Review of All About Eve (1950) by William M — 21 Nov 2016

All About Eve is certainly not the first time I've seen that classic tale of an aging actress who is jealous of an ingenue who she is worried might take her place. However, it might be one of the best implementations of that plot-line.

Huge credit has to go to Anne Baxter because she plays the part of Eve so brilliantly that I was genuinely surprised at her turn in the third act, despite the familiarity of these tropes. The rest of the cast is spectacular as well, but I think the effectiveness of the film hinges on Baxter's performance.

The way the climax of this film plays out is positively brilliant and it resolves each character's story in a way that I didn't anticipate. The final scene might be one of the most fitting I've ever seen.

I did find there were moments that the film dragged a little, particularly when they continued to drive home a point that they had already established. I'm not sure I was entirely sold on the flashback storytelling, either.

It was particularly odd because they kept changing narrators for the flashbacks, which seemed pointless. Most of my trouble with All About Eve was relatively minor, though. This is a sensational film that has aged well, because it explores timeless themes that still apply today.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone.