Bette Davis plays Margo Channing, a talented and highly acclaimed Broadway star, fretting about her advancing years. Along comes Eve (Anne Baxter), a diehard fan of the actress who gushes with enthusiasm. Margo soon takes Eve under her wing, both emotionally and financially, hiring Eve as her assistant. Over time it becomes apparent that Eve may have more underhanded motives for befriending Margo, as she schemes to become the actress’ understudy and perhaps supplant the ageing star. Long before Single White Female became an expression for a woman obsessed with becoming like her friend or flatmate, All About Eve became shorthand for describing a young ambitious woman who may wear a smile on her face that hides a knife she plans to plant in a mentor’s back.

As TIME magazine says, it’s “a needle sharp study of bitchery.” It’s a camp classic full of intrigue and drama, with women at their best/worst, and featuring Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest roles. All About Eve won 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and is listed in the American Film Institute’s 100 best American films of all time.