‘Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night...’
Just like Ryan Jarman, I’m an indecisive piece of shit. This has necessitated the watchlist wheel. Using the Tiny Decisions app, I have uploaded my entire watchlist, and when the moment comes, I position my phone just so, don my ceremonial robe and press the sacred button. The cat watches on in a moment of exhilaration so pure that it’s difficult to even conceive of. And yet, despite the list being packed full of classics, it’s been a while since it has brought up something truly vintage. A film for the ages. Until now that is…
Margo (Bette Davis) is a seasoned theatre actress frustrated at always playing characters younger than her age and insecure about her waning star. Eve (Anne Baxter) appears in Margot’s life unannounced and charms everyone in sight. But is she all that she seems?
What is essentially a simple premise (death comes for all of us) is fleshed out and made real by an astonishing cast (both Davis and Baxter are incredible) and a dazzling script from writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (recently immortalised in David Fincher’s Oscar nominated biopic Mank). The two female leads fully sell the shifting power dynamic between them and Marilyn Monroe even pops up in a role that is credited with being the moment that she created her doe eyed, breathy persona.
With a whopping 12 Oscar nominations and six wins, All About Eve deserves to be nestled snugly in the IMDB top 250 (#136 at the time of writing) and it is also the film that saved Bette Davis’ career whilst cementing the legend of Joe Mankiewicz. In short, it’s a genuine bona fide classic. This one should be on everyone’s watchlist.