Review of All About Eve (1950) by G. Brandon H — 10 Dec 2011

Set in the make believe land of Everything Everyone Says is Considered and Witty, this is an unapologetically scripted film. The premise is a war on a manipulative women. Seemingly innocent Eve appears in the life of theatre star Margo Channing, but quickly establishes herself as a professional and social threat.

As a result, the spectacular Bette Davies has to deal with her insecurities, increasingly apparent redundancy (and, by connection, mortality) as well as her complacence. She, of course, explorers all these things deftly.

Margo is the only one who understands the gravity of the situation. Everyone else, audience included, holds on desperately to the status quo. Margo wouldn't have gotten where she was, however, if she couldn't see threats like Eve and ultimately, you come to the understanding that they are the same character at different nodes of the same chronology.