All about Eve (VCE)

ALL ABOUT EVE 

VCE EAL

Eve doesn’t become what she wants to be in the end; instead she is known to be what she truly is.

The film “All about Eve” directed by Joseph L Mankiewiczs shows an ambitious actress, Eve’s journey of obtaining a limited place in the theatre world. Eve Harrington does not become what she wants to be in the end, instead, she is known to be what she truly is. Eve had strived to become a younger version of Margo. However, she failed and in the process, revealing her conniving true nature. Eve seeks for the acceptance in the inner circle, however, in the end she is despised by them. In contrast to Eve’s desire for power to control those around her, she is instead controlled by Addison. At the final moments of the film, it is unmistakable that Eve failed to succeed in gaining what she wished. What resulted instead was the exposure of her true identity.

Eve had “one wish, one prayer, one dream”, to become just like Margo. Instead she only succeeds in being a “carbon copy you read when you can't find the original”, her true self is uncovered not as someone unique like Margo, but as a copycat. This is evident by Eve “Studying me [Margo] as if - as if I were a play or a set of blueprints! How I walk, talk, think, eat, and sleep!” While Margo is “A great star, a true star”, something real and irreplaceable, Eve is compared to as a “light”, something unnatural and disposable. The director also shows this through the use of lighting, forcing Eve to disappear under the endless flashing of lights from the camera. This insinuates that Eve is just an image, a public façade to her fans; she is different from Margo, whose admirers know her personally.  It is also evident that Eve can be easily substituted by the appearance of Phoebe who displays Eve’s award, wearing Eve’s magnificent robe. Phoebe’s endless reflection of herself on the mirror depicts the fact that there are many others just like Eve. Unlike Margo, Eve is not special, she is replaceable. Moreover, Eve also seeks to seduce Bill, evident by Bill’s remark “I ran into Eve on my way upstairs; she told me you were dressing”, portraying how Eve tries to hinder Margo and Bill’s relationship. However, her plot backfired and instead, she is viewed as being a “louse”. With her true scheming nature revealed, Eve was unable to succeed in becoming just like Margo.

In addition to following Margo’s footsteps, Eve also pursues to be accepted into the inner circle. In the end, however, she is detested by them. It is unmistakable that Eve sought after belonging to them. This is displayed through her constant flattering and fabrications in order to gain their sympathy and acceptance. Furthermore, Eve stays at the theatre “night after night”, proving her deep desire to belong to the theatre group. Yet, in the final moments of the film, she is excluded by them. Eve ends up being outside of their inner circle, perceived as a “little contemptible worm”. Though Eve seeks for acceptance from the group, she is rejected as her manipulative, two-faced character is uncovered to the others. At the end, Eve is shown to be going back to her accommodation alone after the night of her victory, showing that she does not have any friends to celebrate her success. She desperately wanted to be part of the inner circle, but by choosing her career over friends, she is left rejected and alienated by them.

Not only does Eve fail to be like Margo and belong to the inner group, Eve is also unsuccessful in gaining power over her surrounding peers. Initially, Eve aims to control those around her. This is evident by her being an indispensable assistant to Margo, forcing Margo to be dependent on her and as a result, enabling Margo to miss her reading for the audition. Eve’s yearning to control is also seen by her threatening and blackmailing Karen into giving her the part of Cora. However, while she longed to rule over her peers, at the end, she is instead dominated by Addison. This is shown through Addison forcing Eve to “belong to me” as reinforced by his harsh slap across her cheeks and Eve’s obedience to Addison’s command to “Don't pick it up! Don't even put your hand on it”. Addison’s action of slamming the door shut when Eve attempts to get him out, are all indications of Eve being ruled by Addison. Furthermore, the director uses film technique to show Addison’s control over Eve through the shot where Addison is standing up, looking down on Eve as Eve, sitting down is forced to look up to him. This illustrates the fact that at the end, Eve is dwarfed by Addison’s power, opposing to Eve’s wish of controlling others.

In the end, Eve does not become what she wants to be, instead her hidden motives and true colours are portrayed. Eve couldn’t upkeep her goal of being unique as her true identity lies between following others. Instead of being accepted by the inner circle, Eve is rejected by them as her true sly nature slowly appears in the open. Eve fails to maintain her power over others as her selfish nature allows her to be blackmailed and controlled by Addison. Eve does not achieve her ambition; rather, she exposes what she truly is to everyone.