Right off of the start one thing becomes apparent: my opinion of Sunset Blvd. is critical to how much I'd like this film. Fortunately, I love Sunset Blvd, so much in fact that I gave it one out of eleven "ten's". However, the similar topics forces a comparison, and seeing Sunset Blvd first leads to a natural bias, leaning towards that film. I truly enjoyed All About Eve, and if you see it first, you may think different than me, numerically.
Like Mad Men, which gets an apparent creative boost from being about creative folk, All About Eve is a film about entertainment by entertainers. Which, as the trend goes for such occasions, makes it incredible. The story is rich, with many little things that can't be pinpointed. But on a larger scale, everything is enjoyable. The actor's performances are mesmerizing; Davis' aging, displaced star is wonderfully upsetting and relateable. Sanders' deWitt is slimy but charming, with such a confident voice. But it's all about Eve. As Chris Rock would say, "you're goddamned disgusting!" And she is, oh, so wretched. Even in her first scene, the false humility and gratefulness leaks through her facade, and the cracks grow from there. By the end though it comes full circle, with a bitterly poetic conclusion. Eve's speech, and the glances the camera takes at the crowd, speak volumes about her character and the film's themes.
Another point of note is how sharp the dialogue is. Being about theatre, many references get tossed around, of which I caught about 2: Macbeth and Hamlet. But all of the conversations have weight and wordplay that would make Shakespeare himself smile.
All About Eve, despite being over 60 years old, is remarkably fresh. To start, this is probably the only film I've seen all year in which death is not a plot point. Also, in a medium which can be seen as male- dominated (there are 6 films higher than this on the Top 250 principally starring women), seeing female drama is unique. This story of deceit, undermining, fame and fakes is well- directed, well- acted, and enjoyable. Love the film, hate Eve. 9.0/10
Like Mad Men, which gets an apparent creative boost from being about creative folk, All About Eve is a film about entertainment by entertainers. Which, as the trend goes for such occasions, makes it incredible. The story is rich, with many little things that can't be pinpointed. But on a larger scale, everything is enjoyable. The actor's performances are mesmerizing; Davis' aging, displaced star is wonderfully upsetting and relateable. Sanders' deWitt is slimy but charming, with such a confident voice. But it's all about Eve. As Chris Rock would say, "you're goddamned disgusting!" And she is, oh, so wretched. Even in her first scene, the false humility and gratefulness leaks through her facade, and the cracks grow from there. By the end though it comes full circle, with a bitterly poetic conclusion. Eve's speech, and the glances the camera takes at the crowd, speak volumes about her character and the film's themes.
Another point of note is how sharp the dialogue is. Being about theatre, many references get tossed around, of which I caught about 2: Macbeth and Hamlet. But all of the conversations have weight and wordplay that would make Shakespeare himself smile.
All About Eve, despite being over 60 years old, is remarkably fresh. To start, this is probably the only film I've seen all year in which death is not a plot point. Also, in a medium which can be seen as male- dominated (there are 6 films higher than this on the Top 250 principally starring women), seeing female drama is unique. This story of deceit, undermining, fame and fakes is well- directed, well- acted, and enjoyable. Love the film, hate Eve. 9.0/10