One of my all time favorites and, in my opinion, among the cleverest
screenplays ever written. When I think of the word witty I think of
this screenplay - would that we could all communicate this well in real
life.
Spoiler free synopsis:
Bette
Davis stars as Margo Channing, a Broadway star, when being one really
meant something. She's at the top of her career and is madly, mutually
in love with her regular director who happens to be 8 years younger than
her. The director is played by Bette's soon to be real life husband
Gary Merrill. Anne Baxter plays Eve, the young girl who's fascinated
(perhaps too much so) with Margo and manages to insinuate herself into
her life as well as those of her friends. Only Thelma Ritter, playing
Birdie, former Vaudeville performer turned personal assistant to Margo,
sees through her at least at first.
Other characters include the author of most of Margo's hit plays, Hugh
Marlowe, his wife, Celeste Holm, and a delightfully evil theater critic,
George Sanders.
Although the setting here is the theater with all the drama that implies I would guess that most people
have worked with an Eve-esque brown-noser at some point. That's what
gives this movie a universal appeal, so don't worry if you aren't that
into show business stories - this could happen anywhere. As noted above,
the screenplay is a gem. No doubt you have seen, in some Oscar montage
at least, Bette speaking its most famous line which is only the
beginning of the bon mots in
this screenplay by Joseph Mankiewicz, who also directed. Mankiewicz was
one of the truly great Hollywood auteurs of all time. (his great nephew
is now a host of Turner Classic Movies so the hollywood gene continues.)
For extra laughs there is Marilyn Monroe's first notable performance.
She plays and actress friend of George Sanders.
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