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 | 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:

Hollywood | Child Star | Aging | Former Child Star | Revenge

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 (as Ann Barton)
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
Michael Fox	...	Motorcycle cop at beach
Gina Gillespie	...	Blanche Hudson, in 1917
Barbara Merrill	...	Liza Bates (as B.D. Merrill)
Don Ross
James Seay	...	Police Officer
John Shay
Jon Shepodd
Peter Virgo
Bobs Watson	...	Clerk in Newspaper Classified Ad Department
Debbie Burton	...	Singing Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernest Anderson	...	Ernie, Ice Cream Vendor at Beach

Directed by
Robert Aldrich

Writing credits
Henry Farrell		(novel)
Lukas Heller		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Aldrich	....	producer
Kenneth Hyman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Frank De Vol		(as DeVol)

Cinematography by
Ernest Haller

Film Editing by
Michael Luciano

Casting by
Jack Murton

Art Direction by
William Glasgow

Set Decoration by
George Sawley

Makeup Department
Jack Obringer	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist
Beau Wilson	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jack R. Berne	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Aldrich	....	third assistant director
Tom Connors Jr.	....	assistant director (as Tom Connors)

Art Department
John Orlando	....	props

Sound Department
Harold E. McGhan	....	sound editor
Jack Solomon	....	sound

Special Effects by
Donald Steward	....	special effects

Stunts
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Til Gabani	....	camera operator (as Till A. Gabbani)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norma Koch	....	wardrobe designer

Editorial Department
Nick Archer	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
George F. Marni	....	music editor
Michael Andersen	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Sidney Cutner	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Ruby Raksin	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Adell Aldrich	....	script apprentice
Robert Altman	....	dialogue supervisor
Walter Blake	....	assistant to producer
Robert Gary	....	script supervisor
Alex Romero	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Associates & Aldrich Company, The
• Seven Arts Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

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]
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]
O Que Terá Acontecido a Baby Jane? (Brazil) [pt]
Ti apegine i Baby Jane? (Greece) [el]
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:

UK:18 (1988 rating) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | France:-12 | Ireland:12 | Spain:18 | Germany:16 (f) | South Korea:15 | 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:

In addition to her trademark number "I've Written a Letter to Daddy", the young Baby Jane apparently had other hit songs in her act. When Edwin prepares to play the piano for their rehearsal, we see Jane's picture featured on old sheet music for songs entitled "Fly the Flag of Freedom", "She's Somebody's Little Girl", and "I Wouldn't Trade My Daddy".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the film's final scene, when Baby Jane walks up to the ice cream vendor, her lipstick is much lighter than in the rest of the film. Moments after, her lips are once again covered with darker lipstick. Additionally, during the dancing scene subsequently on the beach, even though it's obviously hot out, the ice cream shows no signs of melting whatsoever.

Quotes:

Jane: I've written a letter to Daddy / His address is Heaven above / I've written "Dear Daddy, we miss you / And wish you were with us to love" / Instead of a stamp I put kisses / The postman says that's best to do / I've written a letter to Daddy / Saying "I love you" / Now when I'm very good...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crumb (1994)

Soundtrack:

I'VE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DADDY

But ya are Blanche!

I recently viewed this film with a friend who had never seen it before. Much to my surprise, we had to turn it off early because this friend actually found Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? boring.

I'll admit that Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? is a dated piece of work. By today's standards, there is no shock value. The actresses are not well known by the younger crowds out there. There is a lot of dialogue and very little action. It simply doesn't fit in with today's expectations of horror and suspense. So why does it hold up as a great film, at least by my standards and by the standards of so many others?

To truly appreciate this film, it would be necessary to understand the background. What actually contributed to the making of this film is what I find truly fascinating.

The story itself is about two elderly sisters. One, Baby Jane, (played by Bette Davis) was a child star in the early part of the century. She was hugely popular on the vaudeville circuit. Backstage she was a spoiled brat. Later on in life the other sister, Blanche (played by Joan Crawford) became a popular Hollywood movie star, overshadowing her now 'has-been' sister. A supposed car accident leaves Blanche crippled during the height of her popularity and a crazed Jane is left to care for her.

In their later life Blanche is confined to her bedroom and Jane, still donning the make up and curls from her childhood runs the house. Jane still believes she can resurect her career, but is tormented by her sisters continued popularity as her films are rerun on television.

There are some fabulous lines throughout the movie that have become legendary. Blanche says, "You couldn't do this to me if I wasn't in this wheel chair.' Jane quips "But ya are Blanche, but ya are."

Davis plays Jane to the hilt, looking hysterically eerie as she tortures Crawford's stoic Blanche. My kid sister saw this film after seeing Mommie Dearest and aptly stated that this was just dessert for a woman who beat her children so badly. I think my sister was most impressed when Davis kicks Joan in the stomach. "Take that Mommie Dearest!"

Back to my original point, I believe that in order to truly appreciate this story, one must appreciate the behind-the-scenes legend that truly is the essence of this film. Davis and Crawford were, and are, two of the most formidable actresses in Hollywood. Between them there are hundreds of films, three Oscars, and countless tidbits of gossip. Both had to claw and chew their way to the top, and had to fight harder to stay there. They both had stormy relationships, and bitter feuds with studio bosses and directors. And both have a legion of fans that have survived long after they did. And of course, lets not forget the fact that they may have despised each other.

There is a fantastic book called Bette and Joan (I can't recall the author's name) that I recommend any novice viewer read prior to viewing this film. In it, the lives of these two remarkable women are described in gossipy detail. A lot of time is spent detailing the making of this film. At the time Joan was pushing her husbands company, Pepsi. It was rumored, perhaps by Bette that her Pepsi bottles were half filled with vodka. Bette also complains vehemently about the size of Joan's fake cleavage, and how they got in the way of some of those scenes. It's even suggested that some of those beatings that Joan took from Bette were real.

With all of this background, one might soon appreciate, as I did, the importance of this film in documenting the lives of these two prominent women. I don't think we'll ever come so close to true Hollywood Babylon as we will with this brilliant work.