"Bill's 32. He looks 32. He looked it five years ago. He'll look it 20 years from now. I hate men."
The best dialogue ever in a Hollywood film? More than a few movie experts give that honor to 52's All About Eve, which will be shown on Sunday, February 10, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. at the Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St. as part of the Movies That Matter film series.
Eve is many things.
An affectionate/satiric look at the theater and its denizens.
A proto-feminist manifesto that takes on issues of age, beauty, and desirability.
A showcase for one of the greatest female stars of all time.
The teaming of writer/director Joseph Mankiewicz and leading lady Bette Davis was a meeting of giants. Toss in Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, George Sanders, Hugh Marlowe, and an unknown named Marilyn Monroe, and you have a landmark of American cinema.
"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night!"
Introductory and closing remarks are provided by Robert W. Butler, for more than 40 years film critic of The Kansas City Star and now a member of the Library's public affairs staff.
Admission is free. RSVP at kclibrary.org or call 816.701.3407.
Other titles in the series:
February 25: Dr. Strangelove (1964)
March 10: The Circus (1928)
March 24: Rear Window (1954)
April 7: Wings of Desire (1987)
April 21: Singin' in the Rain (1952)
May 5: Sunset Boulevard (1950)
May 19: Metropolis (1927)