What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

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 | Former Child Star | Revenge | Child Star | 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 (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)

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:

A freeze-frame just as the car enters the driveway in the prologue reveals the secret of who was driving the car the night Blanche was paralyzed.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Jane kicks Blanche, Blanche falls and Jane walks around her to kick her again, but when she kicks her again, she is in the same position that she was when she first kicked her, obviously as she kicks her from the right side of the screen (she would be on the left side of the screen if she walked around her).

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 & Smarter (#15.13)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

I'VE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DADDY

The Movie Was Excellent

The movie was suspenseful to the end and the musical score was awesome. I only disagreed with Henry Flagg's role, and he was such a wimp! It was great to see two '30- '50s Divas in one film, especially Joan Crawford's duplicitous role as a wronged sister. Bette Davis was truly deranged by the alcohol and the light switch personality changes was a joy to see. I especially loved the facial changes between the regression to the childlike Baby Jane and the hatred-driven character who was destined to take care of a sister more successful than her in adulthood. It may be a slow development of a story by today's standards, but the pace was good for me. I was intrigued to the end and suspected nothing like the final outcome.