Editing All About Eve (section)

==Plot==
{{multiple image
| align             = left
| direction         = horizontal
| image1            = Bette Davis in All About Eve trailer.jpg
| caption1          = [[Bette Davis]] as Margo Channing
| image2            = Anne Baxter in All About Eve trailer.jpg
| caption2          = [[Anne Baxter]] as Eve Harrington
| total_width       = 380
}}

The story begins [[in medias res]], narrated by acerbic theatre critic Addison DeWitt, who introduces the various characters that are attending the prestigious Sarah Siddons Award ceremony. The theatrical honor is being presented to rising actress, Eve Harrington. DeWitt's narration promises to reveal Eve's true story before the narrative voice switches to Karen Richards.

Some years previous, [[Broadway theater|Broadway]] star Margo Channing, recently turned 40, worries about advancing age affecting her career. After a performance of Margo's latest play, her close friend, Karen Richards, wife of the play's author Lloyd Richards, meets besotted fan Eve Harrington outside the theatre and brings her backstage to meet Margo. Eve tells Karen, Lloyd, and Margo's maid Birdie, that she followed Margo's last theatrical tour to [[New York City]] after seeing her perform in [[San Francisco]]. She tells an engrossing story of an impoverished childhood and losing her husband in the [[Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II|South Pacific]] during [[World War II]]. Moved by Eve's story, Margo takes her into her home as her assistant, upsetting Birdie. Eve quickly manipulates her way into Margo's life as both secretary and adoring fan.

Margo is also concerned about her romantic relationship with the play's director, Bill Sampson, eight years her junior. Without telling Margo, Eve arranges a midnight, long-distance phone call from Margo to Bill on his birthday while he is directing a film in California. Eve hopes the unexpected late call will show Bill that Margo forgot his birthday; Eve even sends her own greeting. However, Margo grows suspicious, realizes that Eve set her up, and conceals her surprise and confusion. Wanting to get Eve away from Bill, Margo asks producer Max Fabian to hire Eve at his office; instead, Eve becomes Margo's [[understudy]] without Margo's knowledge.
[[File:All About Eve trailer (1950).webm|thumb|The film's trailer]]
As Margo's irritation grows, Karen sympathizes with Eve, believing that Margo is overdramatizing her resentment towards Eve. Hoping to humble Margo, Karen conspires for her to miss a performance so Eve can perform in her place. Eve secretly invites the city's theater critics to attend the performance—including the influential DeWitt. Eve's performance is a triumph. Later that night, Eve attempts to seduce Bill, a successful Broadway producer who could help her career. Seeing through her manipulations, Bill rejects Eve. Addison interviews Eve for a column, harshly criticizing Margo for resisting younger talent.

Margo and Bill announce their engagement while dining out with Lloyd and Karen. Eve summons Karen to the ladies' room and, after first appearing regretful, delivers an ultimatum: Karen must recommend her to Lloyd to play Cora, the lead role, in Lloyd's new play. Otherwise, she will expose Karen's part in Margo's missed performance. When Karen returns to the table—to her relief—Margo surprisingly announces that she does not wish to play Cora, saying she is too old for the ingenue role. Intimating that impending marriage has changed her perspective, Margo denounces Eve but also admits to no longer being captive to the artifices of a system forcing her to chase a glamorized ideal of beauty, youth, and success.

Eve is cast as Cora.
Just before the new play's premiere in [[New Haven]], Eve reveals her next devious plan to Addison: to marry Lloyd—whom she has attempted to seduce, despite his wife Karen championing her—so that Lloyd can write plays for her to star in.

Angered by Eve's audacity, Addison reveals he knows her backstory is false; her real name is Gertrude Slescynski, she was never married, and she was paid to leave town over an affair with her married boss. He also says Lloyd would never leave Karen for Eve. Addison then blackmails Eve, saying she now "belongs" to him.

The story catches up to the opening scene; months later, Eve is a Broadway star headed for Hollywood. While accepting the Sarah Siddons Award, Eve thanks Margo, Bill, Lloyd, and Karen as all four coldly stare back. Eve skips the after-party and returns home, where she encounters Phoebe, a teenage fan who slipped into her apartment and fell asleep. Eve is angry but softens after Phoebe professes her adoration and ingratiates herself. Phoebe begins packing Eve's trunk. Eve invites her to stay over rather than take the long subway ride back to Brooklyn. While Eve is resting, Addison brings Eve's forgotten award to the door. Phoebe greets him, then admits she chose her own theatrical name. Addison realizes Phoebe will do to Eve what Eve did to Margo. When she is alone, Phoebe puts on Eve's elegant cloak and poses in front of a floor-length mirror, holding the award and bowing.