What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1960)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Carlos M

  
  Davis and Crawford are priceless here, embracing their roles with tremendous passion and delivering spectacular performances like horror queens in this campy and bizarre story. A psychological thriller that is hilarious and very entertaining as far as exploitation goes.

• xGary X

  
  A wheelchair-bound ex-Hollywood star is terrorized within her own home by her jealous and alcoholic elder sister. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? hasn't got the most promising premise for a "comedy", but like Psycho and Dr Strangelove, it's the macabre streak of… More
  A wheelchair-bound ex-Hollywood star is terrorized within her own home by her jealous and alcoholic elder sister. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? hasn't got the most promising premise for a "comedy", but like Psycho and Dr Strangelove, it's the macabre streak of black humour that provides the stroke of genius that makes it what it is. The plot read as straight is a very melodramatic, soapy affair, but Aldrich's skewed approach makes a black-hearted comedy of grotesques out of it all in a similar way to Sunset Boulevard. The cast are all great, but it is Bette Davis' show all the way as the increasingly unhinged child star-turned embittered old harridan and she sends herself up rotten; the scene where she recreates her old act has to be seen to be believed! The attractive cinematography contrasting with the ugliness of the goings on combines with Hitchockian suspense with a killer twist in the tale to create a bizarre and unique film that's a classic example of offbeat psychological horror.

• Bob O

  
  This one's all about Bette Davis's turn as the rubber-faced ghoul Jane Hudson -- a former child vaudevillian who torments her invalid, movie star sister Blanche (Joan Crawford). Jane is some kind of Bad-Seed and Norma Desmond amalgamation; a Peter-Pan-Syndrome, golden curled… More
  This one's all about Bette Davis's turn as the rubber-faced ghoul Jane Hudson -- a former child vaudevillian who torments her invalid, movie star sister Blanche (Joan Crawford). Jane is some kind of Bad-Seed and Norma Desmond amalgamation; a Peter-Pan-Syndrome, golden curled psychotic who's obsessed with her former stardom, her relationship with her father, and the mysterious car accident that caused her sister's lifelong paralysis. (Jane may or may not have been responsible.) Anyway she's sadistic, haunted and as the film develops increasingly delusional. Both Davis's makeup design and her performance evoke a living doll, aged and left out in the sun. Her wrinkles sag on her face like putty as Jane puts on a plastic smile to sing "I've written a letter to Daddy" her signature tune in fits of deranged nostalgia. Scenery Chewing? Perhaps. But chillingly effective. What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? is only let down by its director Robert Aldrich who never lets the mansion the two sisters share -- a gloomy dollhouse host to Hollywood roadkill -- be a living character. And Crawford's Blanche is never more than vulnerability incarnate. The psychology of Jane, who was forever doomed to personify her titular stage name, is the film's most fascinating detail -- it sizzles in the mind, along with her now iconic, prune-ish anti-beauty.

• Jennifer D

  
  Oddly enough, earlier today I just so happened to finish a book about two sisters stuck in childhood. Very strange I should pick this movie without reading the summary. I thought Bette Davis was FANTASTIC. I can't imagine it's easy playing a crazy person. Joan Crawford was… More
  Oddly enough, earlier today I just so happened to finish a book about two sisters stuck in childhood. Very strange I should pick this movie without reading the summary. I thought Bette Davis was FANTASTIC. I can't imagine it's easy playing a crazy person. Joan Crawford was all right and the story lagged at a few points, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the weird and decidedly ugly Davis. Bravo, Miss Bette. Bravo. I also LOVED that they used younger pictures of both Crawford and Davis. Genius! Not every actor you can do that with!

• Tim S

  
  A pretty taught and tense film in the vein of a latter film "Misery". Some fabulous performances throughout, some envelope pushing and a psycho Bette Davis singing and dancing. Incredible.

• Randy T

  
  "The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in <i>What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?</i>" -Bette Davis It's a simple fact of life that you will meet people who are likable and those who are not. In most circumstances… More
  "The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in <i>What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?</i>" -Bette Davis It's a simple fact of life that you will meet people who are likable and those who are not. In most circumstances when an actor or actress is asked about someone they dislike they will just refuse to comment. It's called "taking the high road". I've seen this time and time again. Debra Winger hated Richard Gere so much that after the filming of <i>An Officer and a Gentleman</i> had wrapped she refused to appear with him on press junkets and talk shows. To this day Diane Keaton will not talk about her <i>Godfather</i> co-star Al Pacino, stating only that she disliked working with him. Herein lies one of the reasons why I love Bette Davis so much. If Miss Davis disliked you, and by all accounts she disliked a great number of people, the whole world knew it. Her feud with Joan Crawford is the stuff of Hollywood legend and the quotes that are attributed to Bette are priceless: "Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it's because I'm not a bitch. Maybe that's why Miss Crawford always plays ladies." Personally, I have never once watched a Bette Davis picture and been drawn out of the story by an awareness that she was acting. Her portrayals are nothing if they're not honest and sincere. This holds true for <i>What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?</i>. There is a subtle but noticeable difference here between Crawford (the movie star) and Davis (the actress). In some cases this would be a detriment to the feel of the picture but, for this script, it works perfectly. Don't misunderstand me, I have enormous respect for Joan but, as an actress, I just think she's a tier (or two) below Bette. All told, this is a very good film that becomes even better once you know the back-story.

• AJ V

  
  This movie has such a great story of fame, jealousy, family, and suspense, it's very suspenseful. I loved this movie, and I highly recommend it.

• familiar s

  
  Usually I tend to avoid Black & White movies. But I'm glad that I didn't postpone watching this for long like I've been doing with: Touch of Evil (1958), The Third Man (1949), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Rebecca (1940), & The Big Heat (1953) which have been siting… More
  Usually I tend to avoid Black & White movies. But I'm glad that I didn't postpone watching this for long like I've been doing with: Touch of Evil (1958), The Third Man (1949), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Rebecca (1940), & The Big Heat (1953) which have been siting on my hard disk for over 3 months now!!! Though it wasn't exactly what I'd expected (while I'd avoided to read the plot purposely before watching the movie, I'd guessed by the title that it would be something about a mystery involving the missing of some baby), it didn't turn out to be disappointing either. It did lose its grip over me for a while in between, but the ending was so stupendous that it made it up for all its weak moments for me. A truly classic film-noir indeed!!!

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Watching WEHTBJ is the weirdest thing. Director Robert Aldrich expertly builds tension, but fails to create a real interest in the outcome of the actions he depicts. Maybe that was the point, but this dark comedy/psychological thriller is way too over-the-top and campy for someone… More
  Watching WEHTBJ is the weirdest thing. Director Robert Aldrich expertly builds tension, but fails to create a real interest in the outcome of the actions he depicts. Maybe that was the point, but this dark comedy/psychological thriller is way too over-the-top and campy for someone looking for a chilling thriller. Joan Crawford is excellent. Bette Davis's performance is uneven, but when she's good, she kicks ass.

• Michael G

  
  I'm pretty sure you need to be a catty gay man to get the maximum enjoyment out of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. Bette Davis steals the show as jealous alcoholic to Joan Crawford's invalid. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane comes off like a bitchy (hence my initial comment)… More
  I'm pretty sure you need to be a catty gay man to get the maximum enjoyment out of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. Bette Davis steals the show as jealous alcoholic to Joan Crawford's invalid. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane comes off like a bitchy (hence my initial comment) soap opera mostly but once Davis goes off the reservation the good times start rolling. And it gets nothing but increasingly creepy and grotesque with its beautiful photography. And knowing that Davis and Crawford hated each other's gutsmakes it all the more fun.

• Mark H

  
  Blanche: You wouldn't be able to do these awful things to me if I weren't still in this chair. Jane: But you *are*, Blanche! You *are* in that chair!

• Lafe F

  
  Freaky and unforgettable. Bette Davis plays "Baby Jane", a faded starlet who keeps her invalid sister (Joan Crawford) locked up at their large home. There's some shocking and funny scenes. I loved the surreal "Baby Jane" revival scene on the beach. A classic.

• Jennifer X

  
  Mm, I thought it would be better, but it's a very very engrossing film. Bette Davis's performance sent shudders down my spine.

• moon r

  
  what is great about this and that other "battle of the aging actresses" movie, is that they're infallible predictors of how the "adoring" public treats their idols once the bloom is off the rose...can you say caricature? grotesques? that is the true ugly… More
  what is great about this and that other "battle of the aging actresses" movie, is that they're infallible predictors of how the "adoring" public treats their idols once the bloom is off the rose...can you say caricature? grotesques? that is the true ugly here...it's a mirror facing "us"...

• Cindy I

  
  Bette Davis is a hoot as a child star who grows up, falls out of favor with Hollywood and goes nuts from being ignored. Davis reportedly really abused Joan Crawford on the set in her role as Baby Jane's crippled actress sister.

• Leigh R

  
  Intense.

• Matthew R

  
  Two aging sisters, one a has-been child star (Bette Davis), the other a Hollywood actress (Joan Crawford) whose career was ruined when an accident left her in a wheelchair; share the same old, rundown mansion. The former child star Jane, begins to slowly grow demented out of jealousy… More
  Two aging sisters, one a has-been child star (Bette Davis), the other a Hollywood actress (Joan Crawford) whose career was ruined when an accident left her in a wheelchair; share the same old, rundown mansion. The former child star Jane, begins to slowly grow demented out of jealousy from the success her sister had leading to springs of abuse, torture, and murder. Conveyed in a striking style, filled with a creaky old Hollywood mansion and plenty of campy one-liners, this is the horror-camp classic for the ages. Visually, there isn't much to say, it is a black and white feature. There are a few terrifying visual scenes in this film but other than that, nothing really special. Despite the at times melodramatic direction, this film was loaded with twists and turns. The twist ending leaved a little to be desired though. What really propels this film into the classic stage is the acting by both lead women. Juicy and deliciously evil, Bette Davis performance as Baby Jane is masterfully done. The scene in which she sings "I've Written A Letter to Daddy" all dressed up in frilly little girl's clothes and cartoonish awful makeup, while in a drunken stupor in front of the mirror is very disturbing and not to be missed. Like how she felt, I believe she was cheated for not winning best actress for this role, her second best performance (The first being All About Eve, which she also did not win). Joan Crawford was more subdued but still brilliant in her role, as the tormented sister. This film is probably where Stephen King got his inspiration for Misery (another fantastic movie and book). The whole concept of this movie is creative and original. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is a creepy, odd, and interesting film, a horror classic that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves Story: A Acting: A Direction: B+ Visuals: B+ Overall: A- ***1/2 out of 4 stars

• Danny R

  
  Bette Davis's chilling Oscar nominated performance dominates this thriller, about a ex-vaudeville child star waging a psychotic reign of terror over her ex-movie star crippled sister played superbly by Joan Crawford. A great supporting performance by Victor Buono and virtuoso… More
  Bette Davis's chilling Oscar nominated performance dominates this thriller, about a ex-vaudeville child star waging a psychotic reign of terror over her ex-movie star crippled sister played superbly by Joan Crawford. A great supporting performance by Victor Buono and virtuoso direction by Robert Aldrich. But this is Davis's show all the way and she has a field day with her acid portrayal of the grotesque Baby Jane. A classic masterpiece of the macabre. Highly Recommended.

• Mike T

  
  This is a fantastic film! A terrifying display of Bette Davis' acting abilities and an excellent psychological thriller, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is another favorite of mine.

• Anastasia B

  
  Today it's hard to not be judgemental of some of the weakest plot points in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?": like the fact that Blanche is supposed to be trapped in a mansion that's at a shout's distance from another neighbouring house (yet she never shouts… More
  Today it's hard to not be judgemental of some of the weakest plot points in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?": like the fact that Blanche is supposed to be trapped in a mansion that's at a shout's distance from another neighbouring house (yet she never shouts for help), or the fact that her only attempt to reach her neighbours for help is a silly note she doesn't even wrap around something heavy in order to be able to throw it far enough. But all these details are somehow lost in the bigger picture, justified by the horror of this majestic psychological drama. The riveting performances, and the horrifying story of a rivalry between two sisters that almost die in a spiral of madness is everything you have heard about it to be. The greatness of this film is truly awe-inspiring. Another classic that you should not miss.

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