, but I believe others will probably have a more enthusiastic reaction to All About Eve than I did.

• Reid V

  
  A surprise delight for me. I have never heard of Joseph Mankiewicz before and for that I am surprised. What makes this film soar is the script. The dialogue, which touches on themes of growing old in such a troublesome industry and the need to be desired by the public, was delicately… More
  A surprise delight for me. I have never heard of Joseph Mankiewicz before and for that I am surprised. What makes this film soar is the script. The dialogue, which touches on themes of growing old in such a troublesome industry and the need to be desired by the public, was delicately and expertly handled by all actors involved, especially Bette Davis who plays the aging star Margo Channing. While Mankiewicz doesn't really have a big presence behind the camera, it is in all the right places to capture what the film really offers. A very well structured and written script. It is one of those films that really does not feel as though it has aged at all. It touches on timeless themes, but still feels fresher than ever.

• Tim S

  
  One of the greatest films ever made. Incredibly well-written dialogue, amazing performances and incredible technical sound and video editing. I am in love with this film.

• AJ V

  
  A clever story presented in a well made movie with a good cast. It's a bit too long, but otherwise a great movie.

• Lady D

  
  The well known Classic, which I feel is only just a tad overrated, it was very entertaining and loved Bette Davis in this as the hard nosed diva Theatre Actress with the quick witted lines, but feel there are definitely more memorable films from the era to give it such a high opinion.

• Spencer S

  
  Bette Davis plays her part as imagined, completely winning us over that pathetic Eve.

• Jeremy S

  
  The real world of theater. I have never seen a film with such brilliant dialogue as All About Eve. A classic story with unbelieveable revelations of backstage betrayal. "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." The ultimate in Sophisticated performances,… More
  The real world of theater. I have never seen a film with such brilliant dialogue as All About Eve. A classic story with unbelieveable revelations of backstage betrayal. "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." The ultimate in Sophisticated performances, especially by Davis and the great critic Sanders. Forget all the snappy dialogue in other films, this film has the monopoly.

• Jennifer D

  
  Sit back, men. The women are bringing out their claws. From the first 30 minutes I thought this was going to be another long, trudging "good for you" film, but I was surprised by the end. It was a great, powerfully acted film about ambition, usurping and greed. I did enjoy… More
  Sit back, men. The women are bringing out their claws. From the first 30 minutes I thought this was going to be another long, trudging "good for you" film, but I was surprised by the end. It was a great, powerfully acted film about ambition, usurping and greed. I did enjoy the feminist aspect taken with it, especially for the 50s. I totally enjoyed my first Bette Davis film and she was wild and crazy and perfect for the part.

• Thomas B

  
  Brilliant. Full review later.

• danny d

  
  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 minutes of… More
  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 minutes 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.

• Michael G

  
  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, Anne… More
  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, Anne 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...

• Shauna R

  
  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… More
  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 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.

• Kylie B

  
  While I found it an interesting watch I don't see in it everything that others apparently do - sure it was good, but is it really worth raving about? When it came out maybe, but now? I did like Marilyn Monroe's small role though, and personally found no fault with any of… More
  While I found it an interesting watch I don't see in it everything that others apparently do - sure it was good, but is it really worth raving about? When it came out maybe, but now? I did like Marilyn Monroe's small role though, and personally found no fault with any of the technical elements. I possibly would watch it again if it was on at a reasonable time, but wouldn't necessarily make an effort to re-watch it.

• Luke B

  
  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 laugh… More
  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 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.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings