What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Henry Farrell (novel)
Lukas Heller (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Sister, sister, oh so fair, why is there blood all over your hair?

Plot:

In a decaying Hollywood mansion, Jane Hudson, a former child star, and her sister Blanche, a movie queen forced into retirement after a crippling accident, live in virtual isolation.

Plot Keywords:

Hammer Murder | Recluse | Kidnapping | Jealousy | Aging

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Baby Jane Hudson
Joan Crawford	...	Blanche Hudson
Victor Buono	...	Edwin Flagg
Wesley Addy	...	Marty Mc Donald
Julie Allred	...	Baby Jane Hudson, in 1917
Anne Barton	...	Cora Hudson
Marjorie Bennett	...	Dehlia Flagg
Bert Freed	...	Ben Golden (as Robert Freed)
Anna Lee	...	Mrs. Bates
Maidie Norman	...	Elvira Stitt
Dave Willock	...	Ray Hudson
William Aldrich	...	Lunch counter assistant at beach
Russ Conway	...	Police Officer
Maxine Cooper	...	Bank teller
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Dr. Shelby

Also Known As:

¿Qué pasó con Baby Jane? (Argentina) (Venezuela) [es]
Qu'est-il arrivé à Baby Jane? (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
¿Qué fue de Baby Jane? (Spain) [es]
Bebek Jane'e ne oldu? (Turkey: Turkish title) (TV title) [tr]
Che fine ha fatto Baby Jane? (Italy) [it]
Co sie zdarzylo Baby Jane? (Poland) [pl]
Hvad blev der egentlig af Baby Jane? (Denmark) [da]
Küçük bebege ne oldu? (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Mitä tapahtuikaan Baby Janelle? (Finland) [fi]
Que Terá Acontecido a Baby Jane?, O (Brazil) [pt]
Vad hände det med Baby Jane? (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Vad hände med Baby Jane? (Sweden) [sv]
Was geschah wirklich mit Baby Jane? (West Germany) [de]
Wat is er toch van Baby Jane terecht gekomen? (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]

Runtime:

134 min | Argentina:135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:15 | Ireland:12 | France:-12 | Spain:18 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | UK:18 (1988 rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12A (re-rating) (2004) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

172 N. McCadden Pl., Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Associates & Aldrich Company, The

Trivia:

The wig Bette Davis wears throughout the film had, unbeknownst to both leads, been worn by Joan Crawford in an earlier MGM movie. Because it had been re-groomed, Crawford didn't recognize it.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Elvira's body is discovered, a large newspaper headline is shown heralding the murder of the "HUDSON MAID." Barring extraordinary circumstances, newspapers don't treat the death of hired help of obscure show biz personalities as front page news.

Quotes:

Jane: It's just that nosy Mrs. Bates going on about your picture last night.
Blanche: Oh, really, did she like it?
Jane: [imitating Blanche's voice] Oh, really, did she like it?... She liked it!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Smart and Smarter (#15.13)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Somehow, this is indeed compelling.

I don't think I walked into this one with the right set of expectations. I expected a low-fi, creepy bit of occult-tinted fun from an age before horror films were bloated, over-done sacks of crap, and what I got was much different. I wouldn't really say this is a straight horror movie like Psycho or The Birds, as it unfolds itself like a riveting drama of two sisters instead. The acting is phenomenal, though, at least from our two lead characters, and the way they play off each other is just fantastic. This one takes a while to get going, but once it does, you are in for a high-octane, creepy thrill ride. Recommended to fans of older horror/suspense type movies.