All About Eve

Movie: All About Eve, 1950; 138 min

Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Actors: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter

Summary: Eve, an aspiring young actress, insinuates herself into the company of Margo, a famous but older stage actress. Through Margo, Eve gains connections with other directors, writers, and actress in the theater, bringing herself closer to her dream of becoming a famous stage actress.

Question 1:  How does the opening of the film begin the story and foreshadow what will happen in the story?

The film opens with Eve receiving an award for her acting in the theater. When she receives the reward, the film stops in a picture and a narrator begins to talk. He gives a background on Eve; he tells how everyone knows “everything” about Eve, and also introduces the question of what people do not know about Eve. This introduces the story and the plot of the film. The camera then cuts to Karen who begins her narration back into the past evening when she met Eve and everything began. The opening also foreshadows what will happen in the film because it shows Karen and Margo’s reactions when Eve receives her acting award. All the guests at the awards gala are clapping in appraisal and respect towards Eve, yet Margo and Karen abstain from clapping. Their actions suggest a sort of hostility and contempt towards Eve. The reasons for these feelings are revealed later in the film but are suggested at the beginning.

Question 2: What similarity does Phoebe have with Eve? How is this portrayed at the end of the film?

At the end of the film, Eve encounters Phoebe, a teenage girl who says that she is writing a journalism piece on Eve for her school newspaper. Little does Eve know that Phoebe has hidden desires of becoming a stage actress and that Phoebe will do anything to reach her goal. Phoebe’s desires are portrayed when she holds Eve’s award and pretends that it is hers. Phoebe looks at herself in the mirror as she wears Eve’s beautiful, expensive overcoat, just as Eve did with Margo’s dress. This camera shot is interesting because from the angle it is shot through the mirror, it looks as though there are hundreds of Phoebes instead of one. This shot portrays Phoebe’s desire to be famous and for everyone to know her name. Eve, however, does not seem to notice the great similarity that Phoebe has with herself. This similarity is that they both will do absolutely anything to achieve their dreams of becoming successful actresses. Just as Eve gained her success through her connection with Margo, Phoebe intends to do the same with Eve.