Director Robert Aldrich gave Bette Davis and Joan Crawford a bizarre new lease on life in What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? – an extraordinary extension of the sadomasochistic elements that ran through their film careers – in which they played two elderly sisters trapped in the past.
Jane Hudson (Davis) was the child star of the title until Blanche (Crawford) became a leading lady and elbowed her out of the spotlight.
Now the studio lights have been switched off for both of them, and they occupy a shuttered and decaying Bel Air mansion, Blanche in a wheelchair after being crippled in a car accident and drink-sodden Jane gleefully serving her rats for dinner.
There is heavyweight support from 300-pound newcomer Victor Buono and Aldrich worked all the organ stops on this bit of sub-Gothic horror which some critics called “slowly developed” and “too long”.
Baby Jane Hudson
Bette Davis Blanche Hudson
Joan Crawford Edwin Flagg
Victor Buono Marty McDonald
Wesley Addy Cora Hudson
Anne Barton Dehlia Flagg
Marjorie Bennett Ben Golden
Bert Freed Mrs Bates
Anna Lee Elvira Stitt
Maidie Norman Ray Hudson
Dave Willock
Director Robert Aldrich
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title until Blanche (Crawford) became a leading lady and elbowed her out of the spotlight.
