The Midnight Diaries of Catty Wampus

(I’ve heard from many animators that it’s a useful idea to build up a nice video library of reference material. So I am slowly making my way through my DVDs, watching each movie one by one, and I thought I’d write down some thoughts on each film I see. Therefore, welcome to the first “Quick Movie Review”)

Oh man, do I love to watch this movie! This is one of those films that I could just watch over and over and never get tired of it.Aside from everything else that makes this movie great, I am absolutely blown away by the dialogue. I don’t think I’ve heard dialogue this sharp outside of Billy Wilder, and it is delivered so well by the entire cast. It’s a type of writing that I don’t think you see in movies anymore. In fact, I’m not sure that this writing would even work by today’s movie standards–there’s something theatrical and heightened about it, and it feels much more suited to the Hollywood acting style of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Either one would be out of place today, but in its own element, this is just about as good as it gets, folks!

People who know me know that I don’t like knowing much about films before seeing them. So in case you haven’t seen this great movie yet, I won’t ruin any plot points for you. I’ll just tell you that it takes place in the theatre scene of New York around 1950 (when the film was made). Bette Davis is incredible as the lead character, Margo Channing. Anne Baxter holds her own as Eve, but the movie really belongs to Bette Davis.

There are some breathtakingly emotional scenes between Davis and Gary Merrill, who plays her boyfriend. (boyfriend? well, they’re a little too old for that word, but ‘lover’ sounds so sleazy… I’ll leave it at boyfriend) I can’t say much more without giving away the story, but it is so intense!

Another scene-stealer is George Sanders, who plays theatre critic Addison DeWitt. For all the animation fans who are reading this, you’ll recognize Sanders as the voice of Shere Khan from The Jungle Book. As DeWitt, he carries himself with an effete sensibility, and his words drip with snarky superiority. If there’s anyone in this film that you’ll remember long after it’s over, besides Bette Davis, it is George Sanders.

Finally, I do have to mention that I often say this about “All About Eve”–as much as everyone knows where I stand on gender roles, and violence, and whatnot, this is the only movie I’ve ever seen where a woman got slapped and a significant part of me agreed a hundred percent that she deserved it. I would never hit a woman (or a man, for that matter), but I’m glad that the person who gets a hand to the face here gets a hand to the face here.

You’ll just have to see it to know what I mean. Do yourself a favor and go put it in your Netflix queue.