All About Eve parents guide

All About Eve Parent Guide

Received with critical acclaim at the time of its release, "All About Eve" offers audiences an insightful look into the drama that happens off-stage, away from the lights and audiences.

Overall A-

In the classic 1950s film All About Eve, Bette Davis plays Margo Channing, an aging actress who often manipulates her friends. But the theatrical star is about to be upstaged by Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), an adoring fan with a convincing "song and dance" routine of her own.

Release date November 9, 1950

Violence B+
Sexual Content A-
Profanity A-
Substance Use C-

Why is All About Eve rated Not Rated? The MPAA rated All About Eve Not Rated

Run Time: 138 minutes

Parent Movie Review

Acting is an art. But what happens when an actor forgets to leave his or her work on the stage and continues playing a part in the off hours.

In the classic 1950s film All About Eve, Bette Davis plays Margo Channing, an aging actress who often manipulates her friends, especially her younger boyfriend, director Bill Simpson (Gary Merrill). Despite her success in the theater, she still faces insecurities, particularly about her age.

Then after another sold-out performance, Margo meets a fan who is down on her luck. Told a sad story about a lost husband and financial setbacks, Margo invites Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) into her home to work as her personal secretary. The ambitious and attentive girl excels at her job, anticipating Margo’s every need.

However, it soon becomes evident that Margo isn’t the only consummate actress in this story. Margo’s assistant, Birdie (Thelma Ritter) is the first to question Eve’s motives as the young woman worms her way into the affections of playwright Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe) and his wife Karen (Celeste Holm).

Eve also plays to producer Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff) with a feigned humility that has the old man stumbling over himself. But she achieves her biggest coup when she scores a dazzling review of her debut performance from theatrical critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders), a cynical aficionado who wears a beautiful debutante (Marilyn Monroe) draped on his arm like a woman wears furs. Just as the movie The Black Swan divulges the backstage backstabbing of the ballet world, All About Eve discloses the scheming antics of aspiring actresses.

Known for the famous line, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride,” the film was nominated for 14 Academy Awards—a record that was finally tied by the Titanic in 1997. As well, the movie garnered four female nominations including Best Actress for Davis and Baxter and Best Supporting Actress for Holm and Ritter. In the end, the production received six Oscars including one for Best Picture in 1951.

Received with critical acclaim at the time of its release, All About Eve has continued to offer audiences an insightful look into the drama that happens off-stage, away from the bright lights and applauding audiences.

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders. Running time: 138 minutes. Theatrical release November 9, 1950. Updated

All About Eve
Rating & Content Info

Why is All About Eve rated Not Rated? All About Eve is rated Not Rated by the MPAA

Violence: Adults argue in several scenes.

Sexual Content: A woman implies a man is involved in adulterous relationships.

Language: Brief name-calling is included.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters smoke and drink on numerous occasions. A main character smokes frequently and is drunk at a party

Other: Characters manipulate one another.A woman lies about her past.

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All About Eve Parents' Guide

What is the difference between admiration and obsession? How does Eve use her position to help advance her own ambitions?

How important is “who you know” versus “what you know” in the theatrical world? What influence, if any, does a critic have to make or break an actor’s career? With the rise of the Internet, do you think a critic’s impact is lessened?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of All About Eve movie is February 1, 2011. Here are some details…

All About Eve releases to Blu-ray on February 1, 2011 with the following bonus extras:

- Commentary by Actor Celeste Holm, Mankiewicz Biographer Ken Geist and Christopher Mankiewicz

- Commentary by Author Sam Staggs

- Joseph L. Mankiewicz: A Personal Journey

- The Real Eve

- The Secret of Sarah Siddons

- AMC Backstory®: All About Eve

- Vintage Bette Davis Promotion

- Vintage Anne Baxter Promotion

- Fox Movietone News

- Restoration Comparison

- Theatrical Trailer

Related home video titles:

It is rumored that Bette Davis based her portrayal of Margo on actress Talullah Bankhead. Davis later denied it. Bankhead can be seen in Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat where she stars as a survivor of a German submarine attack. Actress Anne Baxter also plays the role of Nefretiri in The Ten Commandments. Backstage manipulations and maneuverings are the focus of the plot in the movie Me and Orson Welles.