“All About Eve” won the Best Picture Oscar, five additional Academy Awards, and its two stars - Bette Davis and Anne Baxter - were nominated for Best Actress, but this fascinating drama also featured another star: Marilyn Monroe.
Monroe - 24 years old at the time - played a small, but memorable, supporting role as a young actress, Miss Casswell, looking for her big break in the theatre.
It turns out Monroe's work in “All About Eve” was one of her big breaks.
(Note: A week with Marilyn kicked off on Nov. 28th with "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953))
“All About Eve” (1950) 5 / 5 stars - Politics. Not the legislative kind, but everyday politics one might find in school, work, sports teams, and - in the case of this 1950 classic - the theatre.
In “All About Eve”, talented and seasoned actress Margo Channing (Bette Davis) stars in the successful Broadway play, “Aged in Wood.”
Margo delivered so many performances in this particular play, she could act the part in her sleep.
She loves her craft but, at 40 years old, worries about her age with audiences, critics and her boyfriend - eight years her junior - Bill (Gary Merrill).
Luckily for Margo, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) enters her life to help soothe her insecurities.
Eve - a devoted fan of Broadway and Ms. Channing - meets her on a “chance” encounter backstage, and, soon after, becomes Margo’s personal assistant.
Taking care of Margo needs, Eve works extremely hard to keep her happy.
As Margo’s maid, Birdie (Thelma Ritter), puts it, “(Eve’s) like an agent with only one client.”
She seems too good to be true, but Margo begins to suspect Eve possesses ulterior motives.
Director Joseph Mankiewicz’s film is a delicious concoction of misdirection, angst, jealousy, and the aforementioned politics.
Wearing a frumpy hat and trench coat, Baxter masterfully plays Eve's innocence and wide-eyed outlook, but can change her persona drastically or subtly when needed and when it suits her.
Davis is at the top of her game too, as Margo’s jealousy fuels her temper, but is - without question - a sympathetic character.
Although Margo is an accomplished actress, her self-doubt hits home to anyone - rightly or wrongly - feeling old before their time.
Both Baxter and Davis rightly earned Oscar nominations, but let’s not forget Marilyn Monroe.
As Miss Casswell (Monroe) arrives at a posh dinner party, she hopes to make contacts with theatre or Hollywood bigwigs.
Miss Casswell’s gorgeous looks attract every man in sight, but her charm wins them over.
Theatre critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders) corrects her when she mistakenly calls the butler, 'a waiter', but Miss Casswell has her reasons.
She explains, “Well, I can’t yell, ‘Oh Butler’ can I? Maybe somebody’s name is Butler.”
Miss Casswell’s playful innocence leads director Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff) to jump up and get her a drink.
Yes, perhaps Miss Casswell knows exactly what she’s doing.
We, the audience, also discover Eve knows exactly what she’s doing.
As Margo so perfectly states, “Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.”
“All About Eve” is not rated and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.
