What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1962 American psychological thriller-horror film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The plot concerns an aging former actress who holds her paraplegic ex-movie star sister captive in an old Hollywood mansion.

Main poster from the movie

The intensely bitter Hollywood rivalry between the film's two stars, Davis and Crawford, was heavily important to the film's initial success. This in part led to the revitalization of the careers of the two stars. In the years after release, critics continued to acclaim the film for its psychologically driven comedy and creation of the psycho-biddy subgenre. The New York Times has identified it as being a "cult classic". In 2003 the character of Baby Jane Hudson was ranked No. 44 on the American Film Institute's list of the 50 Best Villains of American Cinema.

As a child, "Baby Jane" Hudson was show business newest sensation. However, as an adult, Baby Jane was overshadowed by her sister, Blanche, who became a top movie star. Then, one night in the early '30s, came the accident, which crippled Blanche for life and which was blamed on a drunken, jealous Jane. In the year 1962, Jane, decked out in garish chalk-white makeup, still lives with the invalid Blanche in their decaying L.A. mansion. When Jane isn't tormenting the helpless Blanche by serving her dead rats for breakfast, she is plotting and planning her comeback to the theaters. Convinced that her days are numbered if she remains in the house with her mentally unstable sister, Blanche desperately tries to get away, but all avenues of escape are cut off by the deranged Jane. 

Ryan Murphy, creative director and writter from shows like Glee and American Horror Story, created a tv series called "Feud" in 2017, of which the first season, subtitled "Bette and Joan", y based on the filming of the movie and the relationship both movie stars had, not only with each other, but with everyone around them. Bette Davis is portrayed by Joan Crawford is played by Ryan´s partner in crime, Jessica Lange.

Nowadays we're so used to watching movies to disconect, to simply not think, which is great sometimes; but I love a movie that makes you think, too. What Ever Happened To Baby Jane may seen like just a thriller movie at first, but it's more than that. It's a reprentation of hate between two sister, not reciprocal because of the secrets that Blanche hides from her sister to protect her from herself and her past. It's a letter driven by envy, but driven by love at the same time. Today's horror doesn't stand a chance against the psychological thrillers of yore, like Hitchcock's "Psycho" or this very movie. No scary moment out of nowhere, with no other reason than making you nervous, just two women in a house in disagreement because of their past. 

There's a big Hollywood critique in the character of Baby Jane, too; which makes her even more interesting to me. She's was a big star when she was little, but everytime someone new comes out, like maybe her sister, she suddenly becomes invisible for the rest of the world. Hollywood is used to treating people like products, happened in the 60's and it's still happening now. Baby Jane's supposed to be the villain in the picture, but I can't help seeing Hollywood as the bigger and stronger antagonist, Jane's just a victim affected by the memory of what feels like a past life she can't forget.

"What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" is a movie made on real feelings. Two stars, destroyed by the industry, in a constant battle against each other, in fiction and reality. That's why this is one of the greatest movies that Hollywood will every produce. Everything surounding this picture is so interesting to me that I could read about it all day. It makes the movie the movie greater. It makes the movie on  my favorites ever.

Bette Davis (1908-1989)  Joan Crawford (1904-1977)