"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"
Cast:
Bette Davis: Margo Channing Hugh Marlowe: Lloyd Richards
Anne Baxter: Eve Harrington Gregory Ratoff: Max Fabian
George Sanders: Addison DeWitt Thelma Ritter: Birdie
Celeste Holm: Karen Richards Gary Merrill: Bill Sampson
Marilyn Monroe: Miss Caswell Barbara Bates: Phoebe
This story opens on an award ceremony in which Eve Harrington is receiving honors, and is narrated by who will be known later as Addison DeWitt (George Sanders). His opening sets the tone for the audience’s view of each of the individual characters; he describes who they are and their connection to the theater. The camera pans to the audience members of the ceremony and we are privy to the thoughts of the main characters. The first is Karen Richards (Celeste Holm), and her musings lead the audience into a flashback of the first time Eve was introduced into the lives of these characters. Eve seems innocent enough when Karen notices her standing outside the theater in which Margo Channing (Bette Davis) is starring in a play written by Karen’s husband, Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe). Karen takes pity on this supposed adoring fan and offers to introduce her to Margo. The flashback also provides some foreshadowing as to what is to come as Karen narrates the intro to the scene with a bitter tone. Once Eve is brought into the theater she is asked to wait while Karen goes to speak with Margo, and the audience gets its first look at the famous actress. Margo is everything you would expect her to be; confident, sarcastic, and full of attitude but in the most endearing way. She gives the impression that she is used to getting her way and is not at all interested in meeting Eve but Karen insists. When Eve enters she is introduced to Margo, whom she fawns over ad. nausea, and Margo’s group, including: Birdie (Thelma Ritter), Lloyd, and Bill Sampson (Gary Merrill). Birdie, Margo’s assistant, seems wary of Eve from the beginning and is not all together warm towards her, but after Eve gives her backstory everyone is won over. Her story goes as follows: She has seen every one of Margo’s performances of her current play after having followed her from her play in San Francisco. Eve delivers a sob story of growing up in Wisconsin, an only child, forced to become a secretary in a brewery where she used to let her mind wander into the “world of make-believe” to deal with this grey existence. She then marries a man named Eddie, who is sent off to war; she flies to San Francisco to meet with him after a long separation only to find upon her arrival that he has died. Without the heart to return home she stays in San Francisco, where she sees Margo’s play for the first time. This story effectively gains the sympathy of all present and inserts her into their group. Shortly after Margo invites Eve to stay with her, and the honeymoon phase of their relationship in which Margo is the princess constantly waited on and complimented by the doting and ever-humble Eve.
The first sign of trouble comes some time later when, after a performance, Eve is caught holding up Margo’s costume while play acting in front of a mirror. This gives a hint that although Eve seems to be so humble, modest, and shy she actually has plans to be in the spotlight. The next incident that throws further suspicion into Eve’s true character, is on the arrival of Bill, Margo’s boyfriend who is 8 years younger, when she is caught flirting with him which creates jealousy in Margo. This is also the first time the audience sees the vulnerability in Margo and her insecurity about the age difference between her and Bill and her age in general. The situation begins to get even more heated as Bill’s party begins, where Margo gets drunk and belligerent. We are also introduced to Miss Caswell (Marilyn Monroe) and Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff) at this birthday party. Everyone blames Margo for her bad behavior at the party and sympathizes with Eve and using this to her advantage Eve convinces Karen to let her be Margo’s understudy in her play. The following day Margo is meant to read with Miss Caswell as a favor to Max Fabian but upon arriving late she hears from Addison that Eve has already read and was amazing. Another argument ensues with Margo and Bill and Lloyd and again Margo is left looking like the villain. Here Karen makes the fatal mistake of deciding to teach Margo a lesson and causes her to miss her play allowing Eve to go on in her stead. This was Eve’s plan all along as well, and she revels in her success. She also attempts to seduce Bill while in costume backstage, for which she is rejected. This rejection displays yet another side to her character; she is almost insane with anger at not getting what she wanted. Still attempting to further herself at all costs she takes up with Addison, who writes some nasty things about Margo while flattering Eve. In attempt to supposedly apologize Eve contacts Karen and tries to convince her that it was all Addison and not herself at all, but after she has gained Karen’s sympathy proceeds to ask for a part written by Lloyd for Margo. When Karen refuses the true nature of Eve comes out, one of single minded determination and selfishness, she blackmails Karen with the story of her involvement in Margo missing the play which brought Eve her fame. Karen must give in to Eve’s demands or risk her friendship with Margo, so Eve is given the part, which later she receives the award for. Still manipulating to further herself, Eve decides she would like to take up with Lloyd so that he may continue to write parts for her but when Addison hears this he uses all the information he has obtained about Eve’s true upbringing and identity to blackmail her into “belonging” to him. The story ends where it began at the award ceremony with all the people Eve has used to get to the top watching as she gets what she always wanted. After the ceremony ends Eve decides to go back up to her hotel where Phoebe (Barbara Bates), her biggest fan, is waiting. The sense of de ja vu dawns on the audience that maybe this girl is another Eve, ready to claw her way to the top at any cost.
This movie was very entertaining, full of fast talking dramatics so common of the era. The performances were theatrical by all, especially Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. I have to say though that my favorite character was Eve, she had so many alternating moods and personas that it was a testament to Anne Baxter’s range that she could display them all so well. The film was quite scandalous and I found myself with a dropped draw a few times throughout. Definitely worth watching!
