All About Eve

All About Eve
January 15, 1951
Fox
Drama, Comedy
DVD
B+

This is a very grown-up movie, and not just because of the smoking and drinking.  The dialogue, especially that of Addison DeWitt (Oscar-winning George Sanders), is sharp and witty, sometimes very literary, or at least theatrical.  Although there's no overt sex, it's clear that these are sexual people.  (Bette Davis and Gary Merrill, as Margo and Bill, fell in love during filming, and that new-relationship energy really comes through in their onscreen performances.)  And there's just an overall sophistication that most movies lack.  The tagline was "It's all about women-- and their men!", probably a spin on The Women's "It's all about men."  However, Addison aside, it's the women you'll remember most from this movie-- Margo, Eve (Anne Baxter), Karen (Celeste Holm), Miss Casswell (comparative newcomer Marilyn Monroe), and of course Birdie (the fabulously down-to-earth Thelma Ritter).

If I can't rate the movie higher, I think it's that it's a bit too long (about two hours and 15 minutes) to spend with such talky and self-absorbed yet gossipy people.  I'll note that this viewing, I found the New York vs. LA aspect to be the least dated, and the amazingly casual plane-boarding the most.  (I've gone through more to take a cross-town bus, and no one could've paid my fare for me the way Eve gets Bill's tickets.)

Franklyn Farnum was in Sunset Blvd.  Snub Pollard would be in Singin' in the Rain, Steven Geray in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.