Retrospective

Make It a Double Feature: ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘All About Eve’

Matt St. Clair May 12, 2026

As the newly-released blockbuster The Devil Wears Prada 2 possesses the same charm as its predecessor thanks to its performances, it being about the fluctuating state of journalism as well as female competition in a cutthroat workplace makes it feel as emotionally resonant as it is humorous.

The original film, however, not only emphasizes more on the nature of women in a competitive field but fits an ongoing trend of films delving into this exact theme.

Besides being a quotable Oscar-nominated classic, The Devil Wears Prada is part of a string of morally complex tales of women vying for a coveted position, whether that position be the First Assistant, the Maid of Honor like in Bridesmaids, the Favourite in The Favourite, or the biggest female star on Broadway like in All About Eve. For the latest Double Feature column entry, I’ve settled on recommending both The Devil Wears Prada and the aforementioned Best Picture winner.

When we’re first introduced to Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway), she’s fresh out of journalism school and into the world of fashion thanks to her assistant job at Runway magazine. Initially treated with hostility by fellow assistant Emily Charlton (Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt), and her boss Miranda Priestly (three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep) who frequently gives her impossible work demands, with just a quick fashion change, Andy becomes more immersed into her newfound realm and with more confidence.

However, as Andy becomes more committed to her job, she then gets further ahead of the more fashion-savvy Emily. Although Andy likes to believe herself as a victim of circumstance, viewing decisions made at her fellow assistant’s expense at survival, Miranda sees Andy’s ascension more as opportunism. Besides Emily, Andy also serves as a foil for the astute Miranda who’s similarly ambitious yet with more self-awareness.

As the titular Devil, Meryl Streep conveys her icy, cognizant demeanor while in subtle shades proving Miranda to have a small susceptible side as well. One fine example is her famous cerulean sweater monologue where she reams Andy over how the clothes or the “pile of stuff” she picks out each day are more than just a pile of stuff. While dominating without raising her voice, the defeat in the way she says “from your pile of stuff” highlights Miranda’s deep investment in the work she puts in along with those who bring the fashion to life.

At least in this writer’s view, it’s also the scene that likely clinched Meryl Streep her fourteenth Oscar nomination. Between the Helen Mirren sweep in what was a Best Actress field for the ages, and her role being one that arguably toes the line between Lead and Supporting, a third career win for Streep would’ve had to wait five years later. Nevertheless, it proved Meryl to still be a bankable performer in a historically ageist industry as she achieved further commercial success with films like Mamma Mia! and Julie and Julia. Furthermore, the film helped solidify Anne Hathaway’s leading lady status and announced Emily Blunt, who seamlessly runs away with every scene, as a new star.

The classic All About Eve is another embarrassment of riches when it comes to a principal cast mostly comprised of acclaimed actresses. However, instead of the stressful fashion world, All About Eve takes viewers to the bright lights of Broadway and eventually Hollywood as it follows Margo Channing (Bette Davis), a veteran Broadway star, and the titular ambitious fan (played by Oscar winner Anne Baxter) eager to usurp her for fame and fortune.

Compared to Andy Sachs, whose expedience was built more on career sustainability, Eve Harrington possesses more sly cunning. When she enters the picture, Eve appears unassuming and, at first, starstruck only for her self-effacing exterior to mask her ulterior motives. Stuck in the middle are Karen Richards (Celeste Holm, Gentleman’s Agreement), Margo’s friend who thrusts Eve into Margo’s inner circle, and Addison DeWitt (Oscar winner George Sanders), a theater critic who becomes Eve’s willing accomplice.

Then, of course, there’s Margo’s maid Birdie who’s played by professional scene-stealer Thelma Ritter. Despite only appearing in the film’s first half, Birdie manages to serve as the Emily Charlton of the storyline thanks to her sharp one-liners and instant skepticism of the novice suddenly thrust into this lavish world except she’s more of a bystander than a pawn in the cruel chess game at play. It’s also a performance that became the first of Ritter’s six Oscar nominations all in Best Supporting Actress.

If one can overlook the irony of the only male actor nominated winning the female-centric film’s only acting trophy, George Sanders, who took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, serves as devilish perfection as Addison. As for Bette Davis and Anne Baxter as the sharp-witted Broadway diva and her scheming protegé, their performances comprise part of another all-timer Best Actress lineup if not THE best ever. Davis, in particular, gives one of her most iconic performances in a string of iconic anti-heroine roles.

For all the awards buffs who want to watch their way through Oscar history and/or those who either plan to watch The Devil Wears Prada before watching the sequel out in theaters now, why not make it a double feature and watch two quotable classics with rich, morally complex storytelling?

That’s all.

The Devil Wears Prada is streaming on Hulu and HBO Max. All About Eve is available to rent and buy on Prime Video and to stream on BroadwayHD.

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Matt St. Clair

Matt is a New England-based freelance journalist who lives and breathes the world of cinema and has been an Oscar watcher since the age of eight. His writing can be found on outlets such as The Film Experience, Roger Ebert, Digital Spy, and Slashfilm. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association member. You can follow him on Twitter @filmguy619. (He/They)

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