Four-Star Films : ‘All About Eve’

The ultimate bitchy, vinegary, “inside” look at Broadway theater, laced with venom. The story is a reversal of the sentimental myth of Katharine Hepburn’s “Morning Glory”: Here, the rising young star is a poisonous schemer (Anne Baxter, left); her mentor, modeled on Tallulah Bankhead, is the acid-tongued, tempestuous old trouper Margo Channing (Bette Davis, right, at her acme). Joseph L. Mankiewicz wrote and directed a blizzard of epigrams and spicy quips. They get mechanical at times, but mostly they come briskly, in high style--especially when George Sanders’ snakelike drama critic, modeled on George Jean Nathan, is on screen. Gary Merrill (center) also stars (AMC Friday at 12:30 and 5 p.m.).

Other selected four-star films airing this week:

Easy Rider / Cinemax, Sunday, 11 p.m.

Atlantic City / TMC, Monday, 2:05 p.m. and Friday, 12:30 p.m.

My Darling Clementine / AMC, Wednesday, 9:45 a.m.

Fanny and Alexander / Bravo, Thursday, 12:30 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m.

Patton / Showtime, Friday, 1:30 p.m.

Five Easy Pieces / KCOP, Saturday, 8 p.m.