Episode 284

full
Published on:

22nd Oct 2025

All About Eve (1950)

Dana and Tom with Jaylan Salah Salman (film critic, author and poet, podcaster) discuss All About Eve (1950): written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, cinematography by Milton Krasner, music by Alfred Newman, starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Hugh Marlowe, and Thelma Ritter.

Plot Summary: All About Eve is a classic drama about ambition, fame, and betrayal in the world of theater. The film stars Bette Davis as Margo Channing, a talented but aging Broadway star who begins to feel threatened by a young admirer named Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter.

Eve appears at first to be a devoted fan, eager to help Margo with her career. Margo takes pity on her and hires her as an assistant. But over time, Margo and her friends—including her playwright friend Lloyd Richards (Hugh Marlowe), his wife Karen (Celeste Holm), and theater critic Addison DeWitt (George Sanders)—realize that Eve has bigger ambitions. She wants Margo’s fame, her friends, and even her roles on stage.

As Eve schemes her way to the top, Margo must face her own insecurities about aging and love, especially with her younger boyfriend Bill Sampson (Gary Merrill). The story becomes a battle of wits and emotions, showing how ruthless ambition can destroy friendships and reputations.

Guest:

Jaylan Salah Salman

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction, Cast, and Background for All About Eve

05:31 Welcome Back Jaylan Salman

07:20 Why All About Eve?

09:27 The Year 1950 at the Oscars

13:29 Plot Summary for All About Eve

14:56 What is All About Eve About?

21:11 Baxter, Davis, or Swanson?

29:37 Did You Know?

35:44 First Break

36:26 What's Up with Jaylan Salman

37:16 The Cinema Legacy Poll Rankings - #59-51

53:49 New Listeners in New Countries

54:43 Best Performance(s)

01:10:29 Best Scene(s)

01:18:25 Second Break

01:19:04 In Memoriam

01:27:20 Best/Funniest Lines

01:31:09 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy

01:37:38 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Signficance

01:42:50 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty

01:45:58 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness

01:49:29 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability

01:53:00 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total

01:54:45 Remaining Questions for All About Eve

01:58:00 Thank You to Jaylan and Remaining Thoughts

02:05:26 Credits

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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/all-about-eve-1950-ft-jaylan-salah-salman

For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list

Keywords:

All About Eve, film analysis, cinema history, character dynamics, women in film, classic movies, Oscar nominations, film rankings, movie themes, cinematic legacy, film analysis, character dynamics, classic cinema, memorable scenes, legacy of film, female relationships, humor in film, impact of cinema, timeless classics, rewatchability, Best Picture, Oscars, Joseph Mankiewicz, Bette Davis, Thelma Ritter, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Alfred Newman, Hugh Marlowe, Celeste Holm

Ronny Duncan Studios

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About the Podcast

Greatest Movie Of All-Time
Finding the Greatest Movie Ever Made
Hosts Tom and Dana Duncan take a new approach to finding the answer to the question: "what's the greatest movie of all-time?" Each week, Dana and Tom will review a classic movie, and grade it out based on a six-part rubric scale to determine what the greatest movie of all-time is.

For the complete list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list

To contact us, please email the show at Greatestalltimemoviepodcast@gmail.com
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