“All About Eve” and the Fading Star

How the 1950s Classic Subverts the Trope of the Fading Star

Throughout the years, movies about showbusiness have tackled the “Star is Born” trope countless times. From the early 1930s with films like What Price Hollywood and the original A Star is Born to 2011’s The Artist and the 2018 remake of A Star is Born starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, films have shown with every rising star there must be a fading star. It’s like an NBA basketball team that has fifteen roster spots. You have to get rid of a player to add that hot new free agent. Hollywood can not hold an unlimited amount of stars. People must be replaced.

Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1950 film, All About Eve, explores the Fading Star trope along with the Star is Born story arc. It tells the story of Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis), a Broadway actress who is starring in a hit play when Eve Harrington (played by Anne Baxter), a young girl from out of town, befriends her backstage one night. Eve becomes Margo’s assistant, but it is soon revealed that Eve is a talented actress that might have an ulterior motive. Eve is the Rising Star, while Margo is turning 40 and is on the verge of being old news.

Even though the film is called All About Eve, the film is really about the characters that surround Eve Harrington. The most important…