This year’s Library of Congress costume ball, themed the Golden Age of Hollywood, will include a screening of the film “All About Eve.” But if you can’t attend the costume ball on September 18th or just want to learn more about “All About Eve,” then this blog post is for you!
“All About Eve,” directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, was released in 1950. Here’s a brief summary for the Library’s upcoming event that captures the film’s enduring legacy:
This unforgettable tale of ambition and betrayal follows aging Broadway star Margo Channing, whose world is upended by the seemingly devoted young fan Eve Harrington. What begins as ambition soon spirals into manipulation, exposing the allure—and cost—of fame. Starring Betty Davis, Anne Baxter and Marilyn Monroe in a breakout role, the film was added to the Library’s National Film Registry in 1990. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, “All About Eve” earned a record-setting 14 Academy Award nominations and won six, including Best Picture. Its sharp, witty screenplay and ensemble cast exemplify the sophistication and craftsmanship that defined Hollywood’s Golden Age.
At the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC), not only do we preserve and provide access to “All About Eve,” but we also preserve and provide access to promotional material for the film, subsequent works inspired by or related to “All About Eve,” and even the NBC radio drama from which the film was partially adapted. NAVCC holds a unique and wide range of material related to “All About Eve” that allows researchers to discover more about this film in novel ways.
“All About Eve” in Moving Image Collections
NAVCC holds multiple copies on film of “All Above Eve.” NAVCC received its first 35mm copy through copyright deposit on September 18, 1951, a little less than a year after the film’s premiere on October 13, 1950. The deposit includes 14 reels of film and approximately 100 pages of paperwork of “Dialogue taken from the Screen.” Unlike a script or screenplay written in multiple drafts up to and sometimes during production, this “dialogue” was transcribed from the film after it was shot.
In addition to the initial copyright deposit, the Library holds another 35mm film print: a restored theatrical projection print that was given as a gift from the Twentieth Century-Fox Collection in 2000.
To top it off, the Library even has 16mm copies and DVDs of the film.
“The Wisdom of Eve” and “All About Eve” in Recorded Sound Collections
But before “All About Eve,” there was “The Wisdom of Eve.” On Monday, January 24, 1949, at 10:30pm EST, “The Wisdom of Eve” was broadcast on NBC’s “Radio City Playhouse” program. Written by Mary Orr and based on her short story, the plot is described in an NBC press release as follows:
When a well-known playwright keeps writing major roles for one particular leading lady, the playwright’s wife may have very strong reactions to the situation. (NBC Press Releases, Jan-Feb. 1949, Vol. 118, Image 457).
“The Wisdom of Eve” script, with annotations and crossed out lines, is included in the NBC Radio Master Books.
Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), May 5, 1950, A-15. Chronicling America. Library of Congress.
And then in May, 23, 1949, NBC announced that the script was bought by 20th Century Fox and was being used as the basis for a “screen play now being prepared by Joe Mankiewicz” (N.B.C. Press Releases, May-June 1949, Vol. 120, Image 531).
Random Aside: Even More about NBC
The NBC Collection in NAVCC contains additional references to “All About Eve,” including Bette Davis’ appearance on “The Hedda Hopper Show” to promote the film. Another reference from the NBC Television Master Book is “Kraft Music Hall Salutes the Oscars” from March 31, 1971. The NBC Television Master Books contain the official written record of everything broadcast for the entire broadcast day from the WNBT/WNBC television station. The master book for this program includes additions and omissions to Miss Davis’ script reference to “All About Eve” shortly before she introduced material related to “Applause,” the musical based on “The Wisdom of Eve” and “All About Eve.” The script credits Bette Davis as the show’s hostess, Frank Gorshin and Stiller & Meara (Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara) as stars, and special guest Michele Lee (NBC TV Master Book, Tue., Mar. 30, 1971 – Sun., Apr. 4, 1971, REEL MT 2010, Image 1012).
“All About Eve” in NAVCC’s Paper-based Formats
Finally, but no less important, are the paper materials in NAVCC’s collection which document the promotion of “All About Eve” both during and after its initial release:
- 17 stills, 1 pressbook, 1 poster, 8 lobby cards
- 1 duplicate lobby card
- DVD presskit
Also, a quick search for “all about eve” in The Historical Media Publications Collection includes “The Filming of ‘All About Eve’” in January 1951’s American Cinematographer, and “’All About Eve’ Fashion Selections” in January 1951’s Screenland Plus TV-land.
The Historical Media Publications Collection is a digital collection of industry publications, fan magazines and standalone monographs on moving image, broadcasting (television and radio) industries from the early to mid-20th century. The project is a collaboration between the Library’s NAVCC and Digital Collections Management and Services Divisions. We welcome you to research this collection anywhere, anytime.
While many of the other “All About Eve” materials discussed in this post are only available onsite, the Moving Image and Recorded Sound Research Centers encourage you to contact us with your questions about the film or to ask us anything about other collection items in the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center.
For more information related to this blog or any Library of Congress holdings, please see Ask a Librarian, and if you plan to come in to view or listen to any collection items, please reach out to our reference staff in the Moving Image Research Center and the Recorded Sound Research Center.
Sources
Allen, Leigh. “The Filming of ‘All About Eve.'” American Cinematographer. [Jan. 1951]. Rouben Mamoulian Collection. Historical Media Publications Collection, Library of Congress.
Brunell, Kay. “‘All About Eve’ Fashion Selections.” Screenland Plus Tv-land. [Jan. 1951]. Historical Media Publications Collection, Library of Congress.
Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), May 5, 1950. Chronicling America, Library of Congress.
Motion Picture Daily, [Jan-Mar 1951]. Historical Media Publications Collection, Library of Congress.