Bette Davis was on a streak of flops and just lost her contract with Warner Bros. when Joseph L. Mankiewicz offered her the role of Margo Channing in his new film All About Eve. She immediately saw it for what it was: an incredible role for a woman of her age in an incredible script. She leapt at the chance. It’s safe to say that by doing so, she created one of her most iconic performances in a film that’s gone on to be praised as one of the greatest of all time. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our Bette Davis series with Mankiewicz’s 1950 film All About Eve.
We talk about why this film works so well for us and how it still feels so relevant today. We discuss Mankiewicz and his direction, as well as his adaptation of Mary Orr’s short story and touch on how she came to the idea. We chat about Davis and how great of a performance she gives, but pair that next to Ann Baxter who just might outdo Davis. We also talk about the brilliant George Sanders, the lovely Celeste Holm, the sarcastic Thelma Ritter and the always beautiful Marilyn Monroe, among others. We chat about how this film’s fictional Sarah Siddons Award ended up becoming a real thing. And we look at what happens when two actresses want to be nominated for Best Actress (hint: it doesn’t work out).
It’s an amazing film that hardly feels dated at all and is well worth not only discussing but also in giving a glimpse in what Bette Davis can do. We have a great time talking about it so tune in!
Film Sundries
- Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon
- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- The Wisdom of Eve by Mary Orr
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
