Table 3 A fragment of the scenario for All About Eve (1950)

Margo [the theater star], upstairs, is dressed for Bill’s party [Bill is her partner and the play’s director]. Bertie [Margo’s housekeeper] helps her tidy her dress

x

x

x

Downstairs Bill, Eve [the rising star], and then Margo talk; Eve leaves, Bill & Margo quarrel

x

x

Karen [Margo’s best friend], Lloyd [the playwright], & Max [the producer] arrive; odd discussions accrue; Margo says “it’s going to be a bumpy night”

Margo is sitting next to piano player. She’s drunk

x

x

Max has heartburn; Max & Margo go to kitchen & talk. She offers relief to Max

x

x

Lloyd enters kitchen; Max leaves; Lloyd & Margo talk

Karen & Eve are upstairs, they talk; Eve wants to be the understudy for Margo and asks her to put in a good word with Lloyd

x

x

On the steps: Addison [the theater critic], Bill, Eve, and Karen discuss “the theater”

x

x

Margo quarrels with all and goes upstairs; Bill follows later; the rest leave

The next day Margo arrives very late to the theater for the understudy audition of Lloyd’s play, in which Margo stars

x

x

x

x

Margo learns from Addison that Eve is her understudy

Margo enters theater, learns that auditions are over; quarrels with Lloyd, then with Max

x

x

Afterwards, Bill and Margo quarrel. Bill says he’s leaving her

Later at their home Karen paints, Lloyd comes home furious with Margo; Karen schemes to help Eve

x

x

x

That weekend Karen and Margo are stuck in the car without gas (an event that Karen arranged), as Lloyd goes to get some; Margo misses her performance, Eve performs

x

x

x

Eve does well; Addison goes to meet her in dressing room; he overhears Bill congratulate her, and she then flirts with Bill; but Bill leaves unimpressed

x

x

x

x

Addison and Eve talk; Addison asks questions about her background; Eve is inconsistent and thinks the Shubert Theater is in San Francisco (not New Haven)