Two aging former actresses live in a decaying “mansion” in Hollywood. One is paralyzed and the other is demented and thinks she is the child star she once was, “Baby Jane Hudson.” Jane Hudson, played terrifically by Bette Davis, takes care of her sister Blanche played by Joan Crawford. Just the fact that these two nemeses worked together in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
The movie begins in the days of vaudeville and an overly sweet little blond girl is singing a song on stage titled, “I am sending a Letter to Daddy.” A letter she seals with kisses and sends off to Heaven. On stage she is every mother’s dream, but off stage she’s every mother’s nightmare. She is spoiled, gets her way, and makes fun of her sister Blanche. As these two sisters get older, it is Blanche who becomes successful in films, and Jane’s fame wanes. Their lives forever change when they get in a car accident that crushes Blanche against a gate, paralyzing her. Jane is blamed for accident and somehow made to feel responsible for the long term care of her paralyzed sister.
Years have passed them both by and like the mansion, they too are decaying. Blanche watches her old films and recalls with excitement the by-gone years of fame and youth. Jane still thinks she is the child star and wants to get her act back on the road. Jane slips into complete madness and keeps her sister locked upstairs in her room. Jane terrorizes Blanche; I won’t tell you what she gives her for lunch, but it is too hard for Blanche to trust Jane again with her food. Blanche knows that she is in trouble and must try to get help. But Jane has cut her off her only contacts, the telephone and her maid. She tries desperately to get her nosy neighbor’s attention, but Jane finds out and mayhem is on the loose in the old “Valentino” Mansion.
Jane hires a man (Victor Buono) as a pianist, who in her mind is going to help her get the show back on stage. It is here I think Bette took on the role like no other could. Jane displays a ghoulish adult performance of “I’ve Written a Letter to Daddy.” She gets completely lost in her insanity and resorts to murder. She becomes frantic and tries to run with a sickly, dehydrated, and starved, Blanche. But is soon caught, and once more, and for the last time, performs her child star dance routine before a cruel, and mocking young crowd.
Many considered this film, and still do, to be a “campy classic,” I don’t. I think this film to be a psychological thriller. The movie tells a story of two aging actresses and their inability of letting go of their past fame and youth. Sadly, it paralleled both these classic actresses’ lives. The fact that Crawford and Davis took on these roles tell me they had a desperate need to be in front of the camera. Crawford and Davis were beauty queens in the 30′s and 40′s. They were movie stars, and getting old was not going to stop that. Sadly taking on these roles in horror movies later in life trashed both their careers.
The fact that these two actresses hated each other made this movie work. The director knew there would be problems between them, and it sure did bring out the worse in both, but it worked, and especially for Davis’ role. In this last battle between Crawford and Davis, it was Bette who won. In fact, it got Bette an Oscar nomination for her role as Jane. Bette didn’t look pretty at all in this role, but she had guts to play this role and play it to the hilt, and we can’t take that away from her.
2 Responses to “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?”
Great post! Thanks for it, because I hadn’t thought about this movie in a while. I’m a huge Bette Davis fan and I liked this movie because of her, and agree it was a great performance! Psychological thriller indeed.
M
I always though how cool it would be if this movie were made with Bette Davis and her old rival MIRIAM HOPKINS! She was still alive and working then (just finished The Children’s Hour).